Following the GTS, the flagship Porsche 911 Turbo S also becomes a hybrid—bringing even more power and sharper response. Not that the most complete of all 911s was ever lacking. Still, just the thing for a spirited Christmas celebration.
Whether any customer will ever truly detect the difference between the outgoing 992.1 Turbo S and the hybrid-powered 992.2 successor remains up for debate. The outgoing 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six produced an already formidable 478kW (650PS), good for a staggering top speed of around 320km/h. The new model looks almost identical to its predecessor but reverts to a 3.6-litre displacement, gaining an electric boost to deliver a dramatic uplift to 523kW (711PS).
Technically, the Turbo S is closely related to the more restrained GTS hybrid, but the flagship features two electrically assisted turbochargers, eradicating any trace of turbo lag. For the sceptical, a few laps at Weissach with Porsche factory driver Jörg Bergmeister will be enough to render them speechless. The thrust is astonishing, the G-forces immense, and the sensation borders on lift-off. Peak torque remains at 800Nm, delivered between 2,300 and 6,000rpm, but the delivery is now broader and more linear.
There’s only one small catch: if you haven’t experienced those brutal laps with Bergmeister, you might not feel much difference. Even for skilled drivers, the new and old Turbo S feel near-identical under public road conditions. And as the new hybrid doesn’t feature plug-in capability, there’s no real fuel economy benefit or electric-only range to whisper out of your gated community in the morning. Instead, the 400-volt electrical system sharpens throttle response and adds 61PS—noticeable only to a very select few.
Performance figures now read 0–100km/h in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 322km/h. Respectable, certainly, but the old Turbo S wasn’t exactly lacking. The hybrid system adds 85kg through its battery, wiring and electronics, though the difference is unlikely to be perceptible to most drivers.
To manage the added mass and heightened dynamics, Porsche has fitted wider tyres (255/35 ZR20 front, 325/30 ZR21 rear), larger carbon-ceramic brakes (420mm front, 410mm rear), and a new adaptive damping system that promises to better control body roll under high loads.
All of this comes at a cost. The new Turbo S starts from €271,000 in coupé form. The Cabriolet, which commands a healthy share of the model’s registrations, begins at €285,200. Sales commence around the turn of the year, just in time for those who fancy something particularly extravagant under the tree.
And as a final flourish, the titanium brake system shaves 6.8kg while providing a stirring soundtrack. Merry Christmas, indeed.
