Doesn't it seem like only yesterday when the 991 generation Porsche 911 debuted? Well, it's been 6½ years already, as the wraps came off the 991 at the Frankfurt show in fall 2011. Despite new model versions being shown all the time, most recently the 2019 GT3 RS, the next-generation car has been in development for a long time and is nearing completion. Possibly to address any rumors, Porsche showed the 2020 992 today in official photos, still wearing camo.

The 992 you see here was presented to automotive media by Porsche model director August Achleitner. He admits updating the 911 is always a challenge, as it's the "heart of the company," or phrasing it in a typical German way, "a dynamic bastion of stability." Remember the uproar when the 996 switched to water-cooled engines instead of the air-cooled units the 911 was known for? Achleitner even sees navigation systems as a challenge, as 20-year-old high-end systems can look really dated by now.

The elephant in the room is hybrid technology, or even going full electric. Porsche states that the 992 is "not an electric sports car," but that further down the line, it could be an option to introduce electric power. At first, that is reserved for "e-models" like the Mission E. But Achleitner says he's warming up to electric drive technology in the 911: "Two years ago I'd have said no way. Today I wouldn't categorically rule it out." Reports say a PHEV version will be introduced for the 911 in the next decade.

But autonomous driving tech is something that will be kept out of the 911 as long as possible. "Even when it comes to the individual assistance systems, they have to fit with the 911. A 911 will always have a steering wheel, [the] 911 will be one of the last cars to drive autonomously."

The photos clearly show a 911, no doubt about it. The shape is the time-honored classic 911 shape, or at least not drastically changed from the 991. The difference probably lies in the bumpers and the way the rear spoiler has been integrated into the rear window surroundings: These images show precious little of the rear. But Porsche knows how much it needs to get it right.

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Porsche shows off next-gen 911 in camo, reveals some tidbits originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Feb 2018 09:20:00 EST.