Fascinating to note a news story on Wheels’ website this week detailing what the magazine believes will be the engine line-up for the next Porsche 911.
Everyone is engine downsizing right now and going turbo to make up for the loss of cubes – and the 911 is no exception. We have known that for a while.
But Wheels fills in some details for us, quoting no less an authority than Walter Röhrl in claiming the new turbo flat-six will produce 349bhp in 2.7-litre form for the Carrera, and 430bhp in 3.0-litre form for the Carrera S.
Both values are up on the normally-aspirated 3.6/3.8 engines in the current 991 series models (and bound to have a stack more torque low down), while of course 2.7 is synonymous with 911s of the past, and chiefly the iconic Carrera RS 2.7 of 1973.
Wheels quotes the motor sport legend as saying he has driven the new engines. He is clearly not a fan of turbocharging…
‘We need to go to turbocharging to reduce emissions,’ he is quoted as saying. ‘How else can we get C02 levels below 95g? But no matter how good a turbo engine is, it can never have the pure response of a naturally aspirated engine.’
Walter Röhrl doesn’t stop there. ‘At least it’s not a four-cylinder turbo like in the next Boxster. That sounds like a Volkswagen Beetle, I’m not kidding you! I tell the guys, “You’re joking with this sound, right?” But they just say they are working on it. I’m sure they will get it right.’
Walter’s answer? Wheels reports he has bought himself a current Boxster ‘because engines like this won’t be made anymore’.
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