Porsche have now officially announced and launched the new Porsche T-Hybrid 911, which has been designated as the 992.2 in Porsche-speak, and in so is trying to continue their calculated evolution of the marque accompanied by the usual modest performance improvements and some pretty subtle upgrades to the styling.
There are few cars in the history of motoring that have been capable of reinventing themselves and staying true to the original concept as the Porsche 911. For more than fifty years Porsche have managed to update, adapt, tinker and generally finesse the original rear-engine architecture without diminishing or diluting its core being, its drivability or the ownership experience.
There are two main features that are brand new to the marque. These are the electronic assisted turbocharger and an ‘electrically-assisted-starter’ the bit that car like a Prius has to use to get you over the inertia hump. It is here where the fun sort of begins.
The 27kg battery has been placed up front and is claimed to provide even better weight distribution and in testing provided a performance enhancing edge over the out going 992 model around the Nürburgring—8.7 seconds faster in fact.
The new turbo has been developed by BorgWarner and features an energy recovery system, which is a clever way of harvesting electricity from the waste product also known as exhaust.
The system is quite like that one developed for use in the two-litre petrol-electric drive train deployed in the 919 race car. Porsche claim that this can deliver some 11kW of kinetic electricity which, along with the KERS braking system is capable of reducing the size of the battery to a minuscule 1.9kWh, about the size of a Double A then, and no need for an external charger, which is a good thing.
The performance will be blistering, of course. Engine capacity has been increased from 3.0 to 3.6 litre which will deliver an extra 60hp to peak at 543bhp and a 3 second 0-100kph time.
The car will be 50kg heavier and try as I might I couldn’t find any fuel economy figures but then again if you can afford the price tag of a new 911, I am guessing you can also afford the gas to go into it.
The price of the new Porsche T-Hybrid 911? Well, if you have to ask, you probably cannot afford it.
