Porsche has finally pulled the silk off the much-anticipated hybrid version of its 911 sports car. The arrival of an electrified 911 marks perhaps the most pivotal moment in the nameplate’s 60-plus-year history. Let’s delve into the particulars.
Headlining the 911’s hybridisation is the GTS model, long a one-stop-shop for bundling the most driver-centric add-ons within Porsche’s extensive options list into a single package. Porsche’s decision to debut the hybrid system on one of its most capable trims reads as a deliberate effort to reassure enthusiasts that a hybrid 911 would still be an engaging, sporting 911. The GTS will feature an all-new drivetrain, which utilises a newly developed flat-six engine, a new eight-speed PDK automatic transmission, and new hybrid components.
Let’s start with the hybrid tech, since that’s the biggest news here. A permanently excited synchronous electric motor is integrated into the GTS’ new eight-speed PDK automatic transmission. It draws power from a 1.9kWh battery, which also supplies juice for some other features we’ll touch on in a second. That electric motor lends an extra 110lb ft of torque and 54bhp to the existing twist and thrust of the engine.
GTS models will be available in rear- or all-wheel drive, and will sport a conventional driveshaft and differential setup to power the front wheels rather than a separate electric motor. This is in contrast to the AWD setups of the Corvette E-Ray and outgoing Acura NSX, both of which make use of standalone motors (one for the Corvette, two for the Acura) to motivate the front axles.
Speaking of which, the 2025 911 Carrera GTS features an all-new flat-six engine that displaces 3.6 litres, a 0.6-litre increase relative to the outgoing 911 Carrera GTS brought about by upsized bore (97mm vs. 91mm) and stroke (81mm vs. 76.4mm) dimensions. Power from the engine alone jumps 5bhp, from 473bhp to 478, though the engine’s torque output remains the same at 420lb ft.
However, the new flat-six isn’t just bigger, it’s more advanced. The engine now utilises a single, electronically driven turbocharger rather than two conventionally driven turbos as equipped on the outgoing GTS. An integrated electric motor placed between the hot and cold sides of the turbo helps build boost quicker and minimise lag. The motor can also function as a generator, lending up to 11kW of power back to that 1.9kWh battery from the exhaust gasses.
The sum of these updates is a drivetrain with 532bhp and 449lb ft of total output. Perhaps more remarkably, the high-tech system only added 47kg to the car’s kerb weight. Performance figures are commensurately improved, too. Porsche claims that the 2025 911 Carrera GTS coupe can run 0–62mph in just 3.0 seconds – 0.3 seconds quicker than the outgoing non-hybrid GTS. Top speed is a whopping 194mph.
Keen-eyed readers will note that we’ve not yet mentioned a manual transmission. As of now, the hybrid 911 does not offer a row-your-own option. You were able to get a seven-speed manual on the outgoing version of the 911 Carrera GTS, but alas, this tricky new drivetrain tech mandates that a computer handles the shifting duties. Porsche may choose to offer the manual transmission down the road for certain 911 models, perhaps even hybrid ones eventually, but as of now, that option is not on the table.
The 911 Carrera GTS will also feature rear-axle steering as standard – a first for this model – helping increase high-speed stability while also reducing the car’s turning circle in tight areas. Adaptive sport dampers, which lower the car’s ride height by 10mm relative to base 911 Carreras, will again be fitted as standard.
While not as dramatic an evolution as the hybrid GTS, Porsche also unveiled the 2025 911 Carrera – the “base” 911, if such a thing exists. That model will not feature the hybrid drivetrain. Instead, it will soldier on with a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo flat-six, though the motor also gets some upgrades. A new intercooler, cribbed from the 911 Turbo, now sits between the engine and the rear decklid. New turbos donated from the outgoing 911 Carrera GTS were fitted as well. Output rings in at 388bhp – up nine ponies from the outgoing version – and 331lb ft of torque. Porsche says the 911 Carrera can rip to 62mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds (3.7 if you spring for the Sport Chrono Package). As with the outgoing model, a manual transmission is not an option; it’s PDK or nothing here, too.
Stylistically, the 2025 911 will get a host of aerodynamic enhancements, including some model-specific ones. All the light functions – brights, fog lights, turn signals, etc. – are now integrated into the standard LED Matrix headlights. Because of this, there’s no need for additional fog lights below, which allows for larger cooling openings on the front fascia. For the hybrid Carrera GTS model, the front fascia will feature vertical air flaps that can open or shut depending on airflow demands. Out back, a new rear light bar with P O R S C H E lettering helps accentuate the wide, low stance of the car. Carrera GTS models get a GTS-specific sport exhaust system as standard.
For the first time, the 2025 911 will offer a fully digital instrument cluster, replacing the part-analog and part-digital cluster that came on outgoing cars. The cluster is highly customisable, but the standard five-dial design that has been a hallmark of 911 interiors for decades is still a mainstay. Flanking the new cluster is another 10.9-inch screen that handles infotainment and phone mirroring duties.
You can have your 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera in coupe or cabriolet form, both with rear-wheel drive exclusively. Order books for both are open now, with the 911 Carrera Coupe starting at £99,800 and the 911 Carrera Cabriolet starting at £109,800. Deliveries for these models are expected to begin in the fall.
If you’re ready to make the leap to the hybrid 911 Carrera GTS, the configuration tree grows substantially. You get to choose from coupe or cabriolet form, as well as from rear- or all-wheel drive, and there’s even a Targa version of the GTS, offered exclusively with all-wheel drive. Prices here range from £132,600 for a 911 Carrera GTS Coupe with RWD, up to £149,100 for a 911 Targa 4 GTS. Porsche says deliveries for these hybrid models will begin at the end of the year.
We knew the hybrid 911 was an inevitability. Now that we know a lot more about the particulars of the car and its complex drivetrain, we’re cautiously optimistic that adding an electric motor won’t sully this icon’s shine. Of course, only time behind the wheel will tell us for sure; stay tuned for that story . . .
