2012 Porsche 911: Up Close
More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
Photos suggest a similar car as the “997” 911, but differences are easy to pick out in person — especially in back, or the view other drivers on the road will get. For starters, every 911 now says “911 Carerra,” not simply “Carrera,” a moniker that made a lot of casual observers wonder if the Carrera and 911 were, in fact, separate cars.
The backseat looks as inhospitable as ever. The show car’s seven-speed manual is wild, with a fifth gate (Reverse, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7) that hugs the right side of the shift boot. Getting into it feels like you’re casting the shifter off the console altogether. But seven gears should help the manual 911 improve fuel economy beyond its stick-shift predecessor, which ranged from to 16/24 mpg to 18/25 mpg. Porsche doesn’t have EPA numbers yet, but European driving cycles show a 16% improvement.
