Porsche has been spotted testing a prototype for a member of its updated 911 range, and it looks like it might be for a new grade rather than an update of an existing one.
The automaker this week took the covers off the first members of its updated 911 range, which marked the iconic sports car's adoption of hybrid technology, for now limited to the GTS grades.
They start sales later this year as 2025 models, and include the Carrera, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4 GTS, and Targa 4 GTS grades.
Others are still out testing and will be launched over the coming year. One of them is the updated Turbo S, another grade that is expected to adopt hybrid technology.
2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S Touring spy shots - Photo credit: Baldauf
The latest prototype may look like earlier test vehicles for the updated Turbo S, but there are clues that point to it being for a new grade. The missing fixed rear wing is the most obvious sign, but there's also a set of covers for the intakes in the rear fenders.
It's possible we're looking at a potential Turbo S Touring grade similar to the limited-edition 911 Sport Classic offered for 2023. The Sport Classic also skipped the fixed rear wing and side intakes, though it also picked up a ducktail spoiler and a recess in the roof. The Touring name isn't certain for this new grade but comes from the GT3 Touring variant, which is based on the GT3 but also skips the rear wing.
The Sport Classic also came with a 7-speed manual and rear-wheel drive, two features that aren't offered on the Turbo S. Rumors are circulating that the Turbo S Touring spied here may also have rear-wheel drive.
2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic
A manual is unlikely as the yellow stickers on the prototype point to it packing the same hybrid powertrain destined for the updated Turbo S. Porsche's hybrid powertrain for the 911 integrates an electric motor with the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission found in the 992-generation 911. The electric motor is used to aid the engine and recover energy under braking. The powertrain also uses an electric compressor in the turbocharging system to add boost pressure at low rpm and reduce turbo lag. The electric compressor can also recover energy from the exhaust.
The current Turbo S generates 640 hp from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-6 engine, though the Sport Classic version only had 572 hp to compensate for the loss of traction from driving only the rear wheels. More power should be planned for the new hybrid powertrain.
Porsche has confirmed that the current Turbo and Turbo S carry over unchanged for 2025. This means the updated versions will likely arrive for the 2026 model year, which points to a debut sometime next year. That's likely also when this new Turbo S Touring will debut.
