Next-gen Porsche 911 to get 485-hp hybrid PHEV model, eventually

Automobile reports that Oliver Blume, the CEO of Porsche himself, half-confirmed a PHEV model of the firm’s most important car at the L.A. Auto Show. Blume said, “We are looking at a plug-in hybrid 911. It will be launched as soon as there is a market for it, which analysts say will be around 2023.” The comment dovetails nicely with a Bloomberg report a few months ago about the mysterious model, and could end four years of speculation— partly stoked by Porsche — as to whether and when it would produce a battery-assisted 911.

The next-gen 911 gets revealed later this year. We probably won’t know final specs on the plug-in model until 2022 or so, but the expected specs are a 3.0-liter flat-six, an e-motor with 94 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, and a 10.8-kWh battery. A forum post that appears to be translated from German, and is likely the Automobile correspondent’s report for a German publication, also predicts “a special e-transmission with eight gears, freewheel and recuperation.” Total output of such a system would come to 485 hp and 561 lb-ft, with 0-60 mph popping off in 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 197 mph. On the thrill side there’ll be a button providing a 20-second torque boost and on-demand all-wheel drive. On the eco side there’ll be lift-off coasting and 40 miles of all-electric range. For techies, expect a digital dashboard save for an analogue tachometer, and an augmented reality heads-up display.

Automobile believes that in addition to the PHEV model, the coming 911 gets another asterisk for momentous brand occasion: It will likely be the final 911 on a unique platform. The model after the 992 is expected to move to the Volkswagen SAZ architecture that will be shared with the 718 twins, the Audi R8, and Lamborghini. Road & Track, on the other hand, believes the 911 revealed this year will be on the new modular platform.

Before then, we’re looking at “a straightforward evolution of the current 911,” with a wider rear track and rear spoiler. The re-engineered EA9A2 flat-sixes in the 992 get refined “combustion techniques,” 48-volt mild hybrid assistance, upping numbers by 20 hp and 52 lb-ft, and an Otto particle filter to reduce emissions. By model, the expected power numbers are 400 hp in the base Carrera, 450 hp in the Carrera S, and 620 hp in the Turbo S. There’s an eight-speed PDK in the pipeline, but we can’t tell if that’s intended for all models, or only for the Turbo S. The GT3 will retire its naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter and pick up a twin-turbo 3.8-liter with something like 550 hp. The launch program begins with the Carrera this October, running through October 2019 when the production Turbo shows its face.

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