991系列911车型还有很长的生命周期，预计明年保时捷将推出GT3改款车和顶级款GT2。同时，车厂还在开发992系列新一代车型，最近谍照记者就在纽伯格林赛道拍到了其早期测试车。虽然第一眼看上去，该车与现行的991.2 卡雷拉4非常接近，但测试车实际上有一系列的变化。该车采用了更宽挡泥板和轮拱，这表明新车轮距加宽。车身尺寸的增加表明下一代车型预计将首次提供插电混动版本。虽然纯电动版已经被保时捷否定，但电动化或许已经排上日程表，这不仅可以降低油耗，还能提升性能。911产品经理Erhard Mussle透露，下一代车型将采用升级规格的MMB平台，而非全新结构。他同时表示，新车外观将采用渐进式改款而非革命性更新，911自从上世纪60年代问世以来一直遵循渐进式改款的做法。预计新一代911将于2018年下半年发布，随后将于年底或2019年上市。

2019 Porsche 911 shows signs of growth
The 991 generation of Porsche’s iconic 911 model still has plenty of life in it, with the facelifted GT3 and the range-topping GT2 expected to see the light of day quite possibly next year. At the same time, work is already well underway at the 992 model seen here as an early test mule stretching out at the Nürburgring (where else?)

While at first glance it looks like it’s wearing the standard body of the current 991.2 Carrera 4, the test vehicle has actually been subjected to a series of changes. The 2+2 coupe from Porsche seems to feature wider fenders and beefier wheel arches, thus indicating wider tracks are in tow for Stuttgart’s Nine Eleven. The increase in size might have something to do with the fact the next generation is expected to spawn a plug-in hybrid version for the very first time in the model’s existence.

An all-electric derivative has been ruled out by Porsche as the company believes it doesn’t make sense for the time being. But some form of electrification is probably on the agenda not only as a way to slash fuel consumption and emission, but also to boost performance.

Porsche through the voice of its 911 product line director Erhard Mussle has already announced during an interview with Autocar the next-gen model will ride on an updated configuration of the existing MMB platform rather than switching to all-new underpinnings. Unsurprisingly, he also disclosed the exterior design will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, as it has always been the case with the 911 ever since its inception back in the early 1960s.

Look for a premiere to occur in the second half of 2018, with sales to commence by the year’s end or early 2019.