The winter testing session is in full swing, and Porsche is keeping busy these days by preparing a mid-cycle update for the 911. An extended spy photo gallery highlights two coupes and two convertibles featuring deceiving camouflage to trick the untrained eye into believing the 992-gen sports car is more of the same. However, eagle-eyed viewers will notice two different headlight designs, likely with and without matrix tech.
The most obvious change is for the front bumper as it no longer integrates the LED strip. Its functionality has been embedded into the main headlight, thus giving the bumper a cleaner look. All four 911 test vehicles have numerous flaps behind the three horizontal slats, presumably serving an aerodynamic purpose. It's unclear whether those are active shutters and only open at certain times or if their position is fixed.
Porsche 911 Coupe, Convertible facelift spy photos
Moving at the back, the dual exhaust tips are closer to one another but don't sit right next to each other as they do on the GT3 or the GT3 RS. Porsche is also working on new air intakes to cool the flat-six engine and it looks as though there's some sneaky body-colored disguise on the taillights. Our spies couldn't take a peek inside, but the black fabric placed on the dashboard suggests the cabin will go through some changes we're not allowed to see yet.
The 992 generation still feels fresh and yet the folks from Zuffenhausen are hard at work preparing a facelift. Aside from styling tweaks, we're expecting the biggest novelty to be the hybrid version Porsche has repeatedly said it's coming. It won't be a PHEV and will be tuned toward performance rather than efficiency. Lessons learned from the 919 Hybrid program will be put to good use, but a fully electric 911 has been ruled out this decade.
Near the end of the 992.2's run, the German automaker could come out with another GT2 RS to serve as the ultimate version. In the meantime, spy shots have revealed a potential ST is on the way, possibly even before the facelift. It'll reportedly be based on the Carrera T but with the GT3's power and numerous lightweight parts.
