Car Manufacturer News
Porsche Announces that All Models (Yes, Even the 911) will go Hybrid
There have been rumblings of Porsche electrifying its legendary 911, and traditionalists have been quite unhappy with the possibility of this. Well, prepared to be really upset as the automaker has just announced that every Porsche model will have a hybrid version in a Tweet that read “Outcast: #Porsche will offer a hybrid version in each model line, in the near future even in the 911. #PAGAPC2016.”
Over the years, Porsche has been known to make dramatic moves periodically. There was the shift from air cooling to water, then, more recently, the shift to more turbocharged engines. The former wasn’t well received initially but eventually became an afterthought. The ink is still drying on the announcement of its move to turbocharged engines in the Boxster, Cayman, and lower-trim 911s, so there hasn’t been enough time for traditionalists to come to grips with it. However, I am sure this move will soon be accepted.
The shift to hybridization is a pretty big one that may take some significant time to get used to. Porsche has plenty of experience in hybrid powertrains with the Cayenne, Panamera and 918, but those are completely different animals when compared to the weight-sensitive 911, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman.
Sure, hybridization will add extra power to the models it graces, but with that comes extra heft. And this extra weight, if not managed properly, can seriously degrade the tossability of these otherwise-nimble sports cars. Luckily, we’re talking about Porsche here—one of the best at engineering sports cars—so I highly doubt it will rush a hybrid sports car to market that doesn’t live up to the crest on its nose.
One mystery that comes with this announcement is where a hybrid 911 would live in the sports car’s massive lineup. My guess is that it’ll be a go-between model that spans the gap between the GTS and the Turbo. Then again, Porsche could make the hybrid model as a standalone that doesn’t truly slot between any existing models.
We’ll learn more about the hybridization of Porsche’s sports car lineup soon, so stay tuned for more info. Until then, let us know what you think of these big changes in the comments below.
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