1999 Porsche 911 Carrera
New Engine

As has been the car's history, the 1999 Porsche 911 is powered by a six-cylinder boxer engine, mounted in the rear. However, for the first time in its 34-year life, the 911 engine is fully liquid cooled. Porsche engineers decided to use a six cylinder horizontally opposed engine for the same reasons as previously: the engine's low center of gravity, compactness, smoothness and durability.

In its most modern form, the Porsche 911 engine displaces 3.4 liters (207 cubic inches). It has a compression ratio of 11.3:1 and develops 296 horsepower (221 kW) at 6800 rpm and 258 ft. lbs. (350 Nm) of torque at 4600 rpm, with 220 ft. lbs. (300 Nm) available between 2700 and 7000 rpm. This represents a five-percent increase in peak power despite a six-percent reduction in displacement.

The engine's block and cylinder heads are constructed of pressure-cast aluminum alloy. The motor features dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, Porsche's VarioCam variable intake camshaft timing system, a dualstage intake system, Bosch Motronic M 5.2 engine management with a direct-ignition coil at each cylinder, and hot-film air-mass sensing.

Besides its basic configuration, the new engine shares many features and specifications with its predecessor. The 11.3:1 compression ratio is the same as before, as are its bore centers, which are spaced 4.65 inches (118 mm) apart. These are the same bore centers as the Boxster engine to allow efficient manufacturing and reduced costs. Efficiencies are further increased with the 911 engine's two cylinder heads being identical and interchangeable.

However, unlike its predecessor, this engine's oil reservoir is integral with the engine, not a remotely mounted tank. Porsche refers to this design as integrated dry sump lubrication. Other innovations to the engine include a dual-stage intake system with a computer-controlled valve and the lack of an ignition distributor- each cylinder has its own ignition coil attached directly to its spark plug.

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