Tag Archives: Porsche

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Porsche 911 Turbo S Goes Hybrid: A New Era for the 992.2

More than a year after Porsche launched the first wave of its 992.2-generation 911 models, the story of its iconic rear-engined sports car is far from over. The refreshed Carrera, Targa, GTS, and GT3 have already made their public debuts—but the next chapter is about to begin. During Porsche’s half-year earnings call, CEO Oliver Blume confirmed that the 911 Turbo S will be unveiled later this year, and yes, it’s going hybrid.

The shift to electrification has been hinted at for a while. Back in October 2024, then-CFO Lutz Meschke spilled the beans: the 992.2 Turbo S would feature a hybrid powertrain. Now, with Blume reiterating the news, it’s official. The new Turbo S will debut Porsche’s first hybridized 911 Turbo, powered in part by technology from V4Smart—the rebranded V4Drive GmbH—following Porsche’s acquisition of the company from the Varta AG Group.

This isn’t just a branding exercise. The 992.2 GTS already uses cylindrical V4Smart cells in its T-Hybrid system, and the upcoming Turbo S is expected to utilize a similar setup. The GTS features a modest 1.9-kWh battery pack, assembled in Ellwangen and Nördlingen, where Porsche plans to grow its EV-related workforce to 375 employees by year’s end. That expansion signals bigger ambitions—both literally and figuratively—for hybrid power in Porsche’s flagship lineup.

What remains under wraps are the exact specs, but we can safely assume the new Turbo S will be even quicker than its predecessor. The 992.1 Turbo S already packed a serious punch: 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six. The hybridized version could push those numbers further, although it will likely come with a weight penalty. The GTS gained 103 pounds in U.S. spec due to its hybrid hardware, and the Turbo S may see a similar increase unless Porsche engineers pull off some clever weight-saving tricks.

Performance, of course, remains the brand’s north star. Blume confirmed Porsche is working on “new derivatives” of the 911 and is investing heavily to make them “a bit quicker” than anything in the 992.1 family. That likely includes the long-rumored GT2 RS, which has traditionally capped the 911 range late in its lifecycle. Rumors suggest this ultimate track weapon may also go hybrid—but for now, that remains speculative.

Meanwhile, Porsche’s two-door sports car portfolio is undergoing a major transformation. Production of the mid-engine 718 Cayman and Boxster will end in October, making way for their electric successors. Interestingly, Porsche has reversed its rollout schedule: the electric Cayenne will debut first, hitting showrooms in 2026, with the 718 EVs to follow.

This shift marks the end of an era. Unlike the Macan, which is getting a gas-powered next-gen model in 2028, there’s no indication that internal combustion will return to the Boxster and Cayman lineup. The move to electric-only sports cars is a bold one, especially considering that engine character—even in the four-cylinder era—has been central to the 718’s charm. With electrification, the manual gearbox will also disappear, a sobering thought for purists.

Still, Porsche seems committed to balancing performance with progress. As the 911 Turbo S prepares to enter the hybrid age, it signals a pivotal moment—not just for Porsche, but for the entire sports car world.

Source: Porsche

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Porsche’s Next SUV Is All Gas—Here’s What We Know

Porsche may have bid farewell to the original Macan in Europe, but the brand isn’t quite done with internal combustion just yet. In a notable shift from its recent EV-forward strategy, the German automaker has confirmed that a brand-new gasoline-powered SUV is in the works, with a launch targeted for 2028.

A Forced Farewell to the First-Gen Macan

The discontinuation of the original Macan in Europe wasn’t a voluntary move. Stricter EU regulations—specifically the second phase of the General Safety Regulation (GSR2) that took effect in July 2024—meant the aging crossover no longer met compliance standards. Despite its enduring popularity, especially in Europe, Porsche was compelled to end sales across the continent. For now, the original Macan continues to be available in other global markets, but its production run is set to conclude in 2026.

The Macan name, however, isn’t going away entirely. It will live on exclusively as an electric model, with Porsche positioning the next-generation Macan EV as a cornerstone of its emissions-free future.

A New Player in the Same Segment

During the H1 2025 earnings call, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed that a new combustion-engine SUV will arrive by 2028. The yet-unnamed model will be sized similarly to the Macan but offer a distinct identity, both from the original Macan and the upcoming electric version.

Blume described the upcoming vehicle as a “very, very typical Porsche for this segment,” hinting at a driving character and design DNA that aligns closely with brand expectations, despite shifting market conditions. Importantly, this vehicle won’t just be a holdover for ICE fans—it’s being developed with urgency. Porsche is expediting development timelines in a bid to bring it to market quickly.

Platform Sharing with Audi: A Logical Shortcut

Although no technical specs have been confirmed, it’s widely expected that the new SUV will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC)—the same architecture underpinning the latest Audi Q5. This strategic alignment would echo Porsche’s earlier playbook; after all, the outgoing Macan shares its MLB platform with the previous-generation Q5.

The PPC architecture supports a range of powertrains, including four-cylinder gasoline engines, plug-in hybrids, and a potent V6 mild-hybrid found in the SQ5. While it’s uncertain if Porsche will mirror the Audi lineup directly, a diesel variant is almost certainly off the table. Porsche exited the diesel segment in 2018 in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal and has shown no signs of reversing that decision.

