A MAJOR car brand is set to release the first ever hybrid version of its flagship model within days – and it’s faster than the petrol one.
The move is particularly significant given the manufacturer’s decades-long resistance to almost any change to the beloved motor.
Porsche already sells a range of all-electric cars, including the Taycan sports car and Macan SUV.
However, it had, until now, remained hesitant to touch the immensely popular 911 lineup.
Debuting in 1964, the design of the 911 has remained largely unchanged for several generations of the car, with the famous boxy rear end and low-angled roof defining features of the model.
Likewise, the last major shake-up under the bonnet came over a quarter of a century ago, when Porsche switched from air cooling to water cooling in 1998.
Since then, the basic elements of its rear-mounted, flat-six engine have been pretty much the same.
Now though, the German giant is set to twin the engine with at least one electric motor powered by an on-board battery to create a hybrid variant.
It will join the Panamera and Cayenne in the hybrid lineup, but will be the first semi-electric two-door sportster the marque has ever produced.
The change acts as a neat halfway house on Porsche’s transition to a net zero lineup, with bosses saying that the 911 will be the last model to become fully electrified given how significant it is to the company’s history.
The hybrid model has come out the other side of more than three million miles of road testing to try and prepare it for every possible climate and terrain from track to trail.
Indeed, it’s even faster than the petrol version, blasting round the infamous Nurburgring a whopping 8.7 seconds under its older brother’s best time.
Racing driver and Porsche brand ambassador Jorg Bergmeister, who was behind the wheel for the speed test, said: “The new 911 has become considerably faster on the track.
“We have more grip, significantly more power, and the spontaneous response of the performance hybrid is a great advantage.”
Frank Moser, Vice President for the 911 model line, added: “We left nothing to chance during development and tested the new 911 under all sorts of conditions all over the world.
“From the freezing cold to scorching heat, as was the case during the final stages of testing in Dubai.
“Whether at a high drivetrain load in the demanding conditions of mountain passes or in the stop-and-go traffic of an urban environment, the new 911 has mastered even the most difficult challenges with aplomb.
“All in all, our engineers and test drivers clocked up more than three million miles of development driving.”
The new hybrid Porsche 911 will be unveiled in an online ceremony on May 28.
There is no word on pricing yet, but the most basic 911 currently starts from £97,000.
