The roads around the Twin Peaks of Doi Suthep and Doi Fui in Chiang Mai, Thailand are wonderful to drive on and offer a mix of technical corners and height changes. With the right car, tackling the route that circles around the Twin Peaks is a great driving experience.
Fortunately we have the right cars, because Porsche Asia Pacific has taken two units of the newest Porsche 911 facelift, in particular the facelifted model of 992 generation that broke back in May 2024.
The first of two cars is a base 911 Carrera in Jet Black, with a 3.0 liter Twin-Turbo Flat-Six petrol engine that develops 394 PS (389 hp or 290 kW) and 450 Nm of torque. This is linked to an eight-speed PDK transmission with double clutch with the rear wheels, making a time of 0-100 km/h 4.1 seconds and top speed of 294 km/h.
The second car is a big problem because it is the 911 Carrera GTS, the one with the new T-Hybrid system of the brand. At this point some purists would exclaim: “Porsche did what?!” And associate a hybrid 911 with the German car maker that sells his soul while bending into overloads of the regulations.
That part about the regulations is true, but Porsche not only made a hybrid 911 alone for that interest. Instead, the T-HYBRID system is a smart solution for a problem that also increases the GTS to a new level. A win-win, if you want.
The GTS is also supplied with a Flat-Six petrol engine, but with an elevated bore and a stroke that now has 3.6 liters of displacement compared to the 3.0 liters of its predecessor. There is also a turbo less in this setup, although the remaining is an Eturbo (the term of Porsche) that contains an electric motor. This acts as a generator to restore up to 11 kW of energy with the help of the exhaust gas flow, which means that no traditional Wastegate is needed to limit excess pressure.
It becomes more complicated, because the PDK claws, Toothetals sets and oblique gear drive have been strengthened, so that the transmission can contain an electric motor with a rating of 40 kW and 150 Nm. This can also act as a generator and feed up to 40 kW with the compact, Rimac-Branded 1.9 kWh battery placed on the front, under the hood for a better weight distribution at no cost for frunk room.
In addition to working with the Eturbo to support the engine, the electric motor also performs the functions of the alternator integrated in the PDK. Because the GTS has an electrically driven air conditioning compressor, the lack of an alternator and pulley for the AC system means that no belt drive is needed. Porsche used this and used the available space to install a pulse converter and DC-DC converter for the hybrid system.
If that is not enough, the electric motor also performs the task of the starter, which ensures a unique start-up experience where you do not hear the engine starting while it simply sails, minus the Whir of the Electric engine to get started.
Still with me? Okay, let’s continue with the lecture. Porsche says that the multiple roles of the PDK-integrated electric motor are intended to save weight, what is needed to maintain the dynamics expected from a 911 and at the same time compensates the handle obtained from all hybrid bits. A 12-volt LFP battery instead of a conventional lead acid unit also helps in this respect.
The 3.6 -Leriter engine 485 PS (479 hp or 357 kW) and 570 Nm develops in itself. With the electric motors in the game, the total system output is 541 PS (534 hp or 398 kW) and 610 Nm, that is 61 PS (60 hp or 45 kW) and 40 Nm more than the old GTs. In fact, it is even more than the 911 GT3 with 510 PS (503 hp or 375 kW) and 450 Nm.
The new GTS ‘0-100 km/h is also 0.3 seconds faster than its predecessor in three seconds, with the top speed marginal higher at 312 km/h (+1 km/h). All these improvements at the expense of a win of 50 kg compared to the previous GTs-a mid-range 911, let’s be admirable, at least for those who are interested in vehicle technology.
To ensure that the GTS is easy to identify, it gets the intake of the side on the front bumper and centrally mounted exhausts. Our tester did not even come with the T-Hybrid sticker at the bottom of the doors, although you can add it via the configurator if you really want others to know. The interior of the GTS is also the same as a regular 911, albeit with hybrid-specific displays in the instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen to follow the energy flow. It is all very subtle.
What is not subtle is the difference in driving experience between the two cars that we have the keys in Chiang Mai. Depending on the new 911 Carrera is a very competent car. It is not long to become familiar thanks to the pleasant sitting position and ergonomics, and when you are on the road, the size of the car is easily manageable, despite the view of the side mirrors that partly consists of the wide hips of the car.
The ride is sturdy and tud stiff, but there is a good compliance, so it doesn’t feel like you bump into bumps. The brakes of the 911 Carrera come in the twisties and offer a great feeling and feedback, where turn-ins are sharp and accurate with communicative control. You want to manage the gears yourself to keep the car in boost if you don’t have to deal with turbo delays on the corner output.
Different corners inside, the 911 Carrera proves that he is a pleasant B-Road Stormer, builds up the confidence of this driver and even presents the talent of the model because he is playful if you are a bit exuberant with the accelerator pedal when leaving a corner. It’s a lot fun.
However, the 911 Carrera is not alone. Trade in in the 911 Carrera GTS, I expected more of the same, but that was not the case. Power delivery in the GTS is compared to the previous car day and night, where the Eturbo builds up so quickly. Validation Top Gear’s Claim of responsiveness, the graphs of the old GTS showed that there was two seconds a delay between stamping the gas valve and peak couple that arrived on the rear wheels. That delay is now half a second.
As such, speed structure is even faster and short straight pieces can cause you to go very, very quickly. Do you remember the sprint time of three seconds? The 911 GT3 needs 3.4 seconds. Our GTs came with the same brakes as the Carrera, although you can use the 10-piston carbon ceramic brake discs (PCCB) of the turbos if you are afraid to fade with continuous rags.
In the corners, the standard rear -wheel control of the GTS ensures even tighter, which caught the guard when I tried to imitate what was being done in the Carrera. Hair players and tight bends are easier to handle and the immediateity of the powertrain to regain speed meant that the Carrera does not get close, unless there is traffic ahead. We think that the four -wheel drive Carrera 4 GTS would be even faster.
Print? Well, the GTS is not like a typical hybrid where it can only run on the electric motor and the ride feels even stronger and stiffer than the Carrera. There is also the issue of prices. In Malaysia we get the Carrera 4 GTs (with four -wheel drive) that is priced from RM1.89 million, which is 32% more than the Basic Carrera of RM1.43 million.
If you have the resources, the new 911 Carrera GTS is one Tour de Force from Porsche’s engineering bravery. The company has been examined time and time again, with the usual response to his new creations “Porsche did what?!” He can indicate excitement or disappointment. This deserves the first.
Adjustment to change, but never losing sight of his identity is something that Porsche does well. The company regards its 911 A Performance Benchmark, and the new Carrera GTS increases the floor for the model in a world that wants to stop the progress of the internal combustion engine.
The GTs may still have his no -sayers, but just like earlier milestone 911s that have been investigated, it might be another “we knew what we are doing” in the Porsche book, even if it can take time before doubts change thoughts. The original 911 Turbo, the Targa and the decision to fully turboarcarks the entire 911 range are just a few of the controversies of the past in the history of the model – they have all survived so far.
The T-hybrid is probably here to stay because we don’t think Porsche would do all this work and not roll it over the entire range. When whatever the company thinks, it is revealed, a new round of “Porsche did what?!”
Gallery: 2025 Porsche 911 Facelift APAC Media Drive
Gallery: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS facelift
Gallery: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera facelift
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