The night our band of merry automotive journalists arrived in Málaga, Spain, mannequin line director Frank Moser began off the presentation for the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS by exhibiting us a bunch of hate feedback Porsche obtained on social media when the facelifted 992-generation mannequin was unveiled just a few months in the past. You see, the brand new Carrera GTS is the primary roadgoing hybrid 911, and Porsche Guys are massive mad about it.
“When it is going to be electrified, the 911 is finished, I’m afraid,” “The start of the top. Good night time Porsche,” and “Who wants a hybrid 911?” have been all quotes floating round a rendering of the T-Hybrid’s badge. The feedback and posts I’ve personally seen on-line are even dumber, mis-informed or simply outright ridiculous. Folks actually suppose that electrifying the 911 will result in the dying of not solely automotive enthusiasm, however society as properly.
After spending the next day driving the Porsche 911 T-Hybrid up some stunning Spanish mountains and across the famed Circuito Ascari (you realize it from all these “High Gear” episodes), I’m right here to let you know that electrifying the 911 has solely made it higher. The GTS’ powertrain is a fabulous little bit of engineering, as good and enjoyable as it’s fascinating from a technical standpoint.
Full disclosure: Porsche flew me to Spain to drive the 992.2 lineup on the street and on observe. We stayed at a stunning resort on a golf course, ate some great meals and obtained to have Ascari all to ourselves.
I begin off the morning in a base mannequin 911 Carrera cabriolet, the one different trim degree to obtain the 992.2 facelift to date, and it feels just about the identical because the pre-facelift mannequin. That’s to say, it’s wonderful. For 2025, Porsche fitted the bottom automotive with the turbos from the outdated Carrera GTS and the intercooler from the 911 Turbo for a lift of 9 horsepower, which resulted within the slightest of acceleration and prime pace enhancements.
Regardless of Porsche Guys saying how massive and unwieldy the 992 is, the automotive feels at residence within the slender, hairpin-filled, regularly cobblestoney streets that snake by means of the mountain cities wanting over the Alboran Sea, though it lacks the non-obligatory rear-wheel steering. Visibility is great as common, and the 911’s hips don’t really feel too extensive when making an attempt to navigate round Peugeots parked on sidewalks. It’s nice on the freeway too, and even at increased speeds I’m capable of maintain a traditional dialog with my drive accomplice due to the nice wind deflector.
Past how the bottom automotive drives, the a lot greater information is inside, the place each 911 has a totally digital gauge cluster rather than the outdated analog tachometer that was flanked by a display on either side. Porsche Guys have been in a giant uproar about this for some motive. I don’t get it. I feel the brand new 12.6-inch display is nice, an enchancment, even. It’s capable of present extra info than the outdated setup — or you’ll be able to select a brilliant easy, understated design — plus you’ll be able to have a full-screen nav view that’s helpful for navigating advanced roads out of the country. Don’t fear, you’ll be able to nonetheless have it show a central tach that appears good, and there are a number of retro designs together with one with a rotated tach that has the automotive’s redline on the 12-o’clock marker.
These Porsche Guys are additionally actually upset concerning the 992.2 getting a traditional begin button fairly than the outdated keyfob-shaped knob factor that you simply needed to twist. I additionally don’t perceive this outrage. A pastiche of an actual key, the twist knob was all the time actively annoying to me; its perform could possibly be higher completed by a button, and its tactile really feel didn’t add something to my enjoyment of truly driving the automotive. Isn’t that what we’re all right here for? If urgent a button to begin your automotive as an alternative of twisting a knob actually upsets you that badly to the purpose of turning you off of shopping for it utterly, I say good riddance. Porsche itself markets the beginning button as a connection to its present GT race automobiles, but it surely’s additionally to maintain the Porsche expertise constant throughout the entire lineup.
After arriving on the observe and consuming some shockingly good asparagus risotto, we get a deep dive into the GTS’ T-Hybrid powertrain utilizing each bodily cutaway shows and Apple’s virtual-reality headsets. There have been lots of difficult powertrains in Porsche 911s through the years, however the T-Hybrid takes the cake — it’s additionally one of many solely fashionable situations of a brand new engine having bigger displacement and fewer turbochargers than its predecessor, and the primary turbocharged 911 in thirty years to have only one turbo.
