Porsche Prepares To Unleash Multiple 911 Plug-In Hybrids

The range-topping Porsche 911 hybrid could deliver performance on par with the flagship 911 Turbo.

For the first time in the model’s history, a plug-in hybrid will form part of the Porsche 911 lineup in the next-generation 992 range. Company boss Oliver Blume has previously hinted it will be the most powerful 911 ever, and now a new report by AutoExpress suggests there will be not one, but two plug-in hybrid 911s in the pipeline. A company insider told the UK publication that one will sit at the top of the range alongside the flagship 911 Turbo, while the standard 911 plug-in hybrid will be a mid-range model positioned above the Carrera.

Details are hazy, but the source claims the tech powering the hybrid 911 will be similar to the new Cayenne E-Hybrid, which produces a combined 455 hp and 516 lb-ft in the V6 model. In the flat-six 911, the powertrain will be tuned to “produce more sporting responses and sounds” and will be linked to a dual-clutch PDK gearbox. According to AutoExpress, the plug-in hybrid could also use all-wheel drive to improve traction and handling flexibility. 0-62 mph is said to take less than four seconds in the base 911 hybrid, while top speed should exceed 180 mph. As for the other model, Porsche wants a more powerful 911 plug-in hybrid to sit alongside the Turbo and Turbo S.

Purists may bemoan the idea of a 911 plug-in hybrid, but the source assured that enthusiasts won’t be left out since the hardcore GT3, GT3 RS and GT2 RS models won’t be electrified for the foreseeable future. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume previously confirmed the hybrid 911 won’t arrive until the next-generation model's mid-cycle refresh as the company is waiting for the technology to evolve. At the time, Blume suggested it could have as much as 700 horsepower on tap, so it sounds like the range-topping 911 plug-in hybrid will arrive first. Before then, Porsche’s first fully electric car, the Mission E, is slated to arrive next year to take on the Tesla Model S.

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Mercedes-AMG GT Four-Door Coupe Prepares To Take On The Panamera

Latest images show the four-door Mercedes-AMG GT being tested in a wind tunnel before its Geneva reveal.

The four-door Mercedes-AMG GT concept was undoubtedly one of the stars of last year’s Geneva Motor Show, but we’ll finally get to see the final production version at this year’s show. It should be wroth the wait, because the concept was an absolute stunner. In the run up to its Geneva Motor Show reveal next month, Mercedes is continuing to tease the upcoming super sedan, with new images showing it being tested in a wind tunnel to optimize the car’s aerodynamics.

"Final tests will be carried out in the wind tunnel before the new member of the AMG GT family has its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show," Mercedes teased. It’s still covered in camouflage of course, but the teaser photos provide a clearer look at the four-door AMG GT’s curvaceous body as it prepares to take on the Porsche Panamera. The design of the rear seems to be inspired by the AMG GT, while the rest of the design appears to take its cues from the CLS. We still don’t have an official name for the sports sedan either, as Mercedes is still referring to it as the “four-door AMG GT Coupe” but rumored names include the GT4 or GTC4.

Reports suggest the GT4 will be powered by AMG’s ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, but we don’t know how much power it generates yet. In the new E63 S, the same unit produces up to 603 horsepower. There’s a strong chance the GT4 range will include an electrified powertrain in the future, too – particularly as last year’s concept was revealed with an electric motor in addition to a 4.0-liter V8, providing a total output of 805 horsepower. Essentially, the GT4 will replace the outgoing CLS 63, which was scrapped to make way for the super sedan. Look out for the premiere of the four-door AMG GT in production form at Geneva, which opens its doors to the public March 8.

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