Porsche 911 992.2

It seems that most automakers are making a profitable “side business”, based on a renewed demand for manual-transmission vehicles. Porsche does something similar as it is gradually phasing out the stick from most mainstream models, including the 911 and 718. Occasionally, the German carmaker gives us special-edition vehicles, equipped with a manual gearbox, and sells them for an obscene amount of money. Naturally, people buy them because it’s Porsche and they are bound to become collector cars.

The Porsche 911 is a sports car that needs no introduction. Featuring one of the most distinctive designs, the iconic model from Germany has been evolving for over 60 years. While the allure of even the base Porsche 911 Carrera is undeniable, the 992.2 generation still has a starting MSRP of $120,100. Many would be hesitant to part ways with such a hefty sum for a car, which begs the question: is there something that packs similar performance for less? The answer is yes. While there are multiple offerings out there, I am focusing on another iconic nameplate from the sports car world – one that comes from Japan.

The Porsche 992.2 GTS is a divisive machine, even by 911 standards. The GTS badge first appeared on the 997 generation and has since evolved to symbolize performance-focused refinement and it has long been touted as the sweet spot between Carrera usability and GT3 aggression. The 992.2 iteration brings a host of changes: The introduction of an all-new 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged (9A3B6) hybrid powertrain, Porsche has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Is it the future of performance motoring, or a betrayal of everything the GTS badge stands for? Let’s take an unvarnished look.

When you think ’German Sports Car’, the Porsche 911 and BMW M4 are most likely the models to come to mind. Typically, I would not put them in the same sentence together, but something interesting is happening with both. In the past, BMW almost always tried to desperately keep up with the Porsche 911, especially in its high-performance variants. Over the years, these efforts spawned cars like the BMW M3 CSL (E46) and BMW M3 GTS (E92). A less-known M-car is the M3 GTR (E46), which actually managed to beat Porsche in an area where it typically dominates – endurance racing. But things are different when it comes to road cars. Until now at least. Looking at the price and performance levels, the Porsche 992.2 Carrera may have finally found its match. I decided an unlikely comparison is in order to figure out if the BMW M4 CS really is good enough to dethrone what is, often, considered to be the ultimate sports car.

It was July 2024 when Chevy introduced its most extreme Corvette variant till now, the ZR1. Now, the ZR1 variants, before the C8 generation, had incorporated supercharged V8s. But this time around, Chevy went full-on with a bespoke engine shared with the track-focused Z06, and added two turbochargers! Yes, its 1,064 horsepower output is rather magnificent, especially when coming from an American mainstream carmaker.

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.

After what seems like an eternity, the highly anticipated 992.2 Carrera S is finally here. The Carrera S is one of the most popular 911 trims and each iteration since the 997 has built upon the last, and now for 2025, Porsche has made some significant improvements over the outgoing 992.1 model. Available as a coupe or cabriolet and sitting snugly in the lineup between the "entry-level" Carrera and the more performance-hungry hybridized GTS, is it just another variant, or does it genuinely carve out its own niche? I will say this: Porsche has taken what was already excellent and made it even better with a lot more standard equipment and more power. Now, while this new model may not be the most powerful 911 or the most radical departure, it has an understated brilliance that certainly deserves proper investigation, so here goes.

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.

I’ll be blunt: if you think Porsche parts are expensive; Bugatti’s headlight pricing will make you laugh or cry. A pair of used headlights for the ballistic Bugatti Chiron is currently being offered for 147,000 EUR ($174,000) on eBay in Germany. Yes, that’s roughly the price of a brand-new Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (992.2). It’s absurd, but this is Bugatti we’re talking about, where absurdity is the norm. The headlights featured in the listing belong to a Super Sport 300+ Pur Sport. Bugatti’s LED units make Porsche’s iconic four-point design which has been around since the gen-1 Panamera, almost look quaint.

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.

The 992.2-generation Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 Touring were officially unveiled a month ago. Both models are available on the Porsche configurator to spec as you see fit. If you are a track enthusiast then the 911 GT3 would be the logical choice, with its aggressive aero kit, providing plenty of downforce. But if you want the GT3’s legendary, normally-aspirated flat-six that revs to 9,000 RPM, without the crazy aero, the more civil GT3 Touring would be more your cup of tea.

Porsche sports cars are some of the first to come to mind when talking about engaging, driver-focused performance cars that offer that classic driving feel. Much of that comes from being able to row through the gears yourself through a third pedal and a stick. While most automakers are gradually phasing out the manual transmission, especially in high-performance models, Porsche will still sell you a brand-new car with an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal.

It’s a big year for the Porsche 911! Specifically, I’m talking about the 992.2 generation, the latest and greatest version of this iconic sports car. It all kicked off with the 911 GTS, featuring a cutting-edge hybrid powertrain and a classic gas-powered base Carrera. Then we got the naturally aspirated 911 GT3 and now, Porsche has dropped the new Carrera T.

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 finally took the wraps off its 992.2 GT3 and GT3 Touring on Friday, and after months of speculation and that teaser image from last Monday, the final reveal seemed a bit underwhelming. Sure, dot 2 models in the Porsche world, unlike an all-new generation, are more about refining the formula based on customer feedback, and thankfully we still have the 4.0-liter flat-six and a manual on offer, but for a GT car, I was expecting more specific details along the lines of aero and engine updates or Nurburgring lap times.