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While the hybrid model brings more performance and efficiency, the outgoing GTS still has a few key things going for it
by Amreetam Basu on June 7, 2024, 16:00The excitement is at its peak with the updated 911 lineup debuted for 2025, the 992.2, especially with the 911 Carrera GTS model, since it introduced the future of the 911 powertrain by going hybrid.
There’s a new hybridized 3.6-liter flat-six rated at 532 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque with a single turbo instead of two. A refreshed design graces the front and rear fascia: a new headlight design inside the same oval housing, a slimmer LED lightbar at the rear, and the dual exhaust tips are positioned closer to each other, but not close like the ones you’d find on the GT3 models.
However, more drastic changes can be found inside the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. A new fully digital instrument console sits in the place of the analog-digital combo introduced with the 992.1 911. Additionally, the iconic Le Mans-style starter knob is also missing, and Porsche has instead chosen a generic circular start/stop button. Two of the iconic 911 touches are now gone!
While the updated 992.2 911 Carrera GTS may be much better than the model it replaces in terms of performance and aesthetics, is it the ultimate 911 Carrera GTS that you can buy? We think otherwise and here’s why you may want to consider the outgoing 2024 992.1 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS instead.
The 2024 Carrera GTS comes with an optional 7-Speed manual
In a world where manual gearboxes are almost extinct, Porsche has managed to keep the stick alive with its 911 lineup for the most part. While the latest 992.2 Carrera keeps the manual, the hybridized Carrera GTS trim ditches away the seven-speed manual gearbox, which was a part of the outgoing Carrera GTS. So, if you’ve wanted a brand-new manual-equipped 911 Carrera GTS model, act fast before the outgoing model is sold out.
The 2024 911 Carrera GTS comes with the iconic PDK dual-clutch gearbox as standard, but you can opt for the seven-speed manual at no cost. While the automatic is incredibly quick off the line, it’s the manual transmission, with its shorter shifter than the 2024 Carrera S, that should offer a more rewarding and engaging driving experience. With practice, you should be able to match the automatic’s 0-30 mph acceleration in 1.2 seconds. 60 mph on the manual comes up in at 3.2 seconds, four-tenths of a second slower than the automatic-equipped outgoing Carrera GTS.
The Interior has a traditional Porsche layout
Details, like the classic analog tachometer and the Le Mans-style start/stop knob are signature features that speak about the Porsche brand’s rich pedigree in motorsports. A 911 staple, with the facelifted 992.2 911 models, most of these traditional features have now been replaced to make way for digitalization. The newer models have a fully digital instrument cluster and a more generic start/stop button. This is where the 2024 992.1 911 Carrera GTS steps in (or any outgoing 911 model, for that matter).
You get the old-school analog tachometer in the center, flanked by two gorgeous digital displays. Additionally, the start/stop knob makes the 911 experience so much better than the new button, which seems to have come from the VW parts bin. The knob was a way for drivers to reminisce classic 911 models. The updated 2025 911 GTS’s digital instrumentation and regular button, while modern, just don’t have the same charm. In a way, going the old route could make the pre-facelift 911 Carrera GTS even more sought-after in the future**, a true collector’s item for those who cherish that classic 911 feel so,
2024 model keeps things simple
The 2025 911 GTS T-Hybrid (because E-Hybrid refers to Porsche’s PHEVs) introduces technological breakthroughs for the iconic moniker. A new 3.6-liter flat-six engine with an electrically assisted single turbocharger and an e-motor housed inside the eight-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox. Along with a 1.1 kWh battery pack at the front. It sounds too technical, isn’t it? Apart from sounding technical, the system is confusing and complex compared to the outgoing 992.1 911 GTS, which features a far more simpler setup with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six, and that’s about it.
Surely, the hybrid tech boosts performance and to a certain extent efficiency (eagerly waiting for the EPA numbers) and bumps up power from 473 horsepower to 532 horsepower combined. The addition of electrical components and a battery pack introduces complexity and weight. As a result, the long-term reliability of this new hybrid tech remains unknown. Comparatively, the 2024 911 GTS, although less potent, would be the better choice if you want to keep driving your 911 for years to come. The 9A2B6 3.0-liter boxer engine under the skin of the 2024 911 Carrera GTS is a pretty reliable powerplant.
Amreetam Basu
While Amreetam hustles during the week, free time means one thing: hitting the open road. He dreams of cruising the Alps in a German masterpiece – a Porsche 992 911 GT3 RS or an F87 BMW M2 would be ideal! This 26-year-old automotive journalist loves every part of the job. Read full bio
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