The Porsche 911 has been revised once again, and this time around it’s with the 992.2 – a facelift of the 992 generation 911. The biggest news here is the new T-hybrid powertrain for the 911 which has found its way into the 911 Carrera GTS.
But first, let’s see what has changed on the outside of the 911. Just like every refreshment of the 911, this one is also hard to distinguish from its predecessor as it maintains the familiar silhouette and iconic look. The 911 in this generation gets a new headlight cluster, and as per all facelifts, new bumpers as well. The rear end may appear more aggressive as the continuous LED taillights have been redesigned with a deeper and wider appearance.
If you’re shopping for the new 992.2 911, the good news would be the increased number of standardized items (Previously not standard across the range). Some of these items include:
- Rear axle steering
- Mode switch on the steering wheel
- Matrix LED headlights
There are also new optional items for the 911 Carrera such as:
- New HD Matrix LED headlights with 32,000 individual LED points
- Exclusive Design Wheels with carbon blades
As for the powertrain, the “standard” 3.0-litre twin tubo flat-6 engine for the 911 Carrera is retained, albeit with some enhancements. Some of the improvements for the standard 3.0-litre engine are:
- New intercooler adopted from “Turbo” models
- New turbochargers which have previously been reserved for the “old” Carrera GTS
With these improvements, the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged mill of the 911 Carrera now makes 394 hp (metric) and 450 Nm. This allows the new-generation 911 Carrera Coupe to do 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and achieve a top speed of 294 km/h – 0.1 seconds faster and 1 km/h more than its predecessor.
And before we get on to the new hybrid Carrera GTS, let’s gloss over some of the new interior equipment in the 911. As listed earlier, the “Mode Switch” on the steering wheel is now standard even on Carrera models.
The cockpit has been evolved with a new fully digital instrument cluster which makes its appearance in the 911 for the first time. It measures 12.6 inches and offers up to 7 views/designs, including an exclusive “Classic” display inspired by the traditional five-tube Porsche dial design with a central tachometer.
The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system is still operated via the same high-resolution central display with a 10.9-inch screen. However, the customisability of the driving modes and the operation of the driver assistance systems have been significantly improved.
The new hybrid Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
The highlight of this new generation of the 911 is the 911 Carrera GTS which has now become a hybrid – particularly a 400 V mild hybrid (MHEV) with a 1.9-kWh battery. The electric motor is integrated into the Porsche 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK).
The electric drive complements the 3.6-litre boxer engine which is essentially the Carrera’s “standard” 3.0-litre engine with an enlarged bore of 97 mm and increased stroke of 81 mm. Those dimensional adjustments have increased the engine’s displacement by 0.6 litres.
Porsche calls this new hybrid system its “T-Hybrid” drive system. And to simplify things for all of us, here is a breakdown of this T-Hybrid’s components:
- Engine: 3.6-litre turbocharged flat-6 (single electric turbocharger)
- Engine maximum power output: 485 hp metric (357 kW)
- Engine maximum torque: 570 Nm
- Electric motor max power: 54 hp metric (40 kW)
- Electric motor max torque: 150 Nm
- T-Hybrid max. system output: 541 hp metric (398 kW)
- T-hybird max. system torque: 610 Nm
- Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch (where electric motor is integrated)
- 0-100 km/h: 3.0 seconds
- Top speed: 312 km/h
You don’t need an exploded view of the new hybrid 911 Carrera GTS to distinguish it from its pure petrol counterparts. With Porsche only unveiling the Carrera models for the time being, the Carrera GTS sports a unique front bumper with 5 vertical slats on each side which are adjustable (active aero).
The GTS’s wheels get the typical GTS central-locking nuts. And to tell it apart from the petrol Carrera from the back, the GTS’s exhaust tailpipes are much closer to each other towards the centre of the car. Inside, the GTS also sports the “typical GTS” interior according to Porsche, sporting items like the Race Tex upholstery.
Compared to its predecessor, the now-hybrid Carrera GTS is faster in the century sprint (and around the Nurburgring Nordschleife) despite weighing 50 kg more. Its suspension has also been optimized with the “Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) anti-roll stabilisation system” integrated into the high-voltage system of the performance hybrid, and this enables the use of an electro-hydraulic control system.
The 911 Carrera GTS models roll on 21-inch wheels with a width of 11.5 inches and 315/30 ZR 21 tyres at the rear as standard. At the front are 245/35 ZR 20 tyres on 8.5-inch- wide 20-inch wheels. A total of seven 19-/20-inch or 20-/21-inch wheel designs are now available for the new 911’s range.
What are your thought on the 911 going hybrid? And just to put it out there, its online debut featured the water-cooled 996 which was referred to as a milestone by Porsche. So it is probably as opinion-dividing as the 996.
