Porsche 911 Will Not Have Naturally Aspirated Engines From 2019

You heard that right! Porsche has decided to do away with the naturally aspirated flat-six engines from the 8th generation of 911s which are slated for a 2019 debut. It is the day and age of the turbo-chargers and with all the super car manufacturers moving to force-induced flat-six engines, we might have just seen the very last of Porsche's naturally aspirated engines.

The next-gen Porsche 911, which is code-named 992, will get a range of turbocharged engines and Porsche might also introduce a hybrid model of the 911 by 2020. The iconic German manufacturer believes that it had achieved the best balance of power and efficiency on the 3.4-litre and the 3.6-litre flat-six engines. The company said that it did try to hold on to its naturally aspirated engines for as long as possible. The 8th generation 911 will have a host of updates for aerodynamics, weight saving, drivetrains and so on.

(Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet)

Just to give you a refresher course, a naturally aspirated engine draws air into the engine's cylinders, relying on atmospheric pressure. There is a partial vacuum created by the piston moving downwards during the intake stroke and that's where the air from the air intakes goes. The bigger the engine, the better the response and a bigger fuel bill too. Also, since there is lesser number of moving parts, naturally aspirated engines are said to be more reliable and are easier to maintain.

A turbocharged or a forced induction engine is one where a small turbine, driven by the exhaust gases, forces more air into the combustion, increasing efficiency and power output. This means that the engine need not have a huge displacement for increased performance. Also, turbocharging leads to better efficiency as the combustion of air/fuel mixture is complete and without any wastage.