First intel arrives on 2020 Porsche 911 Turbo S

The 992-series Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S will introduce themselves next year. Porsche offered a few scribes a taste of what’s to come with a shotgun-seat ride in Turbo S development prototypes. The reviews so far commend Porsche for raising the bar yet again. Power will come from a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six upgraded with iron cylinder liners and cast iron exhaust manifolds, larger turbos, new intercooler placement, piezoeletric fuel injectors, redesigned catalytic converters, and gas particulate filters mandatory in Europe that will also come to the States; the Carrera models shed their GPFs before crossing the Atlantic. Peak boost for the 2020 Turbo S is 17.4 psi, compared to the 17.5 psi of boost on the 991-series in standard running that could be upped to 19.4 psi for 10 seconds in overboost mode.

The changes add up to estimated output figures of 641 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, according to Car and Driver, while Automobile quotes torque at 580 lb-ft. That’s an improvement of 61 hp over the current Turbo S, and either 27 or 37 lb-ft. Shifting, as has been the case for years, is strictly automatic, an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch managing gears. The transmission housing isn’t as long as before, but the unit weighs 53 pounds more than the seven-speed PDK in use at the moment. Speaking of weight, Turbo S largesse rises by 110 pounds overall in coupe form. Even so, Porsche estimates the 0-to-60 mph blast will take 2.5 or 2.6 seconds, both magazines believe that’s conservative and that a 2.4-second run or better is in the offing. If the magazines are correct, 2.4 seconds would hack an astonishing 0.4 seconds off the current 0-60 time. C/D writes that top speed will hold steady at 205 mph, Automobile predicts a rise to the same 211-mph terminal velocity as the GT2 RS.

The coming Turbo S adopts staggered wheels; instead of 20-inchers all around, the fronts will hold at 20 inches, the rears grow to 21 inches. Those back wheels hide out under bodywork wider by 20 millimeters compared to 2019. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires provide the grip, all tires 10 millimeters wider than before, 255/35 up front, 315/30 in back. Front brakes upgrade to the mammoth units found on the larger and much heavier Panamera E-Hybrid Turbo S and Taycan Turbo S, with 10-piston calipers — up from six pistons — clamping 16.5-inch discs that are 0.4 inch larger than before.  

All-new options for the new car will include a crackling Sport Exhaust, a Sport Performance package that tweaks the suspension and lowers the ride height 20 millimeters, and an optional carbon fiber roof for the coupe.

We still don’t know exactly when the new Turbo S will debut, but the announcement is due early next year.