Future cars

The Porsche 992.2 update changed a lot of things. For starters, we got the first production 911 to feature a hybrid powertrain. Then, there is the unusual order in which the 992.2 lineup is being released, starting with the base Carrera and mid-range Carrera GTS back in May last year, followed by the GT3 models and the Carrera T in October. We know the Porsche 992.2 lineup will be complete by 2026, and the latest model to join the lineup is the 992.2 Carrera S. Going back all the way to the 997 Carrera S, which first hit the scene in ’05, the ’S’ in Carrera S stands for ’Sport’. There had been a lot of speculation about what is considered the most popular 911 trim. However, the main questions about the 992.2 Carrera S revolved around whether or not it will be a hybrid and thankfully, that is not the case. With that said, I took it upon myself to scout the web and see what people were looking for in this latest Carrera S and how much of it lined up with my predictions. Here’s what I found.

While the sales of EVs have experienced a slowdown in recent times, automakers continue to develop products until the market catches up. In the meantime, I’m curious to see how a brand like Porsche adopts to these challenges particularly when its facing competition not just in China (they shut nearly 29% of dealerships in 2024), but also in key markets like the United States and also in its home turf, once again from a looming threat of Chinese EVs.

Porsche is continuing with the gradual electrification of its lineup, albeit at a slower pace. The fate of the Porsche 718 is one of the more controversial aspects of the German automaker’s EV strategy. While declining EV sales have caused Porsche to backtrack on its electrification efforts, a fully electric 718 is still happening. However, the EV variant of the celebrated mid-engine sports car will be delayed due to battery issues. This prompted Porsche to keep the ICE-powered 718 for a while longer, although not in all markets. It seems the same thing that happened to with the Macan EV is happening with the 718 EV. The Macan EV was also delayed due to battery issues and it seems the theme continues after the model’s launch. Are we seeing the same thing with the Porsche 718 EV? Below, we are looking at some facts as well as what we know about Porsche’s battery issues and how it could affect the production model and launch date.

So here we are again with yet another leak of the 992.2 Turbo. This time, it’s a schematic from an instruction booklet. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know we’ve already uncovered a few juicy details from Porsche’s own configurator a while back, but this latest discovery sheds a bit more light on what Porsche has been quietly cooking up for the 992.2 Turbo, that is soon set to take the hybrid route. Now, I’ll admit, that the hybridization of the Turbo is a rather divisive turn of events. It’s not the sort of thing that will get everyone clapping politely. But regardless, let’s delve into what we actually know.

While EV hypercars haven’t exactly lit the market on fire (I’m looking at you Rimac Nevera), EV sports cars might just be the category to watch out for. Think about it, Porsche is grappling with supply chain issues for its upcoming 718 EV, and the 911 EV is still some time away. Meanwhile, Tesla’s Roadster seems like a distant dream at this point. But China? China is eating everyone’s lunch. Now, I’ve ridiculed some of their past creations for being copycats but having driven a Chinese EV myself I have to admit, that the Asian giant has come a long way not just in terms of coming up with some truly unique and original products, but also in terms of innovating across all verticals of its domestic auto market.

Oliver Blume, Porsche’s Chairman of the Executive Board, is one of the few automotive leaders who isn’t afraid to make bold moves in a rapidly changing industry. In an insightful interview with Porsche’s Christophorus magazine, Blume pulled no punches about Porsche’s strategy for the future. The key takeaways? Porsche is doubling down on electrification, staying flexible with drivetrains, and betting on synthetic fuels to ease the transition to electric mobility. Here’s why this strategy may either make or break the brand in the coming decade.

It appears that there’s a storm brewing in Zuffenhausen, and it’s all about Porsche’s next big move into electrification. Now I can’t speak for all Porschephiles, but given the number of spy shots we’ve seen over the past year, I’m sure that a small group is at least curious to learn more about the upcoming all-electric 718 Boxster and Cayman, Originally slated for a 2025 debut, this electrified replacement for Porsche’s entry-level sports car was supposed to signal a bold new chapter for the German brand. But now, that dream seems to be sputtering, mired in delays, supplier woes, and engineering headaches. According to a recent report from the German publication, Automobilwoche, the electric 718’s production timeline is in jeopardy. That’s a big deal because Porsche had been betting on this car to seamlessly replace the outgoing combustion-powered model, which is scheduled to go out of production in October 2025 due to EU cybersecurity regulations. If the EV version doesn’t land on time, Porsche could find itself without an entry-level sports car for the first time in decades. So the question isn’t just whether the electric 718 will make it on time, but it’s whether Porsche can even deliver the magic that made its predecessors icons in the first place.

