New 2012 Porsche 911 Specs Hit the Web Early

This internet is tricky business when it comes to things like embargos. It's all well and good that you've got something set for your August issue (publishes around early July) that matches the pre-set date. It's when you've got downloadable content that things get tricky. Just ask Car and Driver who just smashed through an embargo with their downloadable August issue. The embargo? 2012 Porsche 911.

And leave it to TeamSpeed.com to not only find the article and rip it to their website ASAP. Bless those boys. The article in question gives us almost all we need to know on the next gen 911 like horsepower: The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S will have 400 hp from a 3.8 while the Carrera will have 350 and share the same 3.4-liter engine as the Boxster S. The two transmissions offered will be a seven-speed PDK and a seven-speed manual with launch control being available on both. 0-60 takes 4.5 seconds according to Porsche in part thanks to the car being 55 pounds lighter than the 997.

The car is 2.5 inches longer than before with a 4 inch longer wheelbase to accommodate a hybrid drivetrain starting with the 2016 model refresh. Front and rear overhangs are 1.3 and 0.5 inches shorter and with the sport suspension, the car sits 0.7 inches lower.

The car will also feature an electronic parking brake (boooo), full-length sunroof, 19-inch wheels on the Carrera / 20s on the Carrera S.

An odd thing that struck is from the review posted was this "Of course, this new 911 comes with separate buttons for damper adjustment and dynamic driving modes, as well as the special "journalist button" to fully deactivate stability control, or as Porsche calls it, PSM (Porsche Stability Management). The system stays idle as long as the driver doesn't touch the brake pedal, at which point PSM kicks in again."

That means you can't really drive this car on a track without the interference of PASM. Sure you'll go off less frequently, but shouldn't a Porsche, of all cars, have a fully defeatable nanny?

More to come as the story keeps on breaking.