The idea that Porsche would offer a plug-in hybrid version of its next-generation 911 was an interesting (if divisive) one. But now an executive at the German automaker has confirmed that the project has been shelved.
August Achleitner, vice-president product line sports cars at Porsche, told Car and Driver that development of a plug-in 911 was halted as long ago as last year.
Achleitner told the US publication that while the hybrid 911 – which was expected to be part of the 992-generation range – would have positively aced Europe’s current emissions tests, it would have also come with a number of compromises.
“In the end, the disadvantages outweighed the advantages,” Achleitner said.
As Car and Driver points out, a plug-in hybrid model would likely have been significantly heavier than a standard 911, which would have compromised its dynamic talents no end. In addition, it would also have been far more expensive to produce, eating into the Volkswagen Group automaker’s profit margins.
