Speculative - page 24

Let’s face it, the standard Porsche 992 GT3 RS is already a track monster. It’s a car that thrives on pushing limits, begging to be unleashed on the world’s most demanding circuits and race tracks. But for some drivers, "enough" is never enough. Enter the 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 RS MR, an extreme machine set to be unleashed by the combined might of Porsche and their long-time racing partner, Manthey Racing. I’ve been following the development of this car closely for a while now, and am absolutely blown away by the sheer amount of engineering that’s gone into it. Not too long ago, an un-camouflaged white prototype was spotted at the Nordschleife, giving us an up-close look at the possible performance upgrades that Manthey is cooking up. Based on what I’ve seen in the spy shots from CarSpyMedia, I wanted to highlight some of the features of this performance racing kit.

When you think Porsche, off-roaders are perhaps the last thing that comes to mind. But the German brand does have a rally-bred pedigree if we look back to the 911 and 959 Dakars from the 1980s. While purists may still scoff at their SUVs, models like the Cayenne and Macan which are household names today, were vital to Porsche’s survival. In fact, it is these very cash cows that have made cars like the iconic Carrera GT and 918 Spyder possible.

Despite Porsche making one of the most iconic sports cars of all time – the 911 – the German automaker was in financial trouble for much of its existence. It was only after the 986 Boxster and the Cayenne SUV in 2003, that Porsche managed to stave off the threat of bankruptcy. Of course, the acquisition by Volkswagen helped, and because Porsche’s lineup is a lot more diverse, for better or worse. Four-door models like the Taycan and Panamera are selling well, despite the Panamera’s recent sales drop by 25 percent.

Despite its work on e-fuels, Porsche is firmly stepping into the electrification game. The German carmaker is best known for its 911 sports car, which for 2025 became a hybrid. Porsche is adamant that the iconic, rear-engine model will be the last to go fully electric. Meanwhile, models like the Macan and Cayenne are getting a full range of fully electric variants, with the 718 joining the EV bandwagon, in 2025. There is an obvious trend in the automotive industry, where with each new generation, the cars become bigger, heavier, and more burdened with tech.

Like several other automakers, Porsche has a notable hierarchy in its model lineup. Sadly, this means that some platforms will never achieve their full potential unless independent specialists work their magic on them. Such is the case with Porsche’s entry-level performance model – the Cayman/Boxster. The fixed-head, coupe version of the Porsche Boxster is sometimes regarded as the brand’s best sports car. This is due to the mid-engine layout, which is considered superior to the 911’s rear-engine setup. That said, tradition dictates that the 911 remains the top dog in the Porsche lineup. While even the more mainstream Porsche models like the Cayenne and Panamera, feature a Turbo variant, the 718 range tops out with the GT4 RS, and the Spyder RS. So, why is it that Porsche in all its wisdom and rich motorsport heritage, decided to forgo an opportunity to create a Turbo 718? Let’s find out.

Remember that Top Gear test from 2008 where Jeremy Clarkson compared a Lotus Elise to the OG Tesla Roadster? Yes, the same one that led Elon Musk to sue Clarkson. Well, it appears to be coming full circle for the Elise, because we’ve got our first hint of the mysterious Lotus Theory 1, the rumored all-electric Elise, how ironic. This is a car that could shape up to be a formidable rival to the upcoming Porsche 718 EV. Lotus’ marketing chief, Qiao Xinyu, dropped a shadowy image of the Theory 1’s rear end. Sure, while the image doesn’t really reveal much, that prominent wing hovering over a sculpted rear-end, the sleek taillights flanking the classic Lotus badge, and the aggressive diffuser all but shout "sports car." But this electric silhouette throws a bit of a curveball. While the Eletre and Emeya have their sporty bits, that rear end wouldn’t be caught dead lumbering on an SUV or a four-door.

If you’ve been keeping tabs and following the story on the upcoming all-electric Boxster, by this point, you’ve already seen extensive coverage of camouflaged prototypes on tests. They’ve been spotted across a number of locations from the Nürburging in Germany, and winter weather runs up in the Arctic circle to more recently, the streets of San Fransisco. But have you ever wondered what lies under the heavy cladding of the 718 EV? Well, a rendering based on the spy shots we’ve seen so far, could be a great way to decipher these details and that’s exactly what we have here.

There is an obvious pattern when it comes to Porsche introducing its new 911 variants. There is a version of the rear-engine sports car for everyone, but when a new 911 comes out, we don’t get all variants at once. Things are not much different for the 992.2 update, although there is one big difference. For 2025, we got the first Porsche 911, powered by a hybrid powertrain, and this changes a few things in the Porsche 992.2 lineup. Models that are typically offered from the start will now take longer to arrive, and this includes the best-selling 911 variant – the Carrera S. This has everything to do with Porsche’s hybrid 911 variants, which sometime in the next two years, will be joined by the first hybrid Porsche 911 Turbo. Despite working on keeping the internal combustion engine alive for as long as possible, Porsche is really pushing the hybrid 911 agenda, and here’s what this means for the next-generation 992.2 Carrera S.

Spy shots of the upcoming all-electric 718 Porsche Boxster EV (983) are nothing around, and we’ve seen test mules doing the rounds around the Nordschleife and down in the Alps for a while now. However, with the launch date closing in, I felt now would be a good time to take a closer look and do a run-down about everything that we can see on the car, with the help of some close-up shots from Instagrammar and spy shot photographer: Stéphan Barral.

If you’ve been following what’s happening in the world of Porsche sports cars, you probably already know that from 2025, the mid-engine 718 is going fully electric. While Porsche is doing a lot to ensure the internal combustion engine remains in service for as long as possible, the brand also has goals to electrify 60 percent of its lineup, by 2030. While this may not turn out as the company initially anticipated, the next-generation Porsche Cayman/ Boxster will feature a fully electric powertrain. The thought of a fully electric Porsche sports car is detested by many Porsche purists.

Like it or not, electrification is coming and Porsche like every other automaker out there, will need to adopt. But despite its expanding electric model lineup, (think electric Macan and the upcoming Cayman/Boxster EV and Panamera EV), the brand recently backtracked on its over-optimistic electric vehicle sales targets, and it appears that Porsche is once again committed to internal combustion engines for the foreseeable future. The Cayenne, for example, is expected to retain an internal combustion option until at least 2030. As for the 911, the T-Hybrid system introduced on the 992.2 Carrera 4 GTS, combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor and seems like a strategic move to extend the life of internal combustion engines for Porsche. But to me, it appears to be an excuse to delay the 911 EV. We all know that it will be the last model in Porsche’s lineup to go fully electric. Having said that, here’s why a compact 911, could serve as the base for both a smaller displacement combustion engine and an all-electric powertrain.

Two of the hottest hybrid sports cars right now are the all-new Lamborghini Temerario and the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, which launched back in late May. Both VW Group brands have been pushing the boundaries of performance thanks to clever electrification strategies, showcasing the best of internal combustion engines and electric powertrains. Hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly popular over fully electric vehicles and even traditional, internal-combustion-powered vehicles, meaning we will be seeing a lot more of them in the foreseeable future. That said, Porsche and Lamborghini have very different approaches to hybrid sports cars. Lamborghini goes for big power and multiple electric motors while Porsche seems to be keeping things more down to earth with its first production 911 hybrid. That said, we know a 992.2 Turbo S is coming, and it’ll undoubtedly be quicker than the 992.2 GTS. Lamborghini’s new hybrid Temerario and Porsche’s efforts in hybrid propulsion tell us a lot about the upcoming Turbo S, and here’s what we can expect.