To be absolutely clear, the Porsche 911 will always retain its overall basic mechanical setup: rear-engined with a flat-six. Its trademark headlights and tear drop silhouette aren't going anywhere either. However, the 50-year era of the naturally aspirated flat-six will soon come to an end. According to a new report from Autocar, who spoke with Porsche product boss Wolfgang Hatz, the upcoming 911 GT3 RS will be the first 911 to be powered by a new generation of flat six engines.

As we previously reported, that new engine will likely be a 4.0-liter unit producing around 520 hp. The current GT3 comes with a 3.8-liter flat-six good for 475 hp. But it's the former engine that'll eventually be turbocharged for the rest of the 911 lineup. When exactly that will begin remains unknown at the moment, but it's happening nonetheless. And, for the record, the turbocharged flat-four Porsche has been working on for the next Boxster/Cayman will never find its way into the 911's butt. "A 911 has a flat six engine," Hatz firmly stated. Forced induction is negotiable.