Next Porsche 911 GT2 RS To Have Hybrid Engine With Over 700 HP

The 992-generation Porsche 911 GT2 RS is set to once again take its place at the very top of the 911 lineup, and this time it'll do so with a 700-horsepower hybrid powertrain that should prime it for record-breaking lap times.

Over the last few months, the upper echelon of the 992 range has expanded with the track-focused 911 GT3 RS - which already set a new Nurburgring record for naturally aspirated cars - and the 911 Dakar, a Porsche coupe with genuine off-road capabilities.

The GT2 RS is closer in ethos to the GT3 RS, of course, but as reported by Autocar, it will adopt mild-hybrid technology from the 963 LMDh racer. It will be the most powerful and fastest 911 ever when it arrives in 2026.

Based on the 992-generation 911 Turbo, the 911 GT2 RS will use a 3.8-liter turbocharged flat-six engine - as opposed to the naturally aspirated mill in the GT3 RS - but boosted by an electric motor and mild-hybrid system that is "even more advanced" than what is used for the LMDh race car.

To save weight and retain a more compact layout, the GT2 RS is sticking to a mild-hybrid system - instead of the previously rumored plug-in hybrid system - and a 400V electric drivetrain instead of the 800V one coming for electrified versions of the 718 Cayman and Boxster. Sources indicate that the new GT2 RS will make "more than 700 hp" and that there will be a "significant" increase in torque." For some perspective, the older GT2 RS made 691 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque and could rocket its way to 60 mph in only 2.7 seconds.

On its own, the electric motor in the GT2 will make 184 lb-ft of torque. Whether a traditional manual gearbox can handle all that torque is doubtful, so we expect the brand's dual-clutch automatic to be used instead.

Despite the added electric componentry, Porsche wants to limit weight gain to no more than 220 pounds. It will achieve this by developing a new lightweight body bearing similarities to the Weissach Package that's available for the new GT3 RS.

This electrified drivetrain won't be unique to the GT2 RS, as it will eventually be detuned and made available in lesser 911s over time. As with the 919 Hybrid, electric energy will be generated under acceleration. Energy recuperation will be implemented for the battery, but it isn't explicitly clear how the underpinnings will be set up.

The GT2 RS could, however, mirror 911 Turbo hybrid prototypes with a gearbox-mounted electric motor and an air-cooled lithium-ion battery situated low and behind the front seats.

Interestingly, all-electric propulsion is possible for short distances, not something that is typically associated with mild hybrids. Then again, we don't know how far or fast the GT2 RS can go before the engine kicks in. Either way, the focus is on "performance enhancement with an absolute minimum increase in weight."

The old 911 GT2 RS already got close to $300,000, and the new hybrid one is estimated to cost over that mark, and possible a lot more with certain options.

While an all-electric 911 is unlikely to happen soon, this GT2 RS will give us a proper taste of how electrification will influence the character of the 911 in the years ahead.