Speculative

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Porsche 911 is now in its eighth generation and with the introduction of the GTS, GT3, and more recent Carrera T, we can say that the rollout of the Dot 2 models is well underway. With every subsequent generation, you’ll find the Porsche has continued to evolve the 911 lineup to include a vast number of trims ensuring there’s every flavor of 911 available for a wide demographic. In the 991 generation, for example, you had 35 different variations of the 911, and don’t even get me started on the body styles. Anyway, some of the most stand-out or well-known trims include the likes of the Carrera, Turbo, and GT models. The Turbo nameplate celebrates 50 years in 2024, while the GT3 celebrates 25. So quite a momentous year for Porsche then.

Porsche has been churning out facelifted 911s this year faster than you can say “mid-life crisis.” This year, we’ve already seen the base 992.2 Carrera, the mental GTS, the stripped-down T, and even the track-focused GT3. But the real storm’s brewing on the horizon and the one that I’m most excited about is the Turbo lineup. Now, thanks to a leak on Porsche’s own configurator from its German site (talk about a spy’s paradise!), we’ve got a glimpse of the upcoming Turbo for the first time. It’s not much, just a rear-end shot from a video showcasing the cruise control system, but it is enough to get the rumor mill churning once again.

Porsche has made it clear: we won’t see a fully electric 911 before the end of the decade. Honestly, I’m not surprised, given an overall slower market adoption of EVs and Porsche itself backtracking on its previous goals, which were previously set to achieve 80 percent electrification by the end of the decade. In the meantime, they’re pivoting towards hybrids across its model lineup, including on its 911, with the hybrid Carrera GTS already hitting the market. The T-Hybrid system on the 911 Carrera GTS of course is a system that focuses on performance, rather than Porsche’s plug-in E-Hybrid system that is all about efficiency. Next year, we can expect the 992.2 Turbo models to join the hybrid fray.

The wait is finally over! We’ve been poring over those blurry spy shots for months now, speculating on the finer points of the new 992.2 Porsche 911 GT3. But the guessing game is officially done. Mark your calendars for October 18th, because that’s when Porsche throws the digital confetti and unveils the next chapter of the brand’s naturally-aspirated story in all its glory.

Born from Porsche’s shattered F1 dreams, the Carrera GT is considered one of the last truly analog supercars of the early 2000s and when I say analog, I genuinely do mean it. This thing had traction control and ABS, and that’s it. No fancy stability control to save you from your own stupidity.