autoevolution
 

Spy Video: Are You a Porsche 911 Hybrid Testing at the Nurburgring?

Hybridization is clearly having its effects on the sportscar market. Nissan is rumored to make the next GT-R into an electrically assisted car and so is Mitsubishi with the Evo, if they ever get round to making the XI. Honda is also preparing to launch a new NSX next year and, you guessed it, it's got two electric motors and a twin-turbo V6 engine.
911 hybrid test car 1 photo
Photo: TourClips
So where does Porsche fit into all of this? They have the best reputation for fine handling and responsive vehicles. The guys from Stuttgart also have that amazing 918 Spyder hypercar and the 919 Le Mans race car that looks poised to win big in its debut season. Most Porsche fans, however, idolize the 911. That's the way it is and the way it will always be. A little while ago, rumors of a full hybrid sportscar range from Porsche surfaced.

Thanks to our friends at TouriClips, we can show you this video shot at the Nurburgring and allegedly showing a Porsche 991 hybrid. From the outside, it looks like any other Carrera S/4S. However, the back seat is filled with electrical equipment. The Nurburgring spotters also tell us that was a high-pitched noise during acceleration and shifting.

This could just be telemetry equipment but at this stage in the 911 Carrera S facelift's development, there might not be a need for it. There's also a possibility that this 911 is actually a chassis mule, like in the case of the mid-engined Boxster, which hidden under a 911 body for most of its development.

At the beginning of the month, a Motor Trend report stated Porsche is working on the hybrid 911, suggesting this would combine the high-output engine of a Turbo or Turbo S with an electric motor to produce a petrol-electric output of over 700 hp.

This prototype doesn't look or sound like a Turbo, so maybe they're going the naturally aspirated route, like they did with the Panamera S E-Hybrid. Because of the yellow brake calipers, we can tell you that the prototype is wearing Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes (PCCB) developed by the motorsport department. If this goes into production as a 911 tree-huger, the brakes should become green like on the 918.

If somebody's going to make a fun hybrid, it might as well be Porsche!

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories