Frankfurt show: Porsche reveals 911 on test run

PORSCHE’S facelifted 911 has broken cover in a series of official photographs taken during shakedown testing in South Africa.

Due to be launched at the Frankfurt motor show in September, the “991.2” version of Porsche’s iconic rear-engined sportscar appears to get relatively minor exterior changes, in typical Porsche reserved style.

These include a fresh front fascia with revised headlight and LED daytime driving lights, along with a new rear bumper with new-look exhaust pipes positioned closer together in the rear diffuser.

Black tape is evident around the edges of the lights, hiding the full extent of the changes to the current model that was launched in standard Carrera form in 2012.

The biggest news is expected to lie under the skin, where the German sportscar-maker is set to break with tradition by introducing turbocharged engines on the Carrera and possibly other variants, but not the race-bred GT3 and GT3 RS.

European media speculates that the current 3.4 and 3.8 litre engines of the Carrera and Carrera S will both be downsized in the interests of fuel economy, but gain turbochargers for a net power increase.

The current Carrera 3.4-litre produces 257kW, while the Carrera S’s 3.8-litre pumps out 294kW (manual) or 297kW (PDK). The GTS’s 3.8-litre goes up to 316kW.

Porsche Cars Australia has confirmed the revised range will land in Australia in the first quarter of 2016.

The four cars shown in the 16 photographs released to selected news outlets overnight, cover all 911 body styles – coupe, cabriolet and targa – running on both bitumen and dirt roads.

No details of mechanical or specification changes were revealed, but expect more to be released in the lead up to the Frankfurt show media days starting September 15.

An interior shot reveals a new control for a four-mode driving selector – a rotary knob mounted on a steering column stalk.

A bigger infotainment screen is evident in one of the cabin shots that also shows a new-look steering wheel. Many Porsche fans will be relieved to hear that the traditional three-dial dash remains, and that a manual gearshift is still there too.