Take an idea, refine it, improve it, and make it continually better. That’s been the story of Porsche’s benchmark sportscar since it was first revealed as the 901 in 1963. Over six decades in production, the 911 has moved with the times in some aspects but stayed steadfast in its ways with others; there’s always been an air of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” with the 911 to me.

Porsche revealed the 992.2 to the world via YouTube, and the leadup to the 17 minute announcement video was a long one, led by a string of pre-production prototypes that surfaced online - some of which carrying high voltage warning stickers. We’ve known for a while that electrification would be inevitable for the model, but we didn’t know to what extent. Would it be a plug-in or a mild hybrid? Or something between the two? Would every model become hybridised? The short answer is no.

Kicking off the range is the new 911 Carrera which retains its 3.0 litre twin turbocharged flat-6 engine, sans-hybrid. Peak outputs are now 389 bhp and 332 lb ft (540 nm) and the slight uplift in performance is thanks to an intercooler borrowed from the 992 Turbo and Turbo S which sits above the engine, and turbochargers from the previous Carrera GTS. The 0-62 mph sprint takes 4.1 seconds, or 3.9 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package fitted, and the car will run on to reach its top speed of 183 miles per hour.

The 992.2 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid: The New Powertrain

Unsurprisingly, the “entry level” 911 hasn’t been getting nearly as much attention as the Carrera GTS which has often been seen as the sweet spot in the range. This is where things get really interesting.

It’s a hybrid! And there is a completely new engine! The new 992.2 Carrera GTS is the first 911 to come with a hybrid powertrain. The powertrain, naturally, comprises a flat-six engine which seems to have been developed from the 3.0 litre unit found in the Carrera, but with the bore and stroke being increased to 97 and 81 mm respectively to up the capacity to 3.6 litres. 

The engine remains turbocharged but thanks to the first element of electrification, the turbine-count has halved to one. Mounted on the shaft that connects the intake compressor and exhaust turbine is an electric motor which can instantly spin the turbocharger to its peak speed and effectively eliminate turbo lag. The wastegate-free turbocharger, called T-Hybrid, can also harvest energy from the exhaust gas flow. 

The second element is the electric motor that sits between the new 3.6 litre engine and the 8-speed PDK ‘box which adds its 54 bhp and 110 lb ft (150 nm) instantly. Coupled with the lagless turbo, the extra low-end power and torque will make for more immediate acceleration and a sensation of near endless performance across the rev range as the engine reaches its peak power and torque bands. On its own, the 992.2’s engine makes 478 bhp and 420 lb ft (570 nm), but with the hybrid elements factored in the system output rises to 534 bhp and 450 lb ft (610 nm).

Power comes from a front-mounted high-voltage battery that has a gross capacity of 1.9 kilowatt hours (kWh) which is tiny compared to the new Taycan’s 97 kWh unit, but unlike its saloon cousin, there is no silent-running capability or need to plug in here. The hybrid system is designed to enhance performance, acceleration and driveability first and foremost, while also increasing fuel economy and decreasing emissions as a positive side-effect.

The small battery capacity means that it won’t take long to recharge on the move and this can be done via braking or using the electric turbocharger as a generator. As well as boosting performance, the electric side of the powertrain starts the car and powers the air conditioning compressor, doing away with the need for a starter motor and belt drive which creates space for the inverter and DC-DC power converter. 

Porsche claims the weight has only increased by 50 kg compared to the pre-facelift 992.1 GTS, but that compares a two-seater against a four-seater. With the rear bench added, we can expect that weight difference to increase by another 10 kg. Regardless, the new Carrera GTS is quicker and faster than before, with 0-62 mph taking just 3.0 seconds and the top speed increasing to 194 mph.

The 992.2 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid: Improved Handling

The new 911 is sure to continue to be the benchmark sports car in the handling department following its facelift, and while little has been mentioned about the changes to the Carrera, the GTS gets some key updates and the inclusion of rear-wheel steering as standard for the first time. 

Thanks to the high voltage drivetrain, a new electro-hydraulic anti-roll stabilisation system has become part of the Dynamic Chassis Control and promises greater flexibility and precision when countering roll than the pure hydraulic system it replaces. In conjunction with the PASM adaptive suspension, the 992.2 seems to have all handling bases covered.

The real question we want to know the answer to is how will this all stack up on the road? Well, I’ve experienced some of the technology that is heading towards the Carrera GTS in other cars already and I’m a fan. Electric exhaust gas turbochargers are great as they provide instant response from the engine and when coupled to a drivetrain mounted electric motor, the low-down response is strong and effortless. 

When integrated well, this seamlessly gives way to the engine in its peak performance window, giving the sensation of strong performance from tickover to the red line. If response, on-road performance and fuel efficiency is improved, what’s not to like?

The 992.2 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid: Subtle Styling Tweaks

Well, they certainly haven’t broken the mould with the styling. As seems to be a trend with most German cars being facelifted at the moment, the only obviously visible changes are at the front; new headlights carry the now ubiquitous quadruple running light signature and are available in two flavours of adjustability. 

