It's Official: The N/A Porsche 911 Carrera Is Dead

Normally when there’s news of an automotive facelift, we’ll lead with a picture of the car. Maybe a comparison with the old one, attempting to pick out the very subtle differences (which you can see a little further down). However, for the refreshed 911 Carrera, we’re slapping a picture of the engine at the top of the page, because it’s way more significant than any aesthetic tweaks. Why? Because it’s packing a pair of turbochargers.

Yes, as has been anticipated, the days of the naturally aspirated 911 Carrera are over. Sitting in the back of the new Carrera and Carrera S is a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo flat-six. The standard version kicks out 365bhp at 6500rpm, and 332lb ft of torque from 1700-5000rpm, while the S puts out 414bhp and 369lb ft of torque. That’s around a 20bhp boost for both cars, plus a 45 and 48lb ft increase for the Carrera and Carrera S respectively.

Naturally, this makes the new cars faster than the old ones; when fitted with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) automatic gearbox, the Carrera will crack 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, while the S will do it in 3.9. Both represent a 0.2sec improvement over the N/A model, and the top speeds are also up a little to 183 and 191mph.

Of course, the fuel economy and emissions - the driving forces behind adding a pair of blowers to the 911’s flat-six - get an increase as well. The standard one is the most frugal, with a claimed combined figure of 38.2mpg, and 169 g/km CO2. Those are almost Greenpeace-friendly figures, from a ruddy 911 that’s up to seven seconds quicker around the Nurburgring than the old one. Not bad.

However, while it’s all well and good looking at little bumps in performance and economy, there’s one burning question we - and no doubt a lot of you guys - want answering. Is the death of the N/A 911 imminent? Not yet, at least. The GT3 and GT3 RS are still naturally-aspirated, and there’s no official line on the future of the GTS range.

In the mean time, if you fancy a new turbo 911, you’ll be able to order one now, with prices starting at £76,412 for a boggo Carrera, rising to £94,698 for a Carrera S Cabriolet. Expect first deliveries in December.