Frank just sent this in for us to post, so here you go!

Porsche just released information about the 2009 edition of its legendary 911, sporting improved good looks and some serious mechanical tweaks designed to keep it at the head of the pack. Although the styling changes might seem minor, Porsche has switched to LED lighting front and back, and has made daytime driving lights and bi-xenon headlights standard across the Carrera range. Besides that,Porsche will also start offering what they call Dynamic Bending Lights on all models. Think nighttime cornering and lights that point into a turn. While those changes may be the first you notice, it will take a twist of the Le Mans-start-left-of-the-steering-wheel key to fully appreciate the 2009 911s.

Still displacing 3.6L and 3.8L, the flat-six engines in the Carrera and Carrera S models respectively, have been fitted with direct injection for the first time, increasing horsepower and fuel economy in the process. The 3.6L engine in the base Carrera gets a bump of 20 HP, raising its output to 345 HP, while the 3.8L mill in the Carrera S gets a 30 HP bump to 385 HP. As mentioned, this newfound power actually comes with better fuel economy too, with base Carreras getting the equivalent of 24 mpg (US) combined.

Helping achieve that higher fuel efficiency and also improving overall performance, Porsche has developed a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. They call it Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) and it replaces the Tiptronic S in the Carrera and Carrera S. Capable of running in fully automatic mode, this gearbox helps the new Carrera accelerate two tenths of a second quicker to 60 than the standard 6-speed manual.�Combined with Porsche’s optional Sport Chrono Plus including Launch Control, those 0-60 times drop by a further two-tenths, all the way down to 4.1 seconds for the base Carrera.

The latest Porsche Communication Management system, PCM 3.0, which includes a new touchscreen feature, will be standard on all new 911s. Along with this upgraded system, options such as a hard disk drive navigation system, XM radio with XM NavTraffic capability, Bluetooth� connectivity, iPOD� port, USB port, and aux jack will be available.

With that newfound power and quick-shifting gearbox, many competitors will get a chance to see the new exhaust tips that Porsche has fitted to new 911s for 2009 as well. Those in the know will notice that Carreras are now sporting ovoid dual exhaust tips, while the Carrera S shows off a pair of double-barreled pipes. Expect deliveries of the 2009 Carreras to begin in Europe next month, with U.S. sales starting in September.�U.S. pricing starts at $75,600 for the Carrera Coupe, $86,200 for the Carrera Cabriolet and the Carrera S Coupe, and the Carrera S Cabriolet is $96,800.