Turbo Or Hybrid? How Euro 7 Emissions Could Transform The Next-Gen GT3

The key to keeping the GT3 engine naturally-aspirated may lie with Bugatti

Porsche GT boss, Andreas Preuninger, told Autocar U.K. that the next-generation Porsche 911 GT3 might not be able to meet Euro 7 regulations without forced induction or electrification. I noticed the writing on the wall as soon as the Porsche 992.2 GT3 came out as it didn’t receive a bump in power compared to the 992.1 GT3. Power stayed the same, at 503 horsepower for the regular GT3, with torque even going down – 339 pound-feet for the 992.2 GT3 versus the 346 pound-feet for the 992.1 GT3. This is not because of the Otto particulate filter (OPF) many modern cars have this, since Porsche adopted this on very late 991.2 Carrera GTS, GT3, and Speedster models, made after September 2019.

It is no secret that Porsche is a major stakeholder in Bugatti even after Rimac Automobili acquired the hypercar company from Volkswagen, back in November 2021. If the Bugatti Torbillon’s hybrid V-16 is anything to go by, the next-generation Porsche 911 GT3 could still feature the 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six engine, but with hybrid assist. I expect a version of Porsche’s T-Hybrid powertrain would play a crucial role in the next generation of Porsche sports cars, regardless of whether the next iteration of the Porsche 911 GT3 features forced induction.

Turbocharging will add performance, but potentially, sacrifice the GT3’s identity

While Porsche’s obsession with turbocharging blessed us with many iconic sports cars, the company’s naturally aspirated, high-performance mills are no less impressive. The long line of Mezger engines ended with an epic model in 2011, and it even took Porsche themselves, a while to surpass that 4.0-liter boxer engine in terms of performance. Porsche defied the odds once, with the Porsche 992.2 GTS, which showed the industry how a compact and lightweight hybrid powertrain can make the mid-range 911 as capable as a 911 Turbo.

The GT3 model line though is, both a numbers car and a driver’s car. On one hand, every 911 GT3 features track-optimized dynamics, focused on setting blistering lap times. On the other, you get a visceral, driver-centric machine with an orgasmic-sounding, naturally-aspirated flat-six that revs to 9,000 RPM and if you so choose, a manual transmission. Turbo engines are, traditionally, more muffled as the turbochargers also act as additional silencers. Then, there is the question of engine response, which is always more immediate on naturally-aspirated engines compared to turbocharged ones. Will Porsche risk, sacrificing the duality that the 911 GT3 offers? Or will the German sports carmaker, once again, surprise everyone with another masterclass in engineering? Porsche’s recent patents may have the answer.

Revolutionary tech and synthetic fuels

Porsche would undoubtedly want to keep the GT3 without radical changes to the powertrain and so far, there are two valid ways for this to happen. Porsche recently patented a six-stroke engine that allows for more complete combustion of the fuel mixture, greatly increasing the engine’s efficiency in extracting more energy that can be transformed into mechanical power. Another solution to keep the Porsche GT3 naturally aspirated and tech-unburdened is through synthetic fuels. Porsche currently has three fuel plants in different parts of the world, dedicated to e-fuel production. The fuel itself features an identical molecular structure to traditional gasoline and the existing internal combustion engine architecture does not require modifications to work on it. Also, the entire season of 8 races of the Porsche Mobil 1 that feature 911 GT3 Cup cars run exclusively on e-fuels.

The biggest hurdles at this point are the logistics scale of production and infrastructure – key factors that would make Porsche’s synthetic fuel more accessible. The real question is, will Porsche come up with a solution before 2027 or will the next 911 GT3 be a lot less exciting? Whichever route Porsche chooses to take could also have some pretty massive implications on GT3 valuations across generations and suddenly the latest 992.2 could become the last ever GT3 to feature the naturally-aspirated flat-six, making it a lot more desirable and collectible, despite only receiving minor updates.