Porsche 911 Plug-In Hybrid Could Pack Nearly 500-HP

The performance of the first ever Porsche 911 PHEV sounds promising.

Next year, Porsche will launch the next-generation 911, codenamed the 992. And it came to the surprise of absolutely no one that it will be electrified a few years later with the launch of a plug-in hybrid version for the first time in the model’s history. Since the new model is now only a year away, we’ll have to wait a few more years for the first Porsche 911 plug-in hybrid to arrive “as soon as there is a market for it, which analysts say will be around 2023” according to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume in a recent interview with Automobile Magazine.

According to the report, the 911 plug-in hybrid will utilize a familiar 3.0-liter flat-six with a 94-hp electric motor capable of producing 229 lb-ft of instant torque. Battery capacity is claimed to be 10.8 kWh, providing an estimated electric range of more than 40 miles. This hybrid setup will reportedly produce 485 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque, allowing the eco-friendly 911 to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of 197 mph. This is still a Porsche 911 after all, so performance is paramount if the hybrid sports car is to be worthy of the 911 name. Still, those are some impressive figures considering the extra weight it will be carrying.

While other PHEVs focus on all-electric driving ranges, the semi-electric 911 hybrid is “more about torque vectoring and mid-range grunt.” As such, it will reportedly feature on-demand all-wheel drive, a button-activated 20-second torque boost, and lift-off coasting in eco-mode to save fuel. Meanwhile, the Turbo S version of the 992 generation is said to gain an extra 40 hp, bringing the total output to 620 hp. This could also increase when the mid-cycle refresh of the 992 arrives in around 2022. Sadly, the 992 GT3 is expected to lose its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine in favor of a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat six. The good news, however, is that it will have a 10 percent power increase, delivering 550 hp.

The flat-six engines powering the 992 are expected to feature a mild hybrid 48V setup bringing an extra 20 hp and 52 lb-ft. Engineers are also developing a new eight-speed PDK to cope with the extra power and torque. Expect to see the new 992 Porsche debut at the Paris Motor Show in October with the reveal of the Carrera 2S and 4S coupes before first customer deliveries start in February 2019.

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Production Porsche 911 Speedster Will Be A 500-HP Swansong

It will also be manual only.

Last month saw the reveal of the Porsche 911 Speedster Concept at Goodwood as a swansong for the current 991 generation before the next-generation 911 arrives next year. Porsche still hasn’t confirmed if it will go into production, but prototypes were recently spotted lapping the Nurburgring.

Now, sources close to Porsche have confirmed to Autocar that a decision has already been made internally, meaning that the 911 Speedster is highly likely to enter production next year. Only 1,948 examples will be built as a nod to the 70th anniversary of Porsche’s first production sports car, the 356 Speedster.

The source has also provided specification details ahead of the car’s official reveal. Unsurprisingly, the production Porsche 911 Speedster will be based on the current GT3 and will use the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat six. Unlike the GT3, however, it will only be available with a manual gearbox.

The six-cylinder engine expected to produce over 500 hp to match the concept. However, it isn’t clear whether Porsche will upgrade the existing GT3 engine or use the more powerful unit from the GT3 RS, but it's expected to retain the same 9000 rpm rev limit.

To save weight, the 911 Speedster will have a lightweight tonneau cover rather than a convertible top and will be devoid of luxuries such as air-con, a stereo, or the sat-nav, audio and air-con systems. The bucket seats are also made of carbon fiber.

As for the design, the production version is expected to closely replicate the look of the concept, which was inspired by the original 356 1500 Speedster. The current GT3 starts at $143,600, so expect to pay a hefty premium for the limited edition 911 Speedster when it arrives next year to end the 991 generation.

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