The 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera is finally here. Code-named 992, this is the eighth new version of the 911 in this benchmark sports car’s 55-year history. It makes its debut in Carrera 4S form today in Los Angeles, and as you probably guessed, it’s a big deal.
Of course, in the great 911 tradition, the 992 doesn’t look all that different than its predecessor, the 991. Evolution rather than revolution is the name of the game here. The basic underlying structure and 96.5-inch wheelbase of the 991 has been carried over here, but the 992 wears new bodywork and brings a number of important suspension changes. Save for the front and rear fascias, the body is made entirely from aluminum, too.
You might have noticed the wide fenders by this point. Traditionally a hallmark of all-wheel drive 911s, now every version, regardless of the number of driven wheels, will sport enlarged fenders. It looks cool, but it also allowed Porsche to lengthen track widths at the front and rear. Also bigger are the wheels, which will be staggered in every version of the 911 (previously only the GT3 RS and GT2 RS offered such a setup). Base Carrera models will get 19-inch wheels up front and 20s in the rear, while Carrera S models will get 20s and 21s, respectively.
The door handles now sit flush with the bodywork and extend out when pressed, while the squared off front hood is meant to evoke early air-cooled 911s. The 992 also gets a wider electronically adjustable rear spoiler, while the body-length rear light bar reserved for Carrera 4 models in the past will now appear on every 911.
