The current 992-generation Porsche 911 is about to come in for its mid-cycle update and a prototype for the updated Carrera Cabriolet has just been spotted.
Also out testing are updated versions of the Carrera, Carrera GTS, Targa, GT3, Turbo, and Turbo S. A new Heritage Design special with retro cues is also out testing, and is thought to be a modern 911 S/T.
The prototype for the Carrera Cabriolet shows new front intakes, new internals for the headlights, and a revised taillight design.
The rear is more heavily camouflaged compared to the front. However, we can see the exhaust tips are also mounted in a different position than on the current Carrera. This backs rumors a new engine might be introduced with this update, specifically a bigger, naturally aspirated unit like Porsche's 4.0-liter flat-6 offered in the 718 range, which starts at 394 hp. The current Carrera comes with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6 with outputs that start at 379 hp.
There is some substance to the rumors. Frank-Steffen Walliser, the former chief engineer for the 911, said in a 2020 interview that new emissions regulations planned for Europe around the middle of the decade will spur bigger engines to return in favor of downsized units. The new rules are apparently aimed at matching lab-tested fuel economy with real-world figures.
Hybrid technology is also expected to be introduced on some 911 variants with this update. Carrera prototypes have been testing with hybrid power, though it's likely any hybrid option in the Carrera range will be limited to the range-topping Carrera GTS grade.
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume in 2022 said the 911's hybrid system will be similar to the system in the former 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car, and not a plug-in hybrid system like in the 918 Spyder hypercar. That means there won't be a plug, and any electric motor-generator(s) will purely be used to support the internal-combustion engine and recover energy under braking.
The first members of the updated 992-generation 911 range should appear late this year or early next, meaning they'll likely arrive as 2024 models.
