LA MOTOR SHOW: Porsche confirms 911 hybrid!

No more debate, the Porsche 911 plug-in hybrid is go!

The executive board chairman of the iconic sports car company, Oliver Blume, today confirmed a plug-in petrol-electric boxer-turbo will definitely be part of the 911 range within years of the launch of the eighth-generation 992 line-up in 2018.

Speaking to motoring.com.au at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Blume forecast a 50km/h electric-only range for the model and that it would be among the performance leaders in the 911 line-up, just as the S E-Hybrid plug-in has become for the Panamera saloon and is soon to become in the Cayenne SUV.

“Next year we will come with a new 911 and our platform permits to introduce plug-in hybrid,” Blume said. “But in the first step we won’t do it, we will do it a bit later.

“We wait for the next battery generation to do it very sporty when we do it. We haven’t decided yet which year it will come after the presentation next year and if it is 2020 or 2021 we haven’t yet decided.

“It depends on the evolution of the batteries.”

Asked if the plug-in hybrid would sit at the very top of the 911 range, even eclipsing the monstrous GT2 RS, Blume prevaricated.

“Different cars,” he said. “Our strategy for the future is to continue with combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and e-mobility and combine it, and especially with the 911 we will continue with the turbo engines that’s clear.

“We will have a GT2 RS, we will have a GT3. But which level we go with the hybrid isn’t decided yet, but it has to be a very sporty one.”

The Panamera PHEV currently hits the 50km EV range target, but better smaller, better performing batteries will be needed before the 911 can do that, Blume explained.

“It has to be a very compact one and very powerful and therefore we are waiting for the next generation,” he said. “For the Panamera and the Cayenne it’s enough because we are going for 50km full electric, and here with less space we need a more powerful battery.”

Blume made it clear once that new battery tech arrived, the range of Panamera and Cayenne would benefit as well.

“I think when you talk about a plug-in hybrid, the future perspective is up to 50km [for the 911 hybrid], and for the bigger cars we think 70km might be the right combination.”

Blume also confirmed the 911 hybrid would come before a petrol-electric Boxster/Cayman, which he indicated wouldn’t happen until the next platform update for the mid-engined models.

“We work on the next generation of the Boxster and think what car should it be?” Blume said. “For my point of view I think because of the space in the car we will bring the 911 first and then see what happens with the Boxster. It depends on our cycle plans.”

A hybrid 911 has been the subject of media speculation for years, but

However Blume made it clear the decision had been made to press on with a 911 hybrid and explained why.

“I think it is our responsibility for sustainability on the one hand, but on the other hand we think electro-mobility fits perfectly to Porsche.

“We carry over a lot from motorsport; we won the last three 24 hours of Le Mans with the plug-in hybrid and with our experience is very typical Porsche to carry over now to the Panamera and the Cayenne and later into other sports cars.”

Going hybrid will be another massive jolt for 911 purists who have watched the rear-engined two-door evolve from air-cooling to water-cooling and turbocharging, as well as swapping from hydraulic to electric-assist power steering.

But Blume is confident they will come along for the ride, citing the all-electric Mission E as an example of the sort of exciting performance cars Porsche will continue build in this new era.

“I think we will start with the Mission E and then we will see what our customers think,” he said.

“We already had the opportunity to drive the Mission E and all our petrol-heads are fascinated by the Mission E because it is so dynamic and it’s a real Porsche.

“Everything we do in future with electro-mobility will be a real Porsche.”

Automotive News reports Porsche is investing more than 1 billion euros ($A1.56b) on rolling out the Mission E, in 2019. It's also considering following up with a battery-powered version of its best-selling Macan compact SUV.

Volkswagen's most profitable brand will invest significantly more than 3 billion euros ($A4.69 billion) in plug-in hybrids and purely electric vehicles over the next five years.