With the launch of every new generation Porsche 911, anticipation is always met with a sense of familiarity. For the past 55 years, the 911 has retained its instantly recognizable shape with its engine hanging out in the rear, stubbornly pushing against the laws of physics. Remarkably, each iteration has gotten better and better to the point where physics no longer matters and the 911 reigns king among sports cars.
At the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show, Porsche unveiled to the world the next generation Porsche 911, which will undoubtedly spawn 50,000 highly nuanced variations during it lifetime. Dubbed the 992, the 8th-generation 2020 Porsche 911 is, as always, more evolutionary than revolutionary. Angular details as straight lines dominate the overall design scheme, but the familiar shape and proportions still remain.
Inside, the changes are more apparent with a completely new design featuring a new 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display, new instrument cluster, revised switchgear, and an overall design language that offers a modern interpretation of the original 911. New to this generation is a standard Wet Mode that detects the amount of water on the road via sensors in the vehicle’s wheel wells, preconditioning the stability control and anti-lock brakes.
Initially powering the new 911 are a variation of 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six cylinder engines that offer 385-hp and 444-hp, sending power to the rear or all four wheels. Performance depends on the engine and powertrain options, but 0 to 60 happens between a blistering 3.4 and 3.5 seconds.
The 2020 Porsche 911 is set to reach dealers in the summer 2019, with a base price of $113,200, although buyers should expect to pay much more than that if they get overzealous with the options list in true Porsche fashion.