Porsche’s insanely clever hybrid engine comes to the 911 Turbo S

Sep 7, 2025 - 21:35
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Porsche’s insanely clever hybrid engine comes to the 911 Turbo S
throttle lag? what's that?

Porsche’s insanely clever hybrid engine comes to the 911 Turbo S

The new 911 variant is 14 seconds quicker around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Jonathan M. Gitlin | 12
Porsche's most superlative production 911 now benefits from the automaker's T-Hybrid system. Credit: Porsche
Porsche's most superlative production 911 now benefits from the automaker's T-Hybrid system. Credit: Porsche
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Today, Porsche debuted a new 911 variant at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany. It's the most powerful 911 to date, excluding some limited-run models, and may well be the quickest to 60 mph from a standing start, dispatching that dash in just 2.4 seconds. And it's all thanks to one of the most interesting hybrid powertrains on sale today.

Rather than just bolting an electric motor to an existing 911, Porsche designed an entirely new 3.6 L flat-six engine, taking the opportunity to ditch the belt drive and move some of the ancillaries, which can instead be powered by the car's 400 V traction battery.

The system debuted in the 911 GTS T-Hybrid, which Ars recently reviewed. For that car, Porsche added a single electric turbocharger, which works like the MGU-H in a Formula 1 car. It spins up almost instantly to 120,000 rpm to eliminate throttle lag, but also recaptures excess energy from the spinning turbine and sends that to the 1.9 kWh battery pack.

The result is a turbocharged engine that has a remarkable throttle response that's more like an EV, with no perceptible lag between initial tip-in and power being delivered to the wheels.

For the 2026 911 Turbo S, there are a pair of these electric turbochargers. And like the GTS, you'll find a 53 hp (40 kW), 110 lb-ft (150 Nm) permanent synchronous motor inside the eight-speed dual clutch transmission. Total output is a heady 701 hp (523 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm), which is sufficient to cut the 0–60 mph (0–98 km/h) time to 2.4 seconds. 124 mph (200 km/h) takes just 8.4 seconds, half a second less than the 2025 Turbo S.

And despite weighing an extra 180 lbs (82 kg), the new Turbo S is significantly faster around the 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nürburgring Nordschliefe than the non-hybrid Turbo S. Last fall in testing, a hybrid 911 Turbo S driven by Jörg Bergmeister lapped the 'ring in 7 minutes, 3.92 seconds—14 seconds faster than the old car.

"You don't feel the weight gain. On the contrary—the car is much more agile, has more grip and is significantly faster than its predecessor in all relevant sections of the track," Bergmeister said.

The 400 V hybrid system also means Porsche could fit a new electrohydraulic antiroll bars, which respond much more quickly than the hydraulic setup in non-hybrid 911s.

With this car you don't need to wait for the turbos anymore.
Porsche
With this car you don't need to wait for the turbos anymore. Porsche
You don't have to order a Porsche Cabriolet with red leather, it just seems like that.
Porsche
You don't have to order a Porsche Cabriolet with red leather, it just seems like that. Porsche
Unfortunately the hybrid system means there's no manual transmission option.
Porsche
Unfortunately the hybrid system means there's no manual transmission option. Porsche You don't have to order a Porsche Cabriolet with red leather, it just seems like that. Porsche Unfortunately the hybrid system means there's no manual transmission option. Porsche
"Turbonite" accents let you know this is a 911 Turbo.
Porsche
A cutaway illustration of the 911 Turbo S.
Porsche
A cutaway illustration of the 911 Turbo S's electrohydraulic chassis control system
Porsche
A cutaway illustration of the 911 Turbo S's dual clutch transmission and electric traction motor.
Porsche
A cutaway illustration of the 911 Turbo S electric turbocharger.
Porsche
The 3.6 L Porsche T-Hybrid engine.
Porsche

"The 911 Turbo S is the most complete and versatile way to drive a Porsche 911. Whether in daily use, on long highway trips, or on the track—we have been able to make the new 911 Turbo S even more comfortable, more customizable, and at the same time significantly faster than its predecessor," said Frank Moser, Porsche vice president of the 911 and 718 model lines.

Such superlatives don't come cheap, though. The 911 Turbo S coupe starts at a hefty $270,300, or $284,300 for the Cabriolet. Porsche says deliveries should start in the spring.

Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor
Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC.
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