If electrification is taken as an inevitability, then Porsche held out for ages before finally charging up the 911, the German marque’s most storied and iconic platform.
Some might wonder about the wait, as Porsche’s all-electric Taycan supercar has seen substantial success since launch in 2019. Not to mention, the brand spearheaded the plug-in hybrid movement with the debut of the Panamera S E-Hybrid back in 2013—Porsche now sells over 15 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) across Panamera and Cayenne lineups.
To date, every PHEV has was designed to slash fossil fuel consumption via pure electric modes with varying ranges. But the new hybrid Porsche 911 Carrera GTS has an all-electric range of… zero miles. This is entirely new kind of Porsche hybrid is employing electricity to increase speed, not decrease fuel consumption.
As Road & Track points out, the 911 GTS’s electrified powertrain is dubbed T-Hybrid. It consists of an all-new 3.6-liter flat-six with one electric turbocharger and an electric motor that’s integrated into the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox. Total output is 532 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque, good for a 60-mph time of 2.9 seconds and a 194-mph top speed.
In the hands of a very capable driver, it beats the previous 911 GTS around the Nurburgring by 8.7 seconds. Many outlets have noted the superior performance of its new eTurbo, which can spin the turbocharger so quickly that full boost is delivered within a second of the gas pedal’s depression. For comparison, the previous 911 GTS’s twin-turbo setup took three seconds to deliver the same boost.
A Road & Track writer got the opportunity to sit shotgun alongside Porsche development driver Jörg Bergmeister for hotlaps at the brand’s Weissach testing ground. Here’s an excerpt of their initial impressions:
“What’s really encouraging is the way the car wants to rev (the cut-out is 7500 rpm) and the noise. There’s real character here and it seems to have a bit more menace than the previous 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine. It feels a bit more racy. Do you feel the added weight? Not from where I’m sitting,” R&T said of its 110-pound bulk over the previous 911 GTS.
“We developed and tested various ideas and approaches to decide on a hybrid system that optimally suits the 911,” added Porsche executive Frank Moser in a statement. “The result is a unique powertrain that is well-integrated into the overall concept and enhances the performance significantly.”
Priced from $164,900, the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is expected to hit dealers in fall of 2024.
