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Part of why the Porsche 911 has endured for over six decades is that it’s a tremendous amount of fun to drive. From the base, rear-wheel-drive Carrera to the track-bred GT3, the 911 continues to put a big focus on engaging handling. Porsche is convinced that there are still many improvements to be made in the fun department, and the brand announced that a new, “particularly fun” 911 variant will soon make its debut.
At first glance, there’s little to glean from the preview image released by Porsche. It shows a 911 under a cover, and it’s accompanied by a short press release explaining that the car will be presented in “an entertaining film” in which “well-known car experts put the new model, which is still unknown to them, through its first test on the spectacular mountain roads of Tenerife.” That’s not the full story, however.
One of the most telling hints is the exterior door handle: The cover can’t hide the fact that it sticks out from the body. Every version of the current, 992.2-generation 911 gets flush-mounted door handles with one notable exception: The GT3 RS, whose carbon-fiber door skins aren’t compatible with flush-mounted handles. While this is pure speculation, we’re betting that we’re either looking at a new variant of the GT3 RS or at a new trim that’s in some way related to the GT3 RS. There’s a good chance it’s a convertible, too.
Porsche
Porsche
It looks like there’s a break in the roof line right above the windshield, which screams “911 Cabriolet!” to us. The window line, or what little we can see of it, also seems more closely aligned with the Cabriolet’s than the coupe’s. The obvious lack of a wing suggests more on-the-road fun than track duty. Our minds are wandering with wild guesses of powertrains (and hope that it will be naturally aspirated!) and hardcore track-inspired parts.
Of course, we could be wrong, and Porsche could unveil something else entirely. We could be looking at a flush-mounted door handle in its popped-out position, which would invalidate our GT3 RS argument. The break in the roof line could be a mere shadow. There’s not a lot of meat on this bone, which is intentional.
We’ll find out how the definition of “particularly fun” applies to the Porsche 911 when the model makes its debut on April 14 at 4:00 p.m. CEST, which is 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast and 7:00 a.m. on the West Coast. If you want to watch the unveiling, you’ll be able to stream it on the company’s YouTube channel.
In the meantime, what do you think Porsche will unveil? Share your thoughts in the comments below.