When Porsche announces a new 911, the car world pays attention. Why? Because it’s the benchmark – the sports car yardstick from which all others are compared, if you will. It might not be the loudest or the flashiest, but it’s the sharpest, the smartest, and definitely the most usable.
When Porsche invites you to the launch of a new 911, on track at Phillip Island, you clear the diary. And that’s exactly what I did for F1 week in Melbourne. Over the course of three days, I got acquainted with the freshly updated, 911 992.2 generation – specifically the Carrera T, Carrera GTS, and Carrera 4 GTS – featuring the T-Hybrid power unit that broke the internet when it was first announced.
If you harbour any negative assumptions about said hybrid 911: fear not, my air-cooled coterie. For this generation is nothing more than a moon leap in efficient and instantaneous power delivery. Bring on the T-Hybrid era!
So what’s the story behind the new 911 992.2?
This is the mid-cycle refresh of the current Porsche 911 generation, the 992, which I first drove at the local launch at The Bend in 2019. Visually, it’s a subtle evolution: new bumpers and aero, new exhaust placement, revised lighting front and rear, as well as a new digital cluster.
The headline, however, lies under the skin.
There’s quite a bit to break down regarding the 992.2 range and powertrains, so bear with me. Porsche has announced a Carrera, Carrera T and Carrera S (rear wheel), along with a Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS (all-wheel) – all of which can be spec’d as a cabriolet.
The Carrera, Carrera T, and Carrera S retain the 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbo powerplant but introduce turbos from the old GTS (reportedly more efficient) for a little extra power, paired to some larger standard brakes. We didn’t drive the Carrera S, and no word yet on when Carrera 4 and 4S will arrive, or Targa 4 GTS.
The GTS now gets a new hybridised drivetrain, making it the first series-production 911 to (sort of) go electric. Porsche calls it the T-Hybrid – a performance-first system with an electric motor integrated into the gearbox and a small battery that helps fill torque gaps, reduce lag, and sharpen throttle response.
Let’s get one thing straight: it is not an EV and does not have an EV-only mode. It’s an internal combustion sports car with hybrid tech to deliver you a thunderous shove, where and when you require it.
Who’s the buyer?
Someone who’s either been dreaming about a 911 for years and is finally ready to pull the trigger; also loyalists trading up from 997, 991 or early 992.
The Carrera and manual-only Carrera T both still present as your accessible dream car – something you can drive daily and have a crack in during weekends – while the GTS is for those who want near-GT3 levels of sharpness without the track-day commitment.
It’s still a car for people who love driving. The hybrid system hasn’t changed that. If anything, it’s made it even better.
First impressions?
I didn’t drive the standard Carrera, but I did get time behind the wheel of the Carrera T – both on road and track.
While it shares the same engine, the key difference is that the T is manual-only, so I didn’t get to sample the updated turbo setup with the PDK. Compared to previous Carrera T cars – which I’ve driven a few times – the power bump isn’t hugely noticeable with the manual.
How it feels with the PDK, I can’t say. What I can say is that the manual remains an absolute treat – beautifully weighted, tight, and as satisfying as ever. Plus, three pedals at the track is just unbeatable.
Step into the GTS, though – which swaps the twin-turbo setup for a 3.6-litre flat-six with a single electronic turbocharger – and everything changes. The new T-Hybrid system uses an electric motor integrated into the turbo to spin it instantly, wiping out lag and delivering throttle response that feels naturally aspirated.
But that’s only half the story. Inside the eight-speed PDK is a second electric motor – a compact, permanently excited synchronous unit – which adds up to 40kW and 150Nm of torque from idle. It doesn’t power the car on its own, but it fills in torque gaps and smooths out the delivery, making the GTS feel sharper and more alive. Especially when you’re accelerating from low speeds.
The whole system runs on a small 1.9kWh battery, recharged not through braking like a traditional hybrid, but via energy recuperation from the electric turbo. There’s no plug-in capability, no EV mode, and no heavy battery packs – just a clever, lightweight performance boost.
And the result?
It’s demonstrably quicker – so much so that the twin-turbo cars feel, dare I say it, sluggish. I found myself in the same Cartagena Yellow Carrera 4 GTS (above with $10,200 Aero Kit ), which is 992 GT3-quick through the corners, particularly the tighter ones, though less frantic. The hybrid torque fill eradicates lag entirely, throttle response is razor-sharp, and acceleration is relentless.
The steering… still Porsche-perfect.
Give us the top lines on performance and/or efficiency/range.
Let’s talk numbers.
