911 at 60: the 991 & 992 yearsPART FIVE 2011-2023
This was the decade when Porsche became predominantly a premium brand manufacturer rather than a sports car builder. In fact the shift had begun 10 years earlier with the launch of the Cayenne SUV, reinforced in 2008 by the sleek Panamera saloon that used much of the Cayenne’s running gear. In 2014, a smaller Cayenne – the Macan – arrived and rapidly became Porsche’s bestseller while with the Taycan in 2019, the company presented its obligatory electric vehicle offering. If such expansion implied that Porsche’s focus was moving away from its sports car, this wasn’t the case. The 911 was destined to remain Porsche’s flagship and its latest incarnation, the far more advanced and sophisticated 991, was an emphatic affirmation of this.
While pleasingly a traditional-looking 911 following very much the shape of its much-admired 997 predecessor, the 991 – released in 2011 – was significantly bigger in most dimensions. A combination of consumer expectation, design trends and the need to install an altogether higher level of technology meant the 991 Carrera, though some 40kg lighter (thanks largely to more extensive use of aluminium) was visibly larger than the 997. The new shell was both longer and wider than before and the wheelbase 100mm greater. The new dimensions enabled the engine to be set 25mm forward and this, combined with a wider front track, would enhance the 911’s high-speed cornering and stability.
A comprehensively revised interior was once again a step-up in terms of materials and the new 911’s cabin felt distinctly luxurious. A major improvement was the replacement of the 997’s vertical button-laden console by a centre panel that sloped up from the seats to meet the dashboard. This panel contained buttons for the various dynamic controls and had the beneficial effect of raising the gear lever closer to the driver. Meanwhile, a new vertical console, half the height of the previous design, simply housed