Instead of the bottom Carrera’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6 is a brand-new single-turbo 3.6-liter flat-6, and it’s really smaller in bodily measurement due to the high-voltage electrical system necessitated by being a hybrid. Along with its development in displacement, the engine’s bore and stroke have additionally been elevated, and Porsche says it’s all the time working with the best air-to-fuel ratio of Lambda 1. The air-con compressor is now electrically pushed so there’s no want for a serpentine belt or accent drive, liberating up house for ECUs and different hybrid-related bits just like the DC-DC converter to go on prime of the engine whereas sustaining its 4.5-inch-lower peak.
You may solely get the GTS with a PDK dual-clutch computerized transmission, as a result of the T-Hybrid’s everlasting synchronous electrical motor is built-in into the transmission housing itself like on different hybrid Porsches. There’s no clutch between the transmission and motor, because it’s coupled on to the crankshaft and it suits throughout the gearbox’s oil-cooling system, and it does the work of the starter and alternator, which aren’t wanted. The motor instantly offers as much as 54 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque, and it could recuperate that full quantity again into the system.
Mounted below the hood is the 1.9-kWh 400-volt battery pack (1.47 kWh of which is usable) that weighs the identical and takes up the identical quantity of house because the outdated lead-acid 12-volt battery, which itself has been changed by a skinny lithium-ion unit that’s now below the rear parcel shelf and weighs a 3rd of what the outdated one did. The hybrid battery has its personal water-cooling system to maintain temperatures down.
However it’s that single turbocharger that’s the actual star of the present. Moser says the engineering workforce’s objective was for the T-Hybrid to really feel like a naturally aspirated engine, so the 911 is the primary Porsche to make use of an electrical turbocharger in a bid to utterly negate turbo lag. Positioned within the again proper nook of the engine, the e-turbo is one-third bigger than the bottom automotive’s turbos, and there are new exhaust manifolds and a extra environment friendly charge-air cooler. An electrical motor is mounted within the turbo straight on the turbine shaft between the compressor and turbine wheels, and there’s no wastegate wanted because the turbo’s pace is routinely managed by stated motor.
Along with spinning the turbo shaft and producing energy from that rotation, it could recuperate warmth power from the exhaust fuel stream and feed it again to the system, producing as much as 15 hp of energy that may be despatched to both the PDK’s motor or again into the battery. That every one means the turbo holds a better load of enhance energy, stress and revolution, giving it a lot faster response instances.
By itself Porsche says the single-turbo engine produces 478 horsepower and 420 lb-ft; issue within the hybrid system and whole output is 532 hp and 449 lb-ft, a rise of 59 hp and 29 lb-ft over the nonhybrid 992.1 GTS. Peak torque is available in at 2,000 rpm, with 368 lb-ft of it obtainable at simply 1,500 rpm. Porsche says the T-Hybrid weighs simply 103 kilos greater than the outdated GTS, which Moser says is “very acceptable for the efficiency,” although that determine is helped by rear seats now being a no-cost choice as an alternative of normal. Porsche has but to say something concerning the T-Hybrid’s effectivity, solely saying that it’s improved in comparison with the GTS and the beginning/cease system has smoother operation. Past simply needing to fulfill stricter emissions laws, effectivity isn’t actually the purpose of the automotive’s electrification anyway — efficiency is.
Earlier than I can digest all of that info myself, it’s time to hit the observe. For our preliminary sighting lap and first three sizzling laps I’m driving a base mannequin, rear-wheel-drive 911 Carrera coupe, which serves as a terrific management level and the proper method to study the observe. That’s good, as a result of Ascari is powerful, and our teacher just isn’t holding again in his 911 Turbo S. The three.4-mile-long course is made up of sections copied from different iconic race tracks, so it’s a large number of hairpins, esses, proper angles, slight kinks and different corners which might be simply plain weirdly formed. Most of the corners have critical camber, elevation modifications and blind entries and/or exits, too. It’s unimaginable.
