While we like to chide the Stuttgart crew for "updates" to its 911 range, this newest one actually has some serious substance underneath the tweaked sheet metal. In addition to the revised headlamp and taillight design, CAR is reporting that Porsche will upgrade both the 3.6- and 3.8-liter flat-six boxers with direct-injection. The technology, first employed by Porsche on the 2007 Cayenne, boosted horsepower and torque by around 10- to 15-percent in the SUV, and we hope that similar gains can be made with its iconic six. More impressive, although not entirely unexpected, is the rumored fitment of Porsche's first dual-clutch gearbox. The Doppel Kupplungen transmission will be available on the new 911 after it's unveiled sometime this summer, with sales expected to begin this fall. There's no word on what models will benefit from the DSG 'box initially, nor was there any info about how the new tranny would be implemented on Porsche's all-wheel-drive models.[Source: CAR]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
john @ Apr 4th 2008 6:47PM
that didn't take long for Porsche ....bye bye gtr
XeroK00L @ Apr 4th 2008 7:12PM
Bye bye what? It's only the regular Carrera and the Carrera S that are getting the DI, not the Turbo.
Franz @ Apr 4th 2008 7:23PM
If I remember correctly, the Turbo won't be getting the dual clutch at first. Plus, according to August Achleitner, (911 project manager) in Motor Trend (June issue, 2k6) when asked about a dual clutch for the Turbo, he replied "Maybe two years. Putting a 911 Turbo's level of power through one of these is much more difficult that in a lower-power car."
It's almost been two years now, so I assume it's only a matter of time after the regular Carrera gets it that we'll see it in a Turbo. If the rumors that Porsche took a GT-R to their factory in Weissach are true, who knows: they might have learned a thing or two from Nissan, just like Nissan benchmarked the 911. I'm sure it'll be a formidable machine when it debuts.
The only thing left to be seen now if the so called purists will cry that the Porsche's new "automatic" and revised awd system will "drive itself" and subsequently rob it of it's "soul" that we've been forced to listen to them bitch about over the past few months: you know who you are... I'll be watching the comments. ;)
sdhar23 @ Apr 5th 2008 1:58AM
Yup the GTR only ruled the current-gen 911, which hadn't been updated in a while...now there will be stiffer competition between the two, and i think the 911 will get back its crown.
john @ Apr 5th 2008 4:21AM
oh i thought the turbo was getting DI to.... If Porsche did test the gtr just like Nissan did the 911, its going to be a good fight between the turbo and gtr. can't wait to see the spec -v
993C4S @ Apr 4th 2008 7:01PM
It's nice that Porsche is finally starting to make some significant improvements. It's a long time coming.
Tsunami Racer @ Apr 4th 2008 7:06PM
i just saw a bunch of these prototypes running around malibu two weeks ago. i did notice the new tail lights but the rest seems to be 'mild changes' cosmetically at least.
Noah @ Apr 4th 2008 7:38PM
Well, it the DI engine will be great for the Porsche Turbo. We will easily see the base Turbo rise to near the GT2 hp mark. But then again, its not all about power with Porsches.
Hmmm...Caymen with DI...
BMWdownshift @ Apr 4th 2008 8:42PM
Cars today are just out of control with new technology.
I feel f**kin old.
nagmashot @ Apr 5th 2008 5:11PM
dual clutch patent is from the 1940´s..Porsche was the first company mastering the technic and used it in race cars in the 1980´s.. they gave it to Audi which used it in some of the Audi S1 Group B Rally Monster.. nothing realy new..
Noe @ Apr 4th 2008 8:48PM
i was thinking the other day about exactly this, how would they be able to squeeze anymore power out of those 6's, DI is great!! And i bet now HONDA will do the same will its super efficient 4's. Can you imagine the MPG's those will get???? =)
MikeW @ Apr 5th 2008 9:02PM
Honda?
The don't even have variable valve timing on the fit or civic.
What happened to the lift scaling system for the TSX?
tekdemon @ Apr 6th 2008 5:52AM
Mike what are you talking about? The US market version of the Fit runs the VTEC version of the engine with variable valve timing, not the VTEC-less version.
And the Civic has VTEC in every trim in the US as well.
MikeW @ Apr 6th 2008 7:54PM
VTEC means cam switching.
The Fit has normal cams, but switches to a low lift/duration to improve low speed mixing.
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/874/releases/3453
http://www.hondanews.com/media_storage/GIF/Power_07Fit_2.gif
The new Civic?
The R18A1 has inverse half VTEC. It works on one intake valve. Works at part load (so if you floor it, it 'kicks out' not 'kicks in') and works on the bottom half of the engine speed range.
http://www.hondanews.com/media_storage/GIF/S2_Civic_23.gif
You could rip out the VTEC, and you still have the eEGR for mileage, and you still have the dual length intake manifold for improved torque/power.
Honda still doesn't have variable valve timing, yet Toyota put it on the '00 model year corolla, and now has variable intake & exhaust valve timing on the new 1.8.
Carlos @ Apr 4th 2008 9:00PM
I just wish Porsche would quit holding onto the rear mounted engine design. There is only so much engineering you can do to overcome physics. I know that Porsche has done a great job with the 911 and they are great cars to drive, but as testament to my insanity, Porsche will not give the Cayman more power simple because it would be a better car all around. With mid or even front/mid mounted placement the 911 could be a much better car. But hey call me crazy.
e90+335i @ Apr 6th 2008 4:10AM
I disagree
the layout of the 911 has become a quality
it gives definition to the car, and character to it's driving dynamics
Making the 911 a mid-engined car would be a huge mistake.
Porsche could, however, introduce a new mid-engined car to take the 911's current market position, while still producing the 911 as a niche car.
I think that this is what they are already doing. I predict that they will branch out from the cayman, eventually introducing the new model when the market is ready for it.
Kevin @ Apr 4th 2008 10:44PM
the DSG in the Carrera 4 will likely come hand in hand with their introduction of Haldex AWD.
The R32 has had DSG+Haldex for a while now.
Braden @ Apr 4th 2008 11:14PM
The R32's DSG is also not equipped to handle the kind of power that the Carrera can put down... Supposedly it tops out around 300 hp & Tq. Off the top of my head, a Carrera S does something like 360 hp and almost as much tq...
Kevin @ Apr 5th 2008 12:29AM
yes. and the R32's DSG also incorporates a wet clutch and only 6 gears, both of which have already been abandoned by VWAG. I think it's pretty obvious the DSG going into the Porsches will be significantly different than the R32's old tranny.
The question in the post was whether DSG was compatible with a 4WD drive train.
Since the Carrara 4S' wetclutch AWD system is being replaced by haldex, it would be a no brainer to add DSG.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Porsche decided to go with Haldex for that very reason.
Chase @ Apr 6th 2008 12:45AM
415 ft/lbs on an MK5 R32 with no transmission modifications:
http://www.hpamotorsports.com/ft450.htm
The max is around 450 ft/lbs