The GTS now makes 398kW (up to 357kW from engine and 40kW of electric boost from hybrid system) and 610Nm (up to 570Nm from engine, 150Nm from electric motors); it’s rated for 0-100km/h in 3.0 seconds flat. That’s 0.4 of a second quicker than the outgoing GTS to 100km/h and only 0.2 of a second slower than the Turbo.
The numbers are easy to gloss over, but the difference IRL is staggering. We drag raced the new GTS against the old on the Phillip Island straight – both using launch control – and the T-Hybrid car obliterated the old one.
The new (old) turbos give the new generation non-hybrid cars a 7kW increase, now producing 290kW and 450Nm. As I said, it’s barely noticeable, which should induce a sigh of relief to existing 992 owners.
As for fuel economy, I don’t think I shifted once before the redline in the Carrera T, and honestly… who cares. Reminder, the hybrid helps performance, not efficiency, so don’t think you’re winning at the pump even though you have a hybrid number plate.
Tech & connectivity – what’s the word?
Inside, the 992.2 brings a more modernised cabin, with a fully digital and customisable 12.6-inch curved screen/instrument cluster replacing the traditional five-dial layout – a big move for Porsche purists.
There’s also an updated infotainment system with native app support and the UI actually feels 2025. With subtle tweaks to the trim and switchgear the cabin is cleaner, more intuitive, and still unmistakably Porsche.
While I do love the new steering wheel borrowed from the 992 GT3, which has the drive mode selection built in, I was sad to see the key-like ignition starter has been replaced with a plain button. I enjoyed the twist to start and it’s lost a bit of ceremony and character with the button.
And the lowdown on safety?
You could argue that most of the safety is mechanical.
It’s got massive brakes, endless grip, and enough engineering to make even sketchy moments feel manageable. But, you get all the usual passive and active safety gear as well: there’s lane change assist, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking as standard, along with a surround-view camera with park assist, as well as tyre pressure monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and a suite of airbags (front, side, curtain protection).
Optional extras like adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist will cost $1,190;, Night View assist $5,370, and HD Matrix LED headlights with adaptive beam are priced at $6,240 and round out a safety package that feels quietly confident – much like the car itself.
Oh, a front axle lift kit will also cost $4,950 (it’s worth ticking).
The most memorable – or heartbreaking – thing about your drive?
Any track day is a great day, and Phillip Island in a new Porsche 911 is about as good as it will ever get.
Turns 3-8 really showcase what the T-Hybrid GTS is capable of. You come through Stoner like a bat out of hell, hard on the brakes before tipping into the Honda hairpin, squeeze the throttle, and let it run wide before setting up for Siberia. You turn in, trying not to get greedy on the throttle too early, then hammer through Turn 7 to line up for Hayshed. It’s intoxicating.
Every time I ride the curb at Hayshed and feel the car squirm ever so slightly – that little dance on the edge – I’m reminded that I’m a total novice taking a deceptively gentle right-hander at frankly ridiculous speed. There’s a surreal moment where the car, the corner, and your courage all blur into one. The GTS is a total flirt, flattering you just enough for you to believe your ability is actually a part of the magic.
And certainly not heartbreaking, but the bucket seats ($11,250) are built for speed, not comfort. They’re a chore to get in and out of. You wouldn’t have them in anything except the GTS, and even if you’re tracking the car frequently, you’d struggle to justify the choice on your first two-hour drive.
The 18-way adaptive sports seats are half the price at $5,910, and thrice as enjoyable.
One thing you should know before a test drive.
The GTS doesn’t feel “hybrid” in the traditional sense.
There’s no whirring, no battery readouts, no EV button. If no one told you it had electric assistance, you might not even notice – until you realise how freakishly fast and linear the power delivery is.
A couple more things to note: there is no manual for the T-Hybrid system, just PDK, due to the electric motor within. Porsche said they would consider developing if there was enough demand. So if you have a GTS but need a manual, you can skip the upgrade. But! If you drive it, you’ll likely want the upgrade. If you’ve got a base Carrera or Carrera T, I’d keep it until the next entirely new generation arrives.
Tell ‘em the price, son!
Pricing for the updated 992.2 starts at $280,500 before on-road costs for the base model Carrera, which is a small increase of $2,700 from the previous generation. The GTS jumps up to $381,100 before on-road costs, a hefty $27,500 jump on the previous iteration, while the Carrera 4 GTS eclipses $400,000 (only by $200, but still). However, it does come with a new T-Hybrid system.
The GTS is undeniably a serious chunk of change, but when you consider the level of performance (and engineering innovation) you get, the timeless shape, in addition to how well 911s hold their value… it’s a small price to pay for end-game driving enjoyment.
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