Wednesday 28th September 2011

New 911: Better Like It 'Cos It's Here Until 2025

New 991 911 to do a 'double-stint' with two seven-year model cycles

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In what we must presume to be one of the first examples of Austerity Age performance motoring, it's been revealed that the new 991-generation 911 will be around for two seven-year model cycles. So the car you're looking at now is, in essence and proportion, the same that will still be in active service come 2025.

Which means that, when the Euro seems like a bad dream, we're all indulging in wars over water, China has bought out the entire US car industry, and everybody's trundling around in range-extender electric vehicles, the 991 will still be with us.

But don't worry, because Porsche is going to have plenty of stuff coming along to keep up our interest in the ol' girl. We've got the Carrera 4 and 4S in December, the Cabriolet next year (apparently with a clever semi-hard roof - stop sniggering at the back, there) and a Turbo and GT3 in 2014.

Then (and just in case you were getting bored) Porsche is set to drop downsized turbo flat-sixes into the 911 in 2015 (that's going to upset a few people, we suspect).

Beyond that, there are also plans for a hybrid 911, a new Targa (which will revert back to its original hooped-bar design theme) and possibly even a new 911 Speedster (not to mention the numerous RS models and other special editions). Plenty to keep the folks a Weissach busy, in other words...

(You can read about Porsche's plans in a little more details on the CAR magazine website)

[thewheelman]

Awaits obvious.....it's been the same car since 1963 joke......

[Raramuri]

That's good news in terms of residual values for the owners of 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

[Riggers]

Raramuri said:

That's good news in terms of residual values for 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

You think so? Personally the 991 gets my visual vote over the 997 (but different strokes, as they say...)

[suffolk009]

The whole Porsche-love thing still evades me. But, I do admire the way that they stick with what they know (SUVs aside, of course).

[dazren]

2014 before the turbo and GT3? Seriously?

[nickfrog]

suffolk009 said:

The whole Porsche-love thing still evades me.

How much time and freedom have you been given behind the wheel of a recent one ?

They're pretty good to drive, if that's important to you at all.

[Mermaid]

I thought there were giving up the GT3 badge, and reverting to GT or RS

[ewenm]

dazren said:

2014 before the turbo and GT3? Seriously?

They've got 14 years to get all the special editions out, so they're hardly going to rush.

[thewheelman]

Riggers said:

Raramuri said:

That's good news in terms of residual values for 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

You think so? Personally the 991 gets my visual vote over the 997 (but different strokes, as they say...)

The 993 still edges it for me.

[Mermaid]

Raramuri said:

That's good news in terms of residual values for the owners of 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

BMW E92 to the BMW E46?

[Riggers]

thewheelman said:

Riggers said:

Raramuri said:

That's good news in terms of residual values for 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

You think so? Personally the 991 gets my visual vote over the 997 (but different strokes, as they say...)

The 993 still edges it for me.

Ah. Well. If you're bringing other 911s into it then I might have to rethink things entirely...

[Caruso]

I can't help but think that's a reaction to the current economic climate and a contingency plan to appease the bean counters. If the situation improves, then a new model will come along before 2025.

[mikefacel]

There is no way they're going to be able to stick with this design for 14 years. If they try, it'll probably be like Trigger's broom.

The market moves too quickly and competition over the next 14 years is likely to make it impossible for Porsche to stick with the same model that long. Still, announcing this 14 year period when it won't become obsolete is bound to be good for sales initially! - cynic, moi?

[E38Ross]

Riggers said:

Raramuri said:

That's good news in terms of residual values for 997s then! The 991 just simply isn't as pretty.

You think so? Personally the 991 gets my visual vote over the 997 (but different strokes, as they say...)

i'm with riggers i think....just. i think the 997 is definitely nicer than the 996, which i don't really like, but the 991 is lovely, if a bit too flashy.

it's pretty expensive though, over 70k plus options for a base spec carrera!

[Mr Whippy]

Will have to wait until I see one in the skin.

The nicest one imo, of the last decade, is probably a Guards Red C2 with the 18" simple 5 spoke wheels and two normal squared oval exhausts... plain and simple and elegant... but purposeful still

Dave

[khooni]

that's about right. the 996/997 had 13 years from 1998 to 2011

so the 14y life cycle doesn't sound out of the ordinary.

[Agoogy]

Dull design lasts when done properly....
Like the look of the 960...a 458 rival in the making.
Smaller Panamera though? Pajun? eeek
Just give us a 928 replacement ffs!
and then the Cayenne junior too...
Just give us a 914/356 replacement ffs!!

oh sod it, give us it all, it'll all sell.

[Johnboy Mac]

Don't understand the long 14 year production life other than costs saved of producing a new version for 2018, maybe this is VW's influence at work. I reckon Porsche's marketing dept better be on it toes in year eight. Lotus and the likes should see this as potentially good news.

[davislove]

technological plateau?

[sleep envy]

mini turbo

I wonder how they'll work that one into the line up