New 911 revealed at the Los Angeles Motor Show

Only two versions from what will inevitably be a large 911 family have so far been confirmed: both Carrera S variants are more powerful, faster and more digitally savvy than equivalent outgoing 911s. Purists will applaud the familiar profile, flat-six engine and familiar cabin elements; futurists may wonder where the alternative power source is (not for a few years yet, apparently).

Here, by way of an introduction to 992, are the 13 things that you need to know about the latest version of the world’s greatest sports car icon…

1. The body is all new and the major portion of its outer skin is all aluminium for the first time.

2. New horizontal design elements, like the blocky front apron and rear light bar, combine with new crease lines in the bonnet, a styling nod to 911s of old. At the rear the variable position spoiler is wider than before. 

3. A 911 trademark for decades, the wide body version is no more. All new 911s are the same width, which is wider than before, by 45mm at the front end. All the dimensions are thought to have increased.

4. The designers say they wanted to achieve a more muscular look, keeping the cabin slender and making the doors flatter in order to emphasise the bulging wheelarches. The rear wheels are 21s, an inch bigger than before, with 20s up front.

5. A reworked version of the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six develops 450PS (444bhp), 30 more horses than the outgoing Carrera S, thanks to tweaks to the fuel injection and a new turbocharger layout.

6. There’s a new eight-speed PDK paddle-shift transmission for both rear- and all-wheel driver S models. No mention yet of a manual gearbox but it is coming and will feature in the new entry-level models to be announced later.

7. Performance of the Carrera S is on a par with the outgoing 911 GTS, at 0-62mph in 3.7secs, or 3.5 with the optional Sport Chrono package. The Carrera 4S with all-wheel drive traction is a tenth quicker. Top speed is 191mph.

8. The interior is all new but sticks closely to 911 layout and style, including the five dials arrayed behind the steering wheel with pride of place going to a large centre analogue tachometer. For the first time in a while, the dials no longer overlap with each other.

9. New for the 992 series is a 10.9 inch centre touchscreen for access to navigation and (now permanent) connectivity functions, while below it is a row of toggle switches offering some analogue reassurance.

10. It’s a 911 with a Wet Mode. A standard feature, it detects water on the road and warns the driver who can then select the appropriate drive system (if only ‘70s 911s had that one!)

11. A new hi-tech option is  Night Vision Assist with a thermal imaging camera to help spot people and animals in the road.

12. The 911 Carrera S with PDK costs from £93,110 and the 911 Carrera 4S with PDK from £98,418. Both models are available to order now for delivery next year.

13. Watch this space for hybrid, less expensive manual-gear entry versions, more powerful engines, targas, convertibles, the Turbo and GT and RS track weapons…we can expect all of these and more from the 992 series, the eighth incarnation of the the world’s greatest sports car.