Iconic Porsche sports car 911 boasts hybrid power sources

Porsche has unveiled its first ever street-legal hybrid 911, as the German sports car manufacturer charges ahead with its electrification campaign.

The new 911 Carrera GTS, which made its world premiere last week, has at its heart a 3.6-liter boxer engine and an electric exhaust-gas turbocharger, both of which are newly developed, delivering significantly improved driving performance.

Even without electrical assistance, the boxer engine delivers 357 kilowatts and 570 Newton meters of torque. In total, the system output is 398 kW and 610 Nm. The power increase over its predecessor is 45 kW.

Porsche brand ambassador Joerg Bergmeister completed a lap of the Nuerburgring Nordschleife carracing track in 7:16.93 minutes — 8.7 seconds faster than its predecessor.

Porsche has streamlined the exterior design of the 911 with carefully targeted updates. Most of these measures improve the aerodynamics and performance of the car. The changes include new, model-specific bumpers.

In the cockpit, Porsche combines the familiar 911 design DNA with modern technology. The Porsche Driver Experience control concept focuses on the driver's axis and intuitive, faster operation. Essential control elements have been arranged directly on or around the steering wheel.

These include the standard driving mode switch, a revised driver assistance lever and, for the first time in the 911, a start button to the left of the steering wheel. In the center console of the new 911, there is a cooled compartment for smartphones, with an inductive charging function.

For the first time, the 911 has a fully digital instrument cluster. The 12.6-inch curved display fits elegantly into the new control and display concept and can be customized. It offers up to seven views, including an exclusive Classic display inspired by the traditional five-tube Porsche dial design with a central tachometer.

The Porsche Communication Management system is still operated via the high-resolution central display with a 10.9-inch screen. In the new 911, Porsche has improved the customizability of the driving modes as well as the operation of driver assistance systems.

In China, the PCM experience has been taken to new heights. Extensive software applications are set to enhance the interaction between customers and their cars. These include Apple Music, Kuwo Music, Himalaya and Bilibili. In addition, Porsche Connect is available free of charge for 10 years.

The new 911 is the latest move in Porsche's electrification. Following the Taycan sedan, its first electric model, there is the all-electric Macan SUV available for presales in China.

By the middle of this decade, the all-electric 718 sports car will hit the road, which will be followed by the all-electric Cayenne SUV. It also plans to expand its product portfolio with an all-electric SUV — sportily positioned above the Cayenne.

More than 80 percent of its global new deliveries are to be fully electric by 2030 — depending on customer demand and the development of electromobility in individual regions of the world, said Porsche.