EV Reality Check

What makes this new ICE crossover especially interesting is the context in which it’s being developed. Initially, Porsche had no plans to offer a new combustion SUV. The electric Macan was expected to fill the void, anchoring the brand’s electric SUV portfolio alongside the Taycan and the upcoming electric Cayenne.

But EV adoption has been slower than Porsche projected. Consumer hesitation, infrastructure limitations, and rising development costs have all contributed to a recalibration of Zuffenhausen’s strategy. The company is now allocating part of its “significant additional expenditures” to gasoline and hybrid development—an admission that the EV-only play may have been premature.

What Comes Next?

While design details are still under wraps, Blume promised a “characteristic Porsche profile” for the new SUV. Its name remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: it won’t wear the Macan badge. That moniker is being reserved for Porsche’s electric SUV moving forward.

With a release date penciled in for 2028 and early development just now underway, we can expect to see camouflaged prototypes hitting the road in the coming year or two. Until then, enthusiasts can take comfort in knowing that Porsche’s combustion legacy isn’t over—it’s simply evolving.

Source: Porsche

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The Untold Story of Reinhard Schmidt’s Prototype Porsche

On a blustery day along the Dutch North Sea coast, where the gray skies lean heavy over narrow canals and wind howls through the historic town of Hoorn, a flash of Porcelain White brings time to a standstill. It’s not just any classic Porsche making its way down the Korenmarkt. It’s a car with a story so rare, so eccentric, that not even its current owner, Henk Spin, suspected its true identity when he bought it as a humble restoration project more than a decade ago.

Now, ten years and more than 3,000 painstaking hours later, Spin’s 1958 Porsche 356 A Coupé has been brought back to life — and not just restored, but resurrected in its exact original form. Except this wasn’t just any factory 356. This was a factory one-off, commissioned by a mysterious engineer with a fondness for experimentation and a direct line to Porsche: Reinhard Schmidt.

From Rust to Revelation

“When the car arrived from Arizona, it was in worse shape than I had imagined,” recalls Spin, a 65-year-old retired aviation industry manager with a passion for rallying and mechanical precision. “It needed everything — bodywork, mechanicals, electronics, upholstery. But something about it didn’t add up.”

Curiosity turned to obsession. In 2008, Spin made a pilgrimage to Porsche’s archives in Stuttgart, where a cryptic shorthand note on the original Reutter body documents would crack the case: “Reinhard Schmidt, Hannover.”

That name set the wheels of history in motion. Porsche archivists confirmed the discovery: Spin had stumbled upon one of just eight “Schmidt cars”, vehicles built at the factory in the 1950s and ’60s to the specifications of Schmidt — an ATE engineer with ties to both Volkswagen and Porsche. A man who didn’t just push boundaries, but politely asked Porsche to build him a prototype and signed the check.

What Makes a Schmidt Car?

This wasn’t just a Porsche with fancy trim. It was a testbed for innovation. The chassis number 102324 carried with it a laundry list of bespoke modifications that no standard model could dream of. Chief among them: a wireless in-car telephone system, a feat so advanced it warranted coverage in the August 1958 issue of Christophorus magazine. At the time, the system cost nearly half the price of the car itself.

But that was just the start. The dashboard bristled with special instrumentation: a Junghans clock from the 356 Carrera GT rally car, a Carrera speedometer, an electric wiper pump, and toggle switches where push-buttons would normally reside. Schmidt even specified reverse lights, trunk lighting, a rally spotlight, and a toolbox hidden beneath the passenger seat.

Outside, the Porcelain White paintwork gleams against a rare Acella Red interior, with white Nappa leather seats, red window trim, and beige knobs and steering wheel. It’s not a colorway — it’s a statement.

The Restoration Journey

The road back to originality wasn’t smooth. With body panels sourced from Porsche Classic and rare period-correct components hunted down from collectors, Spin worked like a historian with a toolbox. He relied on experts across Europe to restore everything from the engine to the smallest electrical fittings. He even recreated the distinctive 50-centimeter antenna for the Lorenz telephone system.

“It took nearly four years just to gather the body components,” Spin says. “After that, it was like assembling a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box.”

His workshop, nestled on the edge of town, is a shrine to Porsche: tools painted in classic Porsche red, walls lined with vintage racing posters, and nearly every issue of Christophorus ever printed. In front of the garage, a Macan and Cayman S keep the 356 company, while a 1972 911 T awaits its turn under Spin’s watchful eye.

The Legacy of Versuchswagen 145

Emblazoned with yellow plates marked “Versuchswagen 145” — Test Car 145 — the finished 356 isn’t just a car, it’s a rolling prototype from Porsche’s forgotten past. Many of its unique features predated their appearance in series production by years, making Schmidt’s vision almost clairvoyant.

“Schmidt’s cars were vehicles from the future,” Spin reflects. “And this one, in particular, was the blueprint for ideas that only became mainstream later.”

Now fully restored, the 356 A Coupé draws admiration everywhere it goes. Yet only a handful of enthusiasts, like Spin, understand just how special it really is.

A Reward Beyond Numbers

To some, restoring a one-off 1950s prototype for a decade might seem like an irrational indulgence. But for Spin, it’s something far deeper. “The joy of experiencing technical perfection — that’s not such a bad way to chase happiness,” he says, echoing the same sentiment expressed in that 1958 Christophorus article.

And perhaps that’s what makes this car so significant. It’s not just a machine. It’s a memory, a mystery solved, and a piece of Porsche history — rescued, revived, and returned to the road by one man’s passion and patience.

Source: Porsche