Porsche is slowly completing the 992.2 lineup. Every couple of months, the German sports carmaker unveils at least one new variant of the latest Porsche 911. At the time of writing this, the Porsche 992.2 lineup comprises the Carrera, Carrera T, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4 GTS, GT3, and GT3 Touring. We know the GT3 RS is going to make its appearance by 2026, but what about the range-topping 911? For decades, the GT2 RS has been the range-topping swan-song model for every Porsche 911.

One by one, the 992.2 lineup is being rolled out. This generation marks huge changes for Porsche’s iconic sports car as it brought us the first 911 powered by a hybrid powertrain. While the 911 won’t go fully electric anytime soon (if ever), some of the more high-performance 911 variants will not live on without experiencing big changes. When it comes to normally aspirated Porsche 911s, the GT3 RS sits at the top of the food chain as the most track-focused model of the bunch.

Every modern Porsche 911 model, since the 996, i.e. the water-cooled era has gone through two iterations within its lifespan. These updates, signified by a decimal point and a subsequent number often address previous shortcomings or introduce new features, which are more often than not based on customer feedback. For Porsche enthusiasts in particular, .1 versus .2 can be a game-changer, impacting everything from performance to reliability, ultimately affecting the car’s value. Dot 2 models in general tend to hold their value better. This model is of particular importance because it is the first production 911 to embrace electrification. The rollout of the dot 2 models for the (latest 992) eight-generation 911 began in May this year. Apart from the updates that we’ve seen on the models unveiled so far, I’ve also listed a tentative launch timeline for upcoming models in the 992.2 series.

Ever since the 992.2 update began rolling out in May this year, and gave us the first hybrid Porsche 911, we wondered what this would mean for the other variants of the rear-engine sports car. The Porsche 911 prides itself on a few things: "revolution, not evolution", being one of the most usable high-performance vehicles, and being one of the most mass-produced sports cars. That said, the 911 is still not a mass-produced vehicle compared to, let’s say the Macan.

With 2025 around the corner, Porsche finds itself in a bit of a pickle. Their lofty plan of 80% of sales to come from EVs by 2030 seemed a tad bit too ambitious. The lukewarm reception to electric vehicles, particularly in key markets like the U.S. and parts of Asia has forced a re-evaluation of strategy at Stuttgart. I mean just look at sales of the all-electric Taycan sedan for example, which still isn’t seeing much demand even after the recent 2024 facelift. Also, things like range anxiety, charging infrastructure woes, and the lack of soul in many EVs have conspired to dampen the enthusiasm amongst the wider public. While I applaud Porsche’s initial goals, it’s clear that the EV market isn’t quite ready to fully embrace the electric future.

Catering solely to car enthusiasts may seem like the best way for a company to go bankrupt unless you are Porsche that is. The German carmaker has realized people still want gasoline-powered models and the declining demand for EVs has inadvertently forced Porsche to make some strategic changes and adjustments, that have been widely welcomed by some of the brand’s biggest fans. By now, everybody has heard of how many automakers originally planned to electrify most of their lineup by 2030, with some even planning a full transition to EVs. Porsche meanwhile has now taken a slightly more flexible stance due to a slowdown in demand for electric cars, and it appears that we will continue to get some interesting ICE-powered models. However, this may come with a few sacrifices, as you’re about to find out.

Between trying to stick to the 2030 electrification plans and keeping the internal combustion engine alive, Porsche has made some weird decisions of late. EV demand has decreased, prompting a few strategy changes from the German automaker. The all-electric Taycan in particular was affected by this market shift, as the performance EV went from being one of the most popular Porsche models to now suffering declining sales. Global Taycan sales have dropped by almost 50 percent during the first nine months of 2024 and this makes me draw parallels with another Porsche model from the 1980s that started out strong but ended up being axed due to slow sales. The 928 suffered a similar fate during the second half of its production cycle. Porsche had big plans for the 928 and its derivatives, which never saw production. All this begs the question: is the writing on the wall for the Porsche Taycan EV? There is more to suggest that this is the case and I am going to share all we know so far.