After the primary stint we pull into the pits, the place I soar right into a rear-drive GTS. From the second I press that starter button the T-Hybrid looks like a unique animal. Its engine barks to life, the centrally mounted twin exhausts emitting a deeper baritone idle, and twisting the steering wheel dial into Sport Plus mode ups the idle rpm and opens up the baffles much more. Now that I’ve obtained just a few laps below my belt and really feel extra assured within the observe I begin off at a quicker tempo, and man is the brand new GTS quick. Porsche says it’s going to hit 60 mph in simply 2.9 seconds (so like 2.6 seconds in the actual world), 0.3 second faster than the outdated nonhybrid GTS, and in a drag race the brand new GTS could be greater than a full automotive size forward. I’m rather more simply capable of sustain with the trainer’s Turbo S, who nonetheless isn’t going slowly; across the Nürburgring, the T-Hybrid is 8.7 seconds faster than the outdated GTS, and it’s barely faster than the time a 992.1 Turbo S posted within the palms of Sport Auto.
Extra than simply the outright pace itself, it’s the T-Hybrid’s eagerness to go rapidly that stands out. It fairly viciously revs to its 7,500-rpm redline, and as Moser promised, the powertrain actually does really feel naturally aspirated — if I didn’t hear the turbo continually whirring because it spools up and making pssh noises once I let off, I’d by no means guess the automotive is turbocharged. Peak enhance is available in 0.8 second, thrice faster than within the outdated twin-turbo GTS, and energy supply is tremendous linear, fast and powerful all through all the rev vary. The engine as a complete sounds superior too, distinct from all different fashionable 911s with a tone extra like older racing Porsches and good natural pops and bangs and burbles when shifting.
Past the turbo’s spectacular operation, there’s a ton of stuff occurring within the hybrid system that’s additionally principally imperceptible to me as the driving force. Typically the power saved within the battery is used to simply spool up the turbo as rapidly as doable, then seamlessly switching to energy the electrical motor for tip-in torque fill. In some conditions solely the engine energy is critical, however in others the battery is sending power to each the turbo and the electrical motor without delay. Beneath full throttle the turbo can ship energy to the electrical motor individually from the high-voltage battery kicking in on the similar time. The one method to actually know what’s occurring are the cost and enhance meters within the tach and the efficiency show within the heart display, which exhibits a three-dimensional cutaway of the real-time power and energy stream together with gauges that let you know battery temperature and cost, plus how a lot energy is coming from the engine and the electrical motor.
Power will also be recuperated below braking or when coasting on flat floor or downhill, although I don’t actually really feel the regeneration working like I’d in a plug-in hybrid or an EV. The hybrids we’re driving are fitted with the obtainable carbon-ceramic brakes, which have bigger discs than earlier than and now use 10-piston calipers on the entrance, up from six. Porsche’s carbon brakes are all the time nice and these are not any completely different, having a robust preliminary chew and linear really feel with out being too grabby. The GTS has new energetic aerodynamics that features flaps within the entrance bumper and within the underbody simply forward of the entrance wheels, bettering the drag coefficient and effectivity, rising downforce and cooling, and decreasing carry.
The GTS comes customary with adaptive dampers, decrease suspension and rear-axle steering (the final of which was beforehand non-obligatory), and all of the automobiles I drive have the non-obligatory Porsche Dynamic Chassis Management (PDCC) roll-stabilization characteristic. Within the GTS, PDCC is built-in with the hybrid’s high-voltage system and electro-hydraulically managed, which makes the system extra exact and even faster to reply. (This modification additionally makes the operation of the front-axle carry a lot faster, elevating in only one second.) To make up for the hybrid’s additional weight, the GTS has firmer springs, completely different anti-roll bars and distinctive damper tuning, and the rear wheels are 10 mm wider. As common with Porsche the steering is principally good, ultra-precise with tons of suggestions, and it’s straightforward to make fast corrections with out upsetting the steadiness.
For my final 4 laps I swap into an all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 GTS, which carries a slight weight penalty and a price ticket that’s $7,800 bigger. If I wasn’t capable of drive them back-to-back, it might be powerful to inform the distinction between the 2 automobiles. The rear-wheel-drive GTS feels sharper on turn-in and has extra rear-end wiggle on nook exit, whereas the all-wheel-drive mannequin has extra impartial dealing with traits and is ready to energy out of corners more durable. Which drive configuration you should purchase is all as much as what kind of dealing with you like and whether or not or not you get a number of gross climate — personally I’d need a Targa GTS, which solely is available in all-wheel drive anyway.
