new 2012 Porsche 911 in Frankfurt Motor Show

It was bound to happen; the very first official press photos of the new 2012 Porsche 911 were leaked onto the internet today well ahead of the sports coupe's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.

If you're having a hard time spotting the styling changes we won't blame you as the 991 was closely modeled after the outgoing 997.

And while there may be more differences than we care to mention, the most eye-catching alterations concern the concave front LED daytime running lamps, the door-mounted exterior mirrors and the much thinner and more futuristic looking LED tail lamps that adorn the more heavily sculpted rear end.

As anticipated, the new 911's interior blends the two styling worlds of the 997 and the Panamera into one. A key highlight is the pronounced lower part of the center console that hosts a number of buttons.

Move away from the styling and you'll find a larger platform with a 4.0-inch longer wheelbase as well as a new pair of engines, with the basic Carrera sporting a 3.4-liter boxer delivering 350HP, and the Carrera S, a 3.8-liter flat-six producing around 400-horsepower.

In both models, power is channeled to the driving wheels through a new 7-speed manual gearbox or an optional PDK transmission.

Stay tuned on Carscoop for more news on the new Porsche 911, as it won't be long before the German automaker comes out with a full release.

Photos via Topspeed

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Porsche Unveils 2012 MY 911 GT3 Cup Racer

The all-new 911, code-named 991, may be just around the corner with its debut coming next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but that doesn’t mean that Porsche is done with the soon-to-be-replaced 997.

At least not with its racing version, the GT3 Cup, which with more than 2,200 units sold, is the number one preference for customer racing teams worldwide.

Now, Porsche has unveiled the 2012MY 911 GT3 Cup. It is based on the 991 (997) GT3 RS, with the 3.8-liter flat-six engine producing an identical 450HP at 8,500 rpm.

However, it does get a race exhaust system that features a controlled catalytic converter to reduce CO2 emissions.

The new GT3 Cup has a larger 100-liter FT3 safety fuel tank, which is filled via an opening in the hood. According to Porsche, this change makes the car more suitable for a wider range of endurance racing.

The Porsche racer rides on 18-inch wheels shod in 25/64-18 front and 30/68-18 Michelin racing tires.

Both the front and rear anti-roll bars are adjustable in seven positions in order to achieve a customized set-up for each occasion.

In addition, the Porsche Mobil1 Supercar racers, which support the F1 championship, get exclusive use of the PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes that, compared to the composite cast units used in other race versions of the 911, reduce overall weight by 20 kg.

Deliveries of the new 911 GT3 Cup will start in September and the car will be available in this specification for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Pricing starts from €161,750 (~ US$228,700) not including local taxes.

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Porsche celebrates 10 years in China with special edition 911 Turbo S

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S China Edition

To celebrate its tenth anniversary in the ever-hungry, ever-growing Chinese market, Porsche is unleashing a special edition version of its 911 Turbo S. The car comes with the Turbo S' 530-horsepower, twin-turbo flat-six, mated to Porsche's PDK sequential gearbox.

Rather than go crazy with mechanical mods, Porsche is sticking with an appearance package for the commemorative 911. Outside, there's special Gold Bronze Metallic paint set off with flat black and carbon fiber accents. The car rides on sexy black 19-inch Fuchs-style alloys borrowed from the 911 Sport Classic.

Inside, customers get a gold commemorative plaque, and all the Alcantara you could ever want. Porsche sets off the acres of black fabric with contrasting gold stitching.

If you want one, you're pretty much out of luck. Porsche is only going to build 10 examples, and they're all going to China.

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