The storied 911 will not be immune from Porsche’s electrification plans and that could be a good thing. The car company’s CEO recently told Autocar that the hybrid 911 “will be the most powerful 911 we’ve ever had; 700 bhp might be possible.” Count me in (as long as someone buys it for me).
Porsche already makes 911 models above the 700 mark so it’s likely CEO Oliver Blume was referring to a non-performance version of the 911.
There was a time when anything but an air-cooled 911 was considered a disgrace. A hybrid drivetrain will likely be met with similar outcries. In the end, Porsche has to adopt measures to keep up with performance trends and meet fuel economy regulations. A hybrid system can likely do both.
Porsche has been playing with performance hybrid powertrains for several years including the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid that outputs 680 hp thanks to a 136-HP electric motor — that’s up from the 550 hp 4.0-liter V8 also available. Most notable the 2013-2015 Porsche 918 Spyder showed Porsche was able to make a gas, electric car worthy of the Porsche nameplate.
A hybrid 911 would sit alongside Porsche’s upcoming pure EV lineup that currently includes a sedan and crossover.
As far as a hybrid 911, it’s expected after the next version of the 911, which puts its release around 2020 or 2021.
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