The new generation of the Porsche 911 is right around the corner. If we have learned anything about the 911 is that it will look slightly different but otherwise will be similar to the outgoing model. Yet, it will be a lot better in every measurable way. It’s a Porsche thing, you wouldn’t, and you shouldn’t try to, understand. 
The Turbo model used to be the king of 911s. Until the Turbo S came around. Then that was the king. Until the GT2 came around. The GT2 lived a short but happy life until the GT2 RS came about. I won’t even mention the Turbo S Exclusive Series. Needless to say, the 911 Turbo is sort of a mid-pack model now days. Think about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited – once the top, now a mid-pack model – kind of like that.
Here is where it gets more tricky. All the Porsche 911s are turbocharged now, except for the GT3 and/or GT3 RS. So calling the Turbo model Turbo is a bit redundant. It’s basically a trim model name now, the fastest standard 911, as in a civilized 911, as opposed to the not-so-standard uncivilized GT2s and GT3 versions. The Turbo is also typically available as a Cabrio model, whereas the GTs are not. 


Our awesome spy photographer and his wife (yes, he’s married, sorry ladies (and some guys)) caught this almost undisguised model on I-70, just outside of Denver heading west. It was obviously undergoing some high altitude warm-ish weather testing. I do believe that this is the first sighting of this vehicle in North America. All the other pictures I saw were from Germany. 
How do we know it’s a 911 Turbo? Several things. First is the air intake ahead of the rear wheel. That fender is always clearly a wide-body fender, too. All 911 Turbos have always been wide body models (I think/hope). Then there is the spoiler. Judging by the third brake light, it is a fixed spoiler, which is typically a Turbo thing, as opposed to active spoilers on the, uhmm, well, let’s say older non-turbo models or recent non-Turbo models. Got that?
What is the driver trying to do here? Cover up his face? Wave? Say that the official unveiling is in five months? Perhaps he’s running on five cylinders, which is why he couldn’t outrun our spy photographer’s GLS?

Also, what the hell is going out out back? That license plate is all kinds of weird. Early spied Turbos had a European plates in the same location but more recent test mules had the license plates mounted down low. Pay attention to intercooler venting and venting for other heat exchangers. Also note the huge dual double exhaust tips. To get a good idea of their size, compare their size to the size of the license plate and taillights. They’re huge!

Typically the front-end of the Turbo models are different than typical 911s, with much bigger air intake openings for oil-coolers and brakes. They typically have a low lip, too. Oddly enough, I don’t really see that here. I am guessing that Porsche went out of their way here to mask those. Or perhaps they learned how to use the incoming air more efficiently? I don’t know.
More oddly, while the day-time driving LED bars are clearly present, the lights are not on. But hey, check out that sweet 4Runner Trail Edition in the background! 
Note the size of the front rotors. If the wheels are 20″ or 21″, how big are those rotors? They are of floating variety, likely to be carbon-ceramic. Too bad we can’t see the caliper very well. But rest assured knowing that the caliper on the production model will be painted in a rather obnoxious way. Think of brightly colored brake calipers as jewelry or a finishing accessory. 
One last thing to note – there were no support vehicles around this 911 Turbo. There were no comparison models along side, either. Just a lone wolf Turbo cruising in the land of Broncos. 

Big thanks to our Colorado-based spy photographer and wife cool wife!
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