We knew it was coming and so did Porsche; the current ‘992’ generation of 911 was engineered to accommodate a battery and electric motor from the outset. Even so, this feels like an evolutionary leap: a milestone in the car’s 62-year story so far.
In time, will the arrival of a hybrid 911 be seen as a moment on par with the debut of the original 930 3.0 Turbo in 1975? Or perhaps the switch to water-cooled engines for the 996 model in 1997? It’s hard to say, but while electrification seems like A Big Deal, Porsche is determined to break in the 911’s devoted fans gently. The new GTS merely dips a toe in the water, rather than jumping in with both feet.
How so? Well, it has a tiny 1.9kWh battery, it can’t be plugged in and recharged from the mains, and it isn’t capable of driving on electric power only. Also, this updated ‘992.2’ GTS is scarcely more economical or less CO2-emitting than the car it replaces. Much like Porsche’s pioneering 918 Spyder hypercar, the hybrid technology’s role here is to boost torque, sharpen throttle response and make it go faster. Business as usual, then – at least in theory.
More mid-range muscle
The GTS badge first appeared on a run-out edition of the 997-generation 911 in 2010 – effectively a Carrera S with a few choice options – but it swiftly became an established mid-point for the 911 range.
That remains true today, with the new 541hp GTS T-Hybrid bridging the gap between the 480hp Carrera S and 580hp 911 Turbo. Prices start from £132,600 and buyers can choose from two- or four-wheel drive, along with Coupe Cabriolet and Targa body styles. My test Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, pictured here, tipped the scales at £149,100 – or a substantial £164,074 including options such as Carmine Red paint (£1,704), matrix LED headlights (£2,562) and a Bose audio system (£1,223).
One option you can’t specify on the GTS is a manual transmission, as the new electric motor is housed within Porsche’s paddle-shift PDK ’box. If you want a stick-shift 911 in 2025, look to either the Carrera T or updated 992.2 GT3.
Inside the 911 Carrera GTS
The quick way to spot a GTS is by the toothy vertical vanes in its front bumper, which swing open to provide extra cooling when needed. Gloss-black trim and centre-lock alloy wheels (20 inches at the front, 21s at the rear) are also part of the package, along with 10mm lower PASM Sport suspension.
Inside, the most obvious difference is the front-and-centre rev counter: previously analogue, now digital. There’s also better integration for Apple Carplay within the central 10.9-inch touchscreen media system, plus the ability to use the Spotify and Apple Music apps without syncing your smartphone.
This being a Cabriolet, we mustn’t neglect to mention the roof. It maintains the 911’s familiar coupe profile when closed, then folds away electrically beneath a tonneau cover in 12 seconds. It adds exactly £10,000 to the price tag, too.
Taking on the Turbo
All very incremental and 911-like, you might think, but the Darwin-defying DNA changes are behind the back axle. Here, you will discover a completely new 3.6-litre single-turbo flat-six, which replaces the 3.0 twin-turbo motor still used by other Carrera models.
On its lonesome, the new engine produces 485hp, but the hybrid system contributes up to 54hp on top. Combined torque output is 450lb ft.
Despite being 60kg heavier than the outgoing car – a Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet now weighs in at 1,725kg – the result is improved performance. Top speed is 194mph, while the 0-62mph dash takes just 3.1 seconds using launch control – or 3.0 seconds in the Coupe. For context, that sees the GTS level-pegging with a previous generation (991.2) Porsche 911 Turbo.
The daily-driver 911
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid
The GTS feels more like a Turbo (with a capital ‘T’) in how it drives, too. You have that same sense of abundant power, but from even lower in the rev range. The EV motor eliminates any lag and maximum torque arrives at just 1,950rpm, combined with (literally) electric throttle response.
Factor in lightning-quick PDK shifts and acceleration feels relentless, combining bassy mid-range punch with a snarling high-rev rush. The best of all worlds, then? For daily driving, no doubt; even the most hybrid-doubting 911 diehard can’t fail to be impressed.
To damn the GTS with faint praise, though, it almost makes progress too smooth, too effortless. There’s less incentive to wring out the engine as you would a GT3 – or indeed a 394hp 911 Carrera. From a powertrain point of view, the result is a 911 that’s easier to admire than to truly love.
Verdict: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid
Then again, the way the Porsche steers, rides and comports itself through corners is still a class above a Mercedes-AMG GT or Maserati GranTurismo. Its PASM adaptive dampers deal exceptionally well with craggy British blacktop, while the standard rear-axle steering enhances stability – along with maneuverability at parking speeds – without making its presence overtly known.
If old 911s tested your nerve, this one rolls up its sleeves and works with you. As such, opting for four-wheel drive feels unnecessary unless you live in deepest Wales or the Scottish Highlands. And accomplished though the 911 Cabriolet is, I’d always choose the purity (and greater practicality) of a Coupe.
The Carrera GTS T-Hybrid shows that Porsche fans have little to fear from electrification – at least while a flat-six engine is still involved. In a modern 911 range that offers something for everyone, it ticks the most boxes of all.
Objectively, that makes it the best 911 on sale, at least until the updated 992.2 Turbo arrives. But subjectively? I enjoyed the base 911 Carrera just as much.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet
PRICE: £149,100
POWER: 541hp
0-62MPH: 3.1sec
TOP SPEED: 194mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 25.7-26.4mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 245g/km
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research