First review: the new hybrid Porsche 911

For more than half a century, Porsche’s formula for the 911 has barely changed. Take a timeless, teardrop silhouette, insert a punchy, six-cylinder, rear-mounted engine and, hey presto, you have the recipe for one of the bestselling sports cars of all time. For eight generations, the formula has proved faultless, with more than 1.2 million 911s sold since it was introduced in 1963. While each of the eight generations have so far been pure-blood, petrol-engined cars, the latest iteration bucks the trend with electrification  for the very first time.

The entry-level Carrera can be ordered in either coupé (£99,800) or cabriolet form (£109,800), both with rear-wheel drive. The GTS comes as a rear-wheel-drive (£132,600) or all-wheel-drive coupe or cabriolet, as well as an all-wheel-drive Targa, which caps the range at £149,100. Deliveries are expected between autumn and the end of the year.

“It’s a really big step,” says Frank Moser, vice-president for the 718 and 911 models, in Málaga, Spain, where the car was launched. “The 911 is about everyday usability and the highest level of social acceptance – you’re always well-dressed in a 911.”

You’re always well-dressed in a 911

It’s not the first time Porsche has tinkered with the formula. In 1974, the carmaker introduced turbocharging and, 15 years later, a four-wheel drive. In 1997, it made a sizeable switch from air-cooled to water-cooled engines. But despite their differences underneath, each matched up aesthetically to the distinctive profile of the original 1963 model.

The new 911 – known as the 992.2 to the initiated – is no exception. With two variants available at launch – the Carrera and the Carrera GTS – only the latter is given the full “T-Hybrid” treatment with its redesigned 3.6-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine boosted by a small, high-voltage battery positioned in the front. That powers an electric turbocharger (eTurbo) and an electric motor in the transmission, which can kick out an additional 150Nm of torque. While we’re still some way from a 911 that’s capable of driving on electric only, the help provided by the hybridisation is significant. The latest GTS coupe is noticeably faster off the line, with the electric components catapulting it from standing to 62mph in just three seconds, and ensuring a top speed of around 194mph.

On the track, its immaculate handling is helped by a 10mm lower ride height and the GTS’s rear-wheel steering, which keeps the car stable at high speeds but helps it pivot around tight corners. It gets around the gruelling German Nordschleife racetrack nearly nine seconds quicker than the previous generation.

For now, the entry-level Carrera model is still purely combustion-powered, with its 3.0 six-cylinder boxer engine making 146 horsepower less than its hybridised GTS sibling. While that means the Carrera is slightly more sluggish, it’s still more than capable of cracking on if needed. It might be the more affordable sweet spot for anyone looking for a do-it-all sports car to drive on a daily basis.

On the outside, the updated 911 is difficult to tell apart from the current model, save for the new vertical air intakes on the GTS model’s front bumper. These channel air into places that need cooling when the car is running at speed. (At slow speeds, they shut to make it more aerodynamic.) In the cockpit, a new all-digital dashboard makes the dials easier to read. Porsche has also ditched its twist switch for a nondescript push button to turn it on and off. 

For a marque that’s already committed to electrifying some of its more pedestrian cars – see the best-selling Macan – Porsche has shown caution with the 911. Keen to ensure its flagship car doesn’t alienate its loyal community, the electrification in the latest 911 GTS might help to reduce emissions slightly, but really it’s a ruthlessly effective performance enhancer. For a car that was already regarded as a benchmark for sports car performance, the new 911 has notched the bar up once again.