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The modern world waits for nobody, and the venerable Porsche 911 is no exception. Continuously evolving since its story began in 1964, the time has come for yet another bold step forward. With the arrival of the new model, the 911 is getting a hybrid option for the first time, and many self-professed purists are up in arms. But will the new 911 be yet another example of Porsche’s engineering might, or will it be a rare miss for the German company?
Subtle new look
Hybrid tech aside, the new 911 is based on the same underpinnings as its predecessor, so the difference in design is subtle. New lights, modified bumpers and some fresh customisation options make up most of the exterior changes, but the hybrid variant itself gets a slightly more impressive makeover.
Rather than just adding an electric motor to the basic 911 Carrera, Porsche has applied the new technology to the mid-range GTS model, which is designed to be a sporty option for the purists. It’s a strange choice for the hybrid system, but it has allowed Porsche to make some performance-orientated styling tweaks. As with previous GTS models, there’s black trim and dark alloy wheels, as well as a sportier bumper design with cooling vents in the nose. Designed with aerodynamics in mind, they open automatically when the car needs cooling air around the brakes and powertrain, then close again to ensure the car is more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor. If truth be told, the new bumpers mean the new 911 is nowhere near as attractive as its predecessor, but Porsche has allowed form to follow function.
The same is true inside, where the current 911s pay homage to their predecessors by having broadly the same dashboard design they’ve always had. Of course, it has been modernised over the years, with fabulous materials and exquisite build quality, but it isn’t the most inspiring place to be. Nor is it the brightest.
In the GTS, the cabin is incredibly dark, with black Race-Tex microsuede all over the place. It’s on the roof lining, the seats, the steering wheel and even the glovebox. It leaves the cabin feeling quite claustrophobic, but optional extras allow you to lighten it slightly with red seat belts and contrast stitching in the dashboard.
However, the place is enlivened a little by the arrival of a new digital instrument display that replaces the old analogue rev counter, and there are software upgrades to the touchscreen infotainment system, too.
Of course, the claustrophobia is partly down to the compactness of the car’s cabin. Practicality credentials are unchanged, which means there’s still no sensible way of fitting adults in the back and the boot at the front is tiny, even if it’s slightly more useful than it looks.
Pure performance
But how many 911 buyers choose their car for practicality reasons? No, performance is usually a more important factor, and the new 911 offers plenty of that. At launch, two versions will be offered — the ‘basic’ Carrera and the mid-range GTS — with more in the pipeline.
While the Carrera gets a commendable twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine with almost 400hp, the GTS is the more interesting proposition. Its new 3.6-litre engine is supplemented by a turbocharger with an integrated electric motor with another electric motor that lives inside the gearbox, taking the total power output to 541hp.
With only around 54hp of power, the hybrid system isn’t especially efficiency-orientated, although it does cut the official emissions and fuel consumption figures. Instead, the emphasis is on performance, with the electric system not only aiding the petrol engine but also getting the turbocharger up to speed ahead of time, which adds a little more zest to the power delivery. It responds almost instantly.
Of course, that’s partly down to the eight-speed automatic gearbox that’s fitted as standard and changes ratios with lightning speed, helping the new GTS get from 0-100km/h in three seconds flat — four tenths faster than its predecessor.
But performance is only one part of the GTS’s appeal. Porsche has also tweaked the suspension to make the car handle better, and the Coupe and Cabriolet versions (but not the Targa) sit 10mm lower than the standard 911 Carrera.
That shows through in the way the car corners, with impressive grip and control that keeps the body level even when cornering fast and ensures you can corner extremely fast indeed in the right scenario. The steering is sensational, too.
But the suspension tweaks have an impact on the comfort, too, and the GTS feels substantially less supple than the standard Carrera. At least, the Coupe and Cabriolet do. The Targa maintains some of that compliance over bumps, and though the handling is marginally less impressive than that of the Coupe and Cabriolet versions, it’s still enormously capable. It all makes the Targa something of a surprise sweet spot in the GTS range.
Punchy price
But whether you choose a hard- or folding-top 911 — and whether you choose the hybrid or not — you’ll spend a pretty penny on it. The basic Carrera starts at around €195,000, and the GTS costs more than €250,000. Opt for the all-wheel-drive version and you can add around €20,000 to that. And that’s for the Coupe. We haven’t even thought about the Cabriolet or the Targa yet.
In short, it doesn’t come cheap, and mechanical updates aside, the GTS doesn’t get you an awful lot more for your money. Sure, you get the styling stuff and the digital displays, but you will almost certainly want to add a few optional extras, pushing the price further up.
Nevertheless, for those happy to spend the money, and those who will use the GTS’s road and track capability, this is a spectacular sports car. Perhaps the GTS Targa is the best for road use, but the Coupe is phenomenal on track, and aficionados will probably be quite happy to stump up the cash.
What next for Porsche?
Porsche isn’t known for sitting still, and though the brand’s range is still small, there’s a lot of new products in the pipeline. As well as various other versions of the new 911, the brand has just launched fresh variants of the Cayenne, Panamera, electric Macan and Taycan. Expect to see electric Boxster and Cayman sports cars on the way shortly, as well as an electric Cayenne in the coming years.