Full – Porsche 991 911 Factory Assembly Plant – Video
The Porsche 991 is the internal designation for the seventh generation Porsche 911 which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on 15 September as the replacement for the 997. The 991 is an entirely new platform, only the third since the original 911 launched in 1963 (the 996 of 1999 was the second new platform). The design has taken an evolutionary step, in keeping with the previous generation 997 and 996. The designer of the 991 is Porsche’s Chief Designer Michael Mauer.
Compared to the outgoing 997, the 991 is slightly larger, with the wheelbase increased by 100 mm (3.9 in) to 2,450 millimetres (96.5 in), and the overall length up by 70 mm (2.8 in) to 4,490 millimetres (176.8 in). A new transaxle was developed so that the rear wheels could be moved 76 millimetres (3 in) backward in relation to the position of the engine, which significantly improves the weight distribution and cornering performance of the new 911.
Due to the use of high-strength steels, aluminium and some composites the weight has been reduced to 1,380 kg (3,040 lb) for the manual Carrera, rising to 1,605 kg (3,538 lb) for the four wheel drive Turbo model with PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung). PDK is available as an option for all 911 Carrera models as 7-speed transmission, featuring manual and automatic modes. Gears 1 to 6 have a sports ratio and top speed is reached in 6th gear. 7th gear has a long ratio and helps to reduce fuel consumption by keeping engine revs low. PDK is essentially two gearboxes in one and thus requires two clutches. For all 991 models PDK is produced by ZF Friedrichshafen.