Celebrating its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show alongside the new 911 GTS models, will be a new member of Porsche’s long-running sports car family, the 911 Speedster, which will be launched onto the market in December 2010.

The car might be new, but the Speedster name is old, in fact far older than the 911 itself as it was first used on the classic 356 model of 1953. Porsche revived the Speedster in 1989 with a limited run edition based on the 911 Carrera 3.2, followed in 1992/1993 by a newer model based on the Type 964 911 Carrera. According to Porsche, two examples of the Type 993 911 Speedster were also built to special order.

Designed and conceived by the Porsche Exclusive department in Stuttgart, the new 911 Convertible-based Speedster pays a styling homage to its predecessors featuring a 60mm lowered and more rakish windscreen as well as the characteristic ‘double-bubble’ hardcover behind the cabin for the manual soft top.

The car’s “chopped down” appearance is further enhanced by the use of the Carrera 4 body with its 44 millimeter wider rear stance.

In addition to these changes, the 911 Speedster also benefits from a series of other styling upgrades including a bespoke front spoiler, specific side-skirts, a distinct rear apron, tinted front lights, black headlight surrounds and black windscreen border. It also features a set of retrotastic Fuchs-style rims and color-coordinated black stone guards ahead of the rear wheels, which are reminiscent of prior editions of the 911.

Porsche developed an exclusive “Pure Blue” finish for the Speedster but upon request, the car is also available in Carrara White, at no extra cost.

Interior modifications are limited to the specific color and trim options such as the black leather upholstery with color-keyed elements.

Power for the new Speedster comes from the 911 GTS’s tweaked 3.8-litre flat six that delivers 408-horsepower, or 23HP more in comparison with the 911 Carrera S. The firm’s seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission is in charge of delivering power to the rear axle which is fitted with a standard differential lock. Other standard features include the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB).

While Porsche did not release performance figures, the Stuttgart-based automaker said the Speedster returns an average fuel consumption of 10.3lt /100 km (22.8 mpg US).

Commemorating its famous 1950′s forebear, the German firm will build just 356 examples of the new Speedster. In Germany, the 911 Speedster is priced at €201,682 (about US$263,700), while in the UK, pricing is set at £144,100 (USD$224,700 or €171,900). US pricing has not yet been announced.

This year’s Geneva Salon in March will see Porsche performing the world debut of a new top model in the 911 range, the Turbo S that boasts a more powerful boxer engine as well as an array of features that are otherwise optional on the standard Turbo model.

At the heart of the new 911 Turbo S is a six-cylinder boxer unit boosted by two exhaust gas turbochargers with variable turbine geometry, with an increase in power over the standard Turbo model by 30HP to 530HP, while maximum torque is also lifted by 70Nm or 51.6 lb-ft to 700Nm or 516 lb-ft.

The 911 Turbo S is offered exclusively with Porsche’s seven-speed double-clutch PDK transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers that conveys power to all-four wheels.

In conjunction with Launch Control on the Sport Chrono Package Turbo likewise featured as standard, the Turbo S accelerates to 100 km/h (62mph) in 3.3 seconds and reaches 200 km/h (124mph) in 10.8 seconds, while topping out at 315 km/h or 195 mph.

Porsche claims that despite the increase in power and dynamic performance, the new Turbo S’ combined fuel economy of 11.4 lt/100 km (equal to 20.6mpg US and 24.8mpg UK) is identical to the standard 911 Turbo.

Standard features include Porsche’s Torque Vectoring system with a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle, Ceramic Composite Brakes, Dynamic Bending Lights, 19-inch wheels in RS Spyder design with central locking, a three-spoke sports steering wheel, adaptive sports seats, cruise control, a CD/DVD changer and exclusive twin-tone leather upholstery in Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue.

The new Porsche 911 Turbo S will go on sale in both Coupe and Convertible body styles from May 2010 with prices in Germany (including 19% tax) set at €173,241 and €184,546 respectively.

We’ll be getting our first in-person look at Porsche’s newest hard-core 911 version when we arrive at the Geneva Motor Show in just over four weeks time. However, we’ve now got more photos and details on the 911 GT3 to share with you thanks to the staff in Stuttgart. Back when the original 911 Turbo debuted 35 years ago, its 256 horsepower was considered staggering. The new GT3 again leaves old 911s in the dust with an un-boosted 435 hp from its 3.8-liter flat-six. Although Porsche hasn’t yet quoted a specific number, the GT3′s mid-range torque response is claimed to be significantly fattened up, too.

The sprint to 60 miles-per-hour now takes a claimed 4.1 seconds with 100 mph coming in double that time. Handling dynamics are also claimed to be improved and the driver now has more control over the stability management system. The electronic stability control and traction control systems can now be individually deactivated, and high-speed behavior is also aided by improved downforce at both ends of the car.

Adaptive damping systems are pretty old hat in 2009. For the GT3, Porsche has added active engine mounts(!) that recognize hard driving. For example, during track work, the engine mounts will tighten up in an effort to eliminate driveline lash that can unsettle a car in transient maneuvers. The GT3 also gets optional ceramic brakes and center lock wheels. Europeans can pick up a GT3 starting in May. No word yet on when or if the U.S. will get a shot. The GT3 will land at US dealers in October starting at $112,000. The full press release is after the jump.

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For those of you who might never get the chance to drive a new Porsche 911, there’s an ersatz experience available now online. Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) says with its latest refresh, it’s enabled visitors to their site to draw their own roads and then “drive” on the virtual asphalt they’ve created.

Like lots of other manufacturer sites, Porsche’s own Web home now lets oglers re-skin a car in all of its optional colors and view it from all angles in a 360-degree spin, so that those fantasies can take on a Technicolor hue.

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Porsche’s commitment to the KISS philosophy of exterior design won’t extend to the engine of the facelifted 911 Turbo, GT2 and GT3 when they’re released early next year. All three models will dispatch with the legendary M97 powerplant in favor of the new, direct-injected A91 flat-six that’s equipped on the recently updated 911 Carrera.

The two turbocharged 911s will be packing 3.6-liters of displacement, with a 97 mm bore and an 81.5 mm stroke (the outgoing engine was sized 100 mm x 76.4 mm), along with revised turbochargers and intercoolers. Autocar’s sources suggest that output on both models will rise by around 20 hp, with the Turbo producing 500 hp and the GT2 pushing out approximately 550 hp. Torque figures should also increase by around four percent.
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