The Hybrid Porsche 911 Is Still The Sports Car To Beat

3 weeks ago

The Porsche 911 has been a design icon for six decades. Jeremy Taylor takes an exclusive first spin in the new ‘electrified’ version

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The Hybrid Porsche 911 Is Still The Sports Car To Beat

Porsche aficionados have been dreading this – the moment the brand’s definitive sports car finally goes electric. The 911 boasts near mythical status among motoring enthusiasts but now there’s a hybrid model too and I’m one of the first to drive it.

Car Review: Porsche 911

Blessed with astonishing handling, devastatingly quick and yet so easy to live with on an everyday basis, the 911 has been the benchmark coupé for over 60 years. And despite what we think about some of the people who drive them, Porsche do make exceptionally good cars.

For those expecting a watered-down Porsche experience, fear not. This hybridised 911 is still very much a petrol-powered car. In fact, there’s probably a larger battery in my wristwatch than the one linked to the GTS’s new, 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine.

The compact T-Hybrid system is essentially an e-motor and electric turbo, with a tiny 1.9kW battery mounted over the 911’s front axle. (By comparison, the hybrid McLaren Artura supercar features a battery almost four times the size.)

This isn’t a plug-in electric car and, unlike the McLaren, the Porsche won’t run silently in electric ‘stealth’ mode. Instead, the new electric systems ensure the latest 911 is faster than ever, with instant acceleration and no momentary wait for the turbo to kick in.

The fun factor is huge, thanks to standard four-wheel steering and a system called Dynamic Chassis Control. It’s more composed through a tight corner than Darcy Bussell whizzing through a pirouette.

Even at low revs the 911 accelerates quickly; flick the eight-speed automatic gearbox to manual and the GTS actually sounds like a Porsche of old. My Cabriolet model features four-wheel drive for extra grip but a rear-wheel drive version is also available.

Visually, the 2025 911 looks almost identical to the previous model, which is no bad thing. With a rearmounted engine, there’s space under the front bonnet for a decent amount of luggage, although most people will throw bags on a miniscule back seat designed more for Dachshunds than humans.

Up front, the dashboard is an ingenious blend of retro chic and modern tech wrapped in top quality hide. The ergonomics are first class, only let down by the small buttons on the infotainment screen that operate some of the controls.

There’s been a bit of brouhaha about the hybrid 911 but Porsche has simply added electric assistance, rather than a full battery system. While the GTS is now more fuel efficient and emission-friendly, it should also reassure enthusiasts that this is still the sports car to beat.