[img:450:275]http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/imag ... 112603.jpg[/img]The 911 continues to evolve, ever so slowly.
BY STEVE SILER, PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUY POREPP
January 2007
For some car companies, evolution involves making radical changes at regular intervals to their products in order to maintain their appeal. However, that’s not the way it works at Porsche, whose notoriously fast cars get updated at a notoriously glacial pace, at least in terms of style, even while sometimes major advancements occur under the skin.
Even so, the slight changes that will find their way to the iconic Carrera within the next year or so are not so insignificant as to make it past the watchful eye of our European spy photographers, one of whom exasperated a Porsche test driver (who was stupid enough to venture onto Germany’s public roads in a future Carrera) by following him about while snapping away.
Specifically, what he got was a pretty, blue, badge-less 2009 Carrera S clearly showing off new quad-element HID headlamps nestled within the Carrera’s not-new ovoid surrounds. Beneath the familiar frog eyes are enlarged air intakes into which the turn signals are integrated (thankfully in a horizontal arrangement, as opposed to the fang-like design on the 2008 Cayenne). A subtle lower lip extends from the chin spoiler and continues all the way down the bodysides and into the rear bumper. Said bumper has been revised to accommodate wider-set tailpipes and, unfortunately, droopy Cayenne-style LED taillamps.
As for any major mechanical advancements that often accompany styling updates? Porsche has remained typically tight-lipped, but we don’t expect much of a horsepower bump from the 325/355 of the current Carrera/Carrera S…which wouldn’t be such a bad thing, given that from a mechanical standpoint, the 911 has already evolved into virtual perfection.
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