The 2026 Porsche 911 First Look: The Most Powerful 911 Ever Goes Hybrid

My head jerks back as the hybridized 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S surges forward. Just moments earlier, Jörg Bergmeister—the Porsche test driver and sports car racing champion—had shifted drive modes in the Turbo S prototype, launching it toward the first corner of Porsche’s Weissach track.

With Porsche’s record-breaking Taycan Turbo GT, I’ve hurled friends and family toward the horizon with its seemingly endless electric thrust. It boasts over 1,000 hp—far more than the new 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S’s 701 hp—yet the 911 feels just as blisteringly quick.

So that’s what that’s like from the passenger seat.

How did Porsche do it?

All 911s Are the Same

Anyone who believes that clearly hasn’t checked the lineup recently. Porsche offers a dizzying array of options, letting enthusiasts feel like kids in a candy store.

Some models are RWD, others AWD, and engines range from naturally aspirated to turbocharged—or even hybridized. Each choice subtly changes the car’s personality.

Now, the flagship model takes the lead with hybrid technology.”

Astoundingly Fast

Thanks to standard AWD, the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S continues the performance legacy where the 911 GTS hybrid left off.

The 911 Turbo S tops out at 200 mph—impressive for any car, especially one that balances road-trip comfort with extreme performance. For the record, the previous Turbo S could hit 205 mph.

“The new 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S rockets from 0 to 60 in a jaw-dropping 2.4 seconds—two-tenths quicker than its predecessor and nearly matching the fastest Taycan Porsche offers.

‘Two and a half seconds [from 0 to 100 kph] is at the edge of what physics allows,’ jokes Michael Roesler, 911 model line director. He says that now, though it’s clear there’s likely more untapped potential before the 911 eventually goes fully electric.

That day might not come anytime soon. When asked if the Turbo S could become a plug-in hybrid like some Mercedes-AMGs, Roesler laughs and replies, ‘Is this a 911 or a lorry?’”

Curb Weight Goes the Wrong Direction

Adding a hybrid system inevitably adds weight, and the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S is no exception. Porsche estimates the coupe’s curb weight has risen by 180 pounds. While we’ll be the ultimate judge of how it drives, Porsche isn’t shying away from the conversation about added heft.

A prototype of the new 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S lapped the Nürburgring in 7:03.92—roughly 14 seconds faster than its predecessor. Bergmeister notes that the car feels more agile than before.

Though today’s experience is limited to the passenger seat, we’ll be evaluating both performance and driver engagement when we get behind the wheel of the production model—no small feat, but extremely rewarding when achieved. With decades of testing sports cars under our belt, MotorTrend knows the 911 consistently ranks among the most excellent.

For now, we’ll give Porsche’s engineers the benefit of the doubt on both handling and sound—U.S.-spec models may actually be louder than the European prototype we sampled.

How Porsche Boosted Performance

Enhancing the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S isn’t just about adding a hybrid system—but that’s a good place to start. The new model delivers 701 hp, an increase of 61 hp over the outgoing Turbo S, peaking between 6,500 and 7,000 rpm. Maximum torque remains 590 lb-ft, available from 2,300 to 6,000 rpm.

While the torque number hasn’t changed, the real difference comes from the responsiveness enabled by hybridization.

Where the GTS hybrid uses a single electric exhaust gas turbocharger, the Turbo S employs two of these eTurbos in Porsche’s T-Hybrid setup. Each spins faster than the GTS unit and is larger than the turbos in the previous Turbo S.

Power flows through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated motor, while a compact 1.9-kWh battery—shared with the GTS—supplies the hybrid system.

Other Enhancements Include:

• Wider Rear Tires: Now measuring 325/30 ZR 21—67 percent wider than a Prius’ base tire for a tongue-in-cheek comparison. Fronts are 255/35 ZR 20.

• Upgraded Brakes: New brake pads offer improved feel, and rear discs are 20 mm larger—the biggest ceramic composite brakes ever fitted to a production 911.

• Improved Aerodynamics: Vertically stacked front cooling flaps and an active front diffuser enhance airflow.

• Adaptive Rear Wing: Adjusts tilt to reduce drag or lift as needed.

• Enhanced Chassis Control: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control is now electrohydraulic for faster response and reduced body roll, with quicker deployment of the front axle lift.

That’s fortunate—no one wants to scrape the front of a $272,650 car on a driveway. The 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet starts at $286,650. Porsche notes this doesn’t include potential tariffs, but buyers eyeing a 2026 Turbo S likely won’t mind if the price climbs a bit higher.

Who knows—hold onto one long enough, and owners might even sell it for what they originally paid. Experts at Black Book confirmed our suspicion: the 911 Turbo S retains its value better than most high-end sports cars.

Look at It

Porsche highlights that several interior and exterior trim pieces are finished in Turbonite, a gray shade exclusive to Turbo models. Seeing it in person, we can confirm it looks fantastic—especially compared with a standard dark gray paint job.

That’s impressive, but the real visual impact comes from the car’s width. The stance is unmistakable—about 2 inches wider on the Turbo model than the already broad standard Carrera.

Car enthusiasts will notice the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S features a redesigned rear fascia and optional oval titanium exhaust outlets.

Two Unexpected Options

If you’ve made it this far, you already know how fun it is to configure a Porsche. The extensive options list lets owners—and dreamers—get closer to their ideal build. Now there are two surprising ways a 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S can cross the $300,000 mark.

First up: lightweight carbon-fiber windshield wiper arms. Excited? They save just over a pound compared with the standard parts.

Not impressed? How about a Porsche Design watch, available in every color offered on a 911. Its strap is crafted from original Porsche leather with matching stitching, and the winding rotor can be customized to mirror the wheels of the car it accompanies.

Why the 911 Turbo S Matters—and What Holds It Back

If all the chatter about wiper arms (woo!) and customizable luxury watches seems over the top, that’s because it is. Nobody needs a $300,000, 701-hp, rear-engine sports car. The 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S’s biggest limitation remains that it shares the same core design as 911s that cost half as much.

Yet this new flagship has a clear purpose. Its hybridization proves there’s still plenty of life left in gas-powered sports cars—ones that sound better than any electric sports car ever could.

Of course, not everyone will understand the appeal of a sports car whose performance most drivers will never fully exploit. But with 38 percent of 2026 Porsche 911 buyers already owning a 911, many customers likely know exactly what they’re signing up for.

Soon, we’ll get behind the wheel, and the enthusiast community will see whether this iconic model lives up to the standard set by its predecessors. We can’t wait to find out.

2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S Specifications