Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid Debuts With New 3.6-Litre Flat Six Assisted By E-Turbo

Porsche has taken the wraps off of the much-talked-about 911 Hybrid. Unveiled for now in GTS spec only, the 911 T-Hybrid, along with the 911 Carrera, are the first variants of the updated 911 range that will hit markets across the globe in the coming months.

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The updated 911 gets styling updates including new bumpers, revised light clusters and new alloy wheel design.

The 911 Carrera and GTS do receive cosmetic updates over the outgoing model including revised headlamps with the four-point LED daytime running lamps, new bumpers and a sleeker lightbar at the rear. The GTS models also features a positioned exhaust and active air vents on the front bumper with flaps that open and close to channel air for improved cooling or reducing drag.

GTS gets new active air flaps on the front bumper.

Updates to the cabin are less notable with Porsche doing away with the analogue rpm gauge in the instrument cluster in favour of a full digital unit. The 911 also gets keyless-go for the first time and there’s a new cooled wireless charging pad sitting in the centre console. The overall design of the cabin however has changed little.

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On the mechanical front, the big news is the new T-Hybrid powertrain – something 911 purists may take some time warming up to. At the heart of the powertrain lies a bored and stroked-out flat-six engine that now displaces 3.6-litres as against the outgoing GTS’ 3.0-litres. The twin-turbo set-up from the 3.0 flat-six has also been dropped with a new singular exhaust gas turbocharger with an integrated electric motor. The motor helps reduce turbo lag while also acting as a generator using the spinning exhaust gas turbine to generate up to 11 kW of power.

A second electric motor is integrated into the GTS’ new 8-speed PDK automatic gearbox - now standard on the GTS - offering an additional boost of up to 54 bhp and 150 Nm. Both motors draw power from a small 1.9 kWh battery pack positioned in the front section of the car. 

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Updates to the cabin are few and include an all-digital instrument cluster and push-button start.

Coming to the power outputs, the 3.6-litre boxer mill pushes out 479 bhp and 570 Nm of torque – up from the older GTS’ 473 bhp though torque is identical. Factor in the electric motor and total output gets nudged up to 534 bhp and 610 Nm. Unlike Porsche’s E-Hybrid range, the T-Hybrid offers no electric-only driving option.

Porsche says that the new GTS T-Hybrid weights just 50 kg more than the outgoing GTS but is faster – 0.4 seconds quicker to 100 kmph and 1.1 seconds quicker to 200 kmph. Porsche also says the new GTS is over 8 seconds faster than its predecessor around the Nurburgring.

New T-Hybrid powertrain features a single exhaust turbo with an integrated electric motor.

Additional updates to the GTS include a power steering system and air-conditioning system that runs off of the car’s 400V electrical architecture eliminating the need for drive belts and reducing the height of the engine. The suspension too is revamped with the active anti-roll system also running off the car’s 400V architecture and rear-wheel steering is now standard on the GTS. Porsche has also fit the GTS with wider 315/30 section tyres at the rear.

A second electric motor is integrated into the 8-speed PDK gearbox; 1.9 kWh battery pack positioned above the front axle.

Moving to the Carrera, the base 911 retains the 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six mill but receives updates in the form of intercoolers from the 911 Turbo and turbos from the outgoing GTS. This sees power bumped up to 389 bhp and 450 Nm. Porsche claims a 0.1 second reduction in the 0-100 kmph sprint and a top speed of 294 kmph.

Both the 911 Carrera and GTS will be offered in coupe and cabriolet body styles. The GTS will additionally be offered in the Targa body style and with the option of all-wheel drive.