Porsche - upcoming future models (2009 - 2012)

Kicking off a new series of product launches by Porsche is the facelifted Cayman and Boxster, first unveiled in November 2008's Los Angeles Auto Show. Export to overseas market will begin by end of March 2009.

987 generation Boxster & Cayman

Base model engine will be upgraded from 2.7-litres to 2.9-litres.
Higher range Boxster S will get a new 3.4-litre engine with gasoline direct injection, which was co-developed with the 997 generation 911 facelift's flat six unit.
Also introduced is a new gearbox - from the 911's 7-speed twin-clutch PDK "manumatic" transmission. PDK transmission replaces the previous Boxster S Tiptronic S automatic option.
An optional Lights Package includes bi-xenon headlights, dynamic curve lights and LED daytime driving lights (replaced the fog lamps).
LED tail lights will be offered as a standard.

Cayenne Diesel

Already gone on sale in Western Europe since February 2009. Overseas sales is expected to begin by April. Purist Porsche-philes might call it a blasphemy to have anything diesel powered wearing a Porsche badge, but what many didn't realise was that for the entire 2007-2008 Cayenne was breaking its own sales record, mainly due to strong demand from China, Russia and Middle East. It was the profits gained from Cayenne that is keeping Porsche afloat and free to build more 911s that we all love. So expanding Cayenne's appeal with a diesel Cayenne actually makes a lot of sense from a business point of view.

Panamera


April 2009 launch. The jury is still out on its design. But I personally find it to be quite acceptable. Some may question the logic of Porsche chasing a non-existent market. Porsche-philes threw tantrums and derided its design. But as proven by Porsche's sales performance with the Cayenne and Boxster, Porsche knows the market a lot better than many of us. There is no reason to doubt otherwise with the Panamera. The Boxster brought in a new group of buyers to the Porsche brand, and some of these will translate into future 911 owners. The Cayenne "locks" existing 911 owners who needed something more practical and also brought in a new group of buyers who want a Porsche but are not quite keen on 2-door sports car that many men with tiny weenies like. But since when anyone bought a Porsche for its looks anyway. Modern Porsches are supercars that you can use everyday. Not one of those tantrum throwing Italian exotics that need some good amount of cajoling before they are willing to start-up and get into gear. You know this will be another commercial success for Porsche. Some may attribute this to the Porsche badge, that people are willing to pay for it no matter how ugly it is. But I am more keen to think that Porsche understands very well what their customers really wants. A product planner / strategist needs shut out the noise of those loud enthusiasts and listen to those that are really buying the car.

GT3 (997 facelift)

December 2009 launch. On top of the changes made to 997-facelift, GT3 version will get the customary aero-aids improvement. A new bi-xenon headlamp is also included. Like its lesser standard 911 siblings, new direct injection engines will begin their service in the GT3s.

911 Turbo (997 facelift)
January 2010 launch. Typical aero-aids improvement over standard 911 models. Like the GT3, new direct injection engines will begin their service in the GT3s.

Second generation 2010 Cayenne

The 2010 Cayenne will have more bespoke components, meaning less rummaging through the parts bin of Volkswagen's Touareg. But it is expected to share many components with the Panamera. But both Panamera and Cayenne will still maintain their independent platforms. Read more here.

2010 GT2 "Plus"
The GT2 Plus is not the final name but a moniker used by Porsche Cars Australia MD Michael Winkler during a media session. The idea is that this will be an even more hardcore-purist interpretation of the 911, even more than the GT3, GT2 versions, but probably less extreme than those race ready and not road legal RSR models. According to Porsche, based on their experience in the early 1990s recession, it was the core of racer owners that kept the company afloat during bad times. Porsche will be using the same strategy again to the through again this time.

Cayenne Hybrid

Image is a Cayenne Hybrid Concept
November 2010 launch. Get used to the idea of a hybrid Porsche. Same logic to the Cayenne Diesel applies. Even Ferrari is going hybrid. Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo have already confirmed that they are testing hybrid powertrains on a 599. Though this is not expected to be a conventional electric-gasoline hybrid like the ones used by Porsche, but a variation of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS, carbon fibre flywheel in a vacuum to store / recover kinetic energy) used by Ferrari F1 team. You can't expect Ferrari or Porsche to produce less than 10,000 cars a year to be exempted from those stringent EU fuel economy and CO2 emission regulations.

Panamera Hybrid


Expected launch in early 2011. It will share most of the hybrid components with the Cayenne Hybrid. Not much is known about Porsche's battery supplier but it is speculated to be Volkswagen's battery partner Sanyo. Whether will the Cayenne and Panamera hybrids use NiMh batteries or Li-ion is not confirmed, but it is unlikely that Li-ion batteries, with their thermal issues will be able to meet Porsche's demanding performance requirements.

998-series 911

More images here.
Expected launch in late 2011 as a 2012 model. Porsche’s chief designer Michael Mauer have already revealed some hints on the design for the 911's next model change. Of course, the basic 911 silhouette will remain unchanged but the car's nose and tail will have a more voluptuous design that the current model. The nose is said to need to comply with EU's pedestrian-friendly regulation. Usually this means a more bulbous and taller nose...Let's Porsche designers can harmonise these two polarising requirements. There have been rumours that in the interest of optimising aerodynamic efficiency, side mirrors will be junked in favour of rear view cameras.

Director of Product Line 911, Herr August Achleitner have also hinted that forced induction might be introduced in lesser 911 models as well, to meet the ever more stringent CO2 emission and fuel economy regulation. He has mentioned that engine capacities of "between 2.5 and 3.8 litres are possible. In his actual words, he said;

The challenge with future 911s is to meet environmental concerns while
improving performance. We are looking at many things... (including) a
turbocharger on a smaller engine (besides in the range-topping 911 Turbo). It’s
a better way of downsizing without losing the characteristics that the car has
today. And it is not as expensive as going diesel.

Diesel and hybrid 911s were ruled out though. But Herr Achleitner did suggest that there could be a possibility of Porsche exploring a compression ignition petrol engine like the DiesOtto concept for the 911.

By the way if you find the name August Achleitner sounds familiar, that's because last year he stoked controversy by saying that Porsche test drivers could not replicate the Nissan GTR's claimed 7:29 lap time on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, saying that Porsche's own Ringmeisters could not get within 25 seconds of the Nissan's claimed lap time on a stock GTR. Nissan would later cheekily reply that they are willing to give "free driver training" to Porsche test drivers, and saying that Toshio Suzuki, the man who set the lap record in the GTR was an expert in Germany's Green Hell and released a video recording proving that standard Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST CTT tires were used in the GTR that set the lap record.

988-series Boxster and Cayman

More images here.
Expected launch by 2012. There are rumours that a four cylinder boxer engine will be used instead of the current flat six, again due to compliance with fuel economy and exhaust emission regulations. Keep in mind the Boxster's spiritual predecessor, the unloved 914 was powered by a four cylinder boxer engine as well.