After our final stint it’s time to move again to Málaga, and I seize one of many rear-drive GTS coupes that we simply ripped on observe. Driving round in Regular mode, the GTS feels simply as relaxed as the bottom Carrera. It’s calm, quiet and cozy, a sports activities automotive you’ll like to drive day by day. After I do must move slow-moving vans, the Sport Response button is now crimson, which makes urgent it to immediately drop some gears and lift the revs much more thrilling, however even simply mashing the fuel prompts fast response from the engine. I let off the fuel, civilian efficiently handed, and it quiets again down simply as rapidly because it roared to life. To me one of many marks of a very good sports activities automotive is with the ability to have enjoyable on a twisty whereas driving at a traditional tempo, and the T-Hybrid achieves that.
Porsche stated now we have to convey the automotive again to the lodge by 6 p.m. on the newest, and we pull as much as the valet at 4:55. After dropping off my drive accomplice on the lodge, I flip round and head again into the mountains, top-of-the-line selections I’ve made shortly. The place on observe I used to be laser-focused on getting the racing line proper and actually studying how the automobiles behaved, on the fantastic roads I can chill out and actually begin to have enjoyable. The T-Hybrid’s acceleration is much more intoxicating right here, but it surely’s not so quick that it’s unusable or an excessive amount of for the road. It’s a pleasure to nail the exit of a decent nook, tail kicking out only a bit as I roll into the throttle and the powertrain surges with power to rocket me towards the subsequent bend.
I roll again as much as the lodge an hour later with a entrance finish lined in bugs and an enormous grin on my face. If I may ditch dinner and maintain driving all night, I’d. The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid is a automotive that you simply’ll actually need to drive, one which encourages you to wring it out only for the hell of it. It feels completely suited to the type of driving that the majority non-GT 911 consumers really wish to do: a quick blast on a street you’re keen on, adopted by a relaxed drive residence later. A GT3 is extra pure and uncooked, a Turbo even quicker and comfier, however the hybrid GTS may be my favourite 992 of all of them. It feels particular.
OK, yeah, it’s costly. The brand new GTS T-Hybrid begins at $166,895, a rise of $14,345 over the 992.1 GTS and about $45K greater than a base Carrera. However the facelift comes with a lot of beforehand non-obligatory options as customary past the aforementioned chassis stuff, like matrix LED headlights and lane-keeping help, so the actual worth enhance is simply a pair grand. Nonetheless, rapidly load one up with choices as Porsche consumers do, and your GTS’ MSRP can simply begin with a two on the entrance of it — Porsche says 40 p.c of 911s get some quantity of customization by means of Unique Manfaktur, and the Paint to Pattern program is larger than ever.
When Porsche revealed the unique Cayenne there have been principally riots within the streets; the Cayenne ended up being the best-driving SUV you may purchase (and it nonetheless is). Folks have been livid when the Panamera was unveiled, decrying Porsche for making a sedan… After which the Panamera ended up being wonderful (and it nonetheless is). When the Taycan made its debut, individuals stated there’s no approach an electrical Porsche could possibly be good. 5 years later, the Taycan nonetheless is the benchmark for EV efficiency, and the model is prepping an onslaught of different EVs, sports activities automobiles included.
Take a stroll by means of the 911’s historical past and there have been much more instances the place a brand new characteristic, mannequin or engineering resolution obtained the Porsche Guys activated. Take a look at the addition of all-wheel drive to the 964, the turbocharged base fashions of the 991.2, the posh skew of the 992, principally every little thing concerning the 996. And but, wouldn’t you realize it, individuals all the time continued to purchase the 911 and completely love them — they usually nonetheless will for years to return, Porsche Guys included. The brand new Carrera GTS is a greater, extra thrilling automotive as a result of it’s a hybrid, not regardless of it. In ten years’ time, as soon as different hybrid 911s just like the 992.2 Turbo and GT2 RS have come out, I feel we’ll look again on this automotive’s controversy and snort. Or, at the very least, I’ll.
