2012 Porsche 911 Cabrio spied in the cold

Here are the latest spy shots of the upcoming 2012 Porsche 911 Cabrio doing some cold weather testing in northern Europe.

So late in the model's development, it might be that Porsche is simply testing how well insulated that soft-top roof is. In this set of shots we get another look at that new retractable rear spoiler in action.

Powering the next 911 will be an entry-level 3.4 liter Boxer engine (the current unit is a 3.6 liter) with an output of 350 PS (257 kW / 345 bhp) and a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.8 seconds with manual trans. Top speed will be 289 km/h (180 mph) for that variant while the Carrera S will be fitted with a revised 3.8 liter unit producing 400 PS (294 kW / 395 bhp). Also with manual trans the 0 to 100 km/h sprint will be 4.6 seconds and top speed is 302 km/h (188 mph).

The next 911 also gets a substantial reshaping, as is obvious from the spy shots here. It will be 56 mm longer than the current model, measuring 4.49 meters in total length, with the wheelbase also stretched by 10 mm. The height of the car will be 11 mm lower too.