Matrix lights are now standard and are based around one main projector in each cluster, while the optional HD Matrix lights feature four projectors to precisely adjust the light around oncoming traffic, avoid reflections from road signs or to project warnings onto the road surface ahead of the driver. I love matrix lights - especially those with 32,000 light points to play with, but I think the car looks more natural with the standard lights.

Why all the fuss about headlights? Well, the new clusters have allowed for the running lights to be removed from the outer edges of the grille, and thus there is more room for enlarged inlets to aid cooling. Two variants of the 911 have been shown so far - the entry-level Carrera and the renowned GTS, each with their own bumper designs. The outer intakes are open on the Carrera and home to automatically adjustable slats on the GTS. These close to improve airflow when cruising, and open to feed more cool air to the radiators when going for it. These work together with underbody flaps to ensure good airflow along the new 911’s floor.

A Sport Design Package is available on the vast options list of the 911; this enlarges the front splitter, side skirts and rear bumper making the car appear to sit closer to the ground. The dark vertical bumper inserts are replaced with open, trapezoid struts in body colour or in black, and this must be combined with the Sports Exhaust System that changes the tailpipes from trapezoid to round and centrally mounted. 

Opting for the Aerokit adds a fixed, high-level spoiler and an integrated ducktail that hosts the high-level brake light. 992.2s with the standard rear-end arrangement get an automatically extending spoiler that sits below the rear air intake which now has five vertical strakes either side of the close-set brake lights in the centre.

That must be enough about lights now, right? Well, not quite! The full-width light bar has been ever so slightly slimmed, but the space in which it sits has been enlarged. Until activated, the brake light strips remain well hidden but underscore the light bar when required. The lenses come to an abrupt stop to allow the PORSCHE wordmark to take pride of place, with the model designation directly underneath on the bumper. 

Looking a little further down is where you’ll see the most subtly obvious change from the 992.1 Carrera and that is the positioning of the number plate. I’ll admit, I didn’t think anything of it at first glance as it just looks to be in the right place, but it looks so much better than it did when mounted between the exhausts on the pre-facelift model.

The 992.2 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid: Interior Upgrades

The differences continue inside, and this is where things could start to get controversial as the analogue rev counter is no more; pixels have finally taken over the instrument cluster of the 911. Secondly, the ignition switch has been replaced with a button, so gone are two of the first physical elements to look at and touch when getting into the 2024 911 facelift. 

An interesting thing to note is that the coupé is now a two seater as standard, with the rear seats being a no-cost option. While I’m still trying to get my head around that decision - especially when the 911 is frequently praised for having those extra perches while its rivals get criticised for not having them - one thing that does make sense to me is the move to digitise the instrument cluster. 

Porsche has been working closely with Apple to roll out the latest version of CarPlay on its models. Seen first on the new Taycan which you can read about here, the latest smartphone mirroring software can take live car data like speed, revs and range, but also control car functions like the climate control. 

This does away with the need to come out of CarPlay to change basic settings like the cabin temperature, and should allow for less time looking at a dashboard-mounted screen and more time looking out of the windscreen at the world ahead. If you’d prefer to use Porsche’s own software, you can choose from 7 display styles with one bringing the classic 5-dial style to the 12.6” curved drivers display.

It’s not all about screens though, as there are still physical shortcuts for the air conditioning, traction control, exhaust and suspension settings on the centre console, while the thin-rimmed steering wheel is host to a volume wheel, drive mode selector and paddles for the now standard automatic gearbox. Porsche has confirmed that the Carrera and GTS will be Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) only for now, but we can certainly expect the 7-speed manual to return to the 992 in the not too distant future.

Tech aside, there is plenty of room for customising the interior on both launch models; the Carrera comes with leather upholstery as standard while the GTS gets a mixture of leather and Race Tex microfibre on the seats, dashboard and doors. Both cabins are available in a variety of colours, and contrast stitching can be specified too.

The 992.2 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid: Price and Production Date

We’ll have to wait until late 2024 for the new 911 Carrera GTS to reach our shores, but the non-hybrid 911 Carrera is set to arrive at the end of the summer. The rear-wheel drive Carrera is available to order now as a coupé and cabriolet, while the GTS can be ordered in two or four-wheel drive as a coupé, cabriolet or Targa body style.

Pricing begins at £99,880 for the Carrera and £132,600 for the GTS, both in coupé form. Naturally, I’ve already been on the configurator and a prime Ken-spec 911 Targa 4 GTS comes in at an impressive £171,144 with £22,044 of optional equipment being added.

What is for sure is that this is just the beginning for the refreshed 992; the model range is yet to be filled out with the Carrera S, Targa, GT3 and Turbo models waiting to join the range. Even if it’s taken its time to do so in the past, the 911 has always embraced progress and it continues to do so with its new hybridised GTS variant that is the first, but by no means the last 911 to do so. 

I have read many concerns about how it will all work but I think back to how people were concerned about whether the Taycan could ever be, or drive like, a proper Porsche owing to its new electric drivetrain. Look how that turned out. Fear not - I think we all know that if anyone is going to get hybrid performance right, it’s going to be Porsche.