Porsche 911 Hybrid globally unveiled

The 911 hybrid Carrera GTS claims to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds (0.4 seconds quicker) and achieve a top speed of 312 km/h.

Porsche has unveiled the 911 Hybrid globally. The hybridisation of the 911 supercar is part of the model's mid-cycle facelift for the current 7th-gen iteration. In addition to the hybrid powertrain, Porsche has also introduced a bunch of other updates, including design and aero tweaks, along with a fresh interior with more tech.

Starting with the powertrain, the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS now features a new 3.6-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder boxer engine, paired with a gearbox-mounted electric motor and a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. The hybrid powertrain puts out a total of 541 BHP and 610 Nm - 60 BHP and 40 Nm higher than the non-hybrid 3.0-litre engine. The new hybrid powertrain is mated to the standard 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The 911 hybrid Carrera GTS claims to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds (0.4 seconds quicker) and achieve a top speed of 312 km/h. These improved power figures have helped the GTS set an official Nurburgring lap time of 7 mins 16.93 seconds, which is 8.7 seconds quicker than its predecessor and just 4 seconds behind the Porsche 918 Spyder.

The addition of the hybrid unit has also increased the weight of the 911 by 50 kg, with the new GTS now tipping the scale at 1,595 kg. However, Porsche claims a subtle improvement in weight distribution with a 37:63 front-to-rear ratio.

The 911 Carrera GTS comes with a 400V lithium-ion battery pack, powering the electric motor. This has led to a 6-litre reduction in the car's fuel tank capacity. Currently, the GTS is offered only in the rear-wheel-drive version, with Porsche confirming that the hybrid unit is also compatible with four-wheel-drive, indicating future iterations.

Apart from the hybrid powertrain, Porsche has also tweaked the design and aero on the new Carrera GTS. It now comes with new active front air ducts, with louvres that open and close. The front bumper now comes with radar and ultrasonic sensors, while the headlights now get the turn indicators incorporated into them. The Carrera GTS hybrid also gets new OLED taillights, a revised spoiler and an updated diffuser at the rear.

Inside, the changes are subtle, but the new model now swaps out the analogue tachometer with an all-digital driver's display and hybrid-specific displays on the touchscreen.