Porsche is said to be working on a new hybrid powertrain with a V4 engine as its centerpiece and while its plans for the engine aren’t clear, it’s certainly an interesting development.
Information about the V4 hybrid comes courtesy of an unnamed source who recently spoke with CarBuzz. We have been unable to verify the identity of this source so suggest taking what is to follow with a grain of salt. Carscoops reached out to Porsche Cars North America product communications manager Frank Wiesmann about the report. He said, “As a matter of policy, we don’t participate in speculation about potential future product.”
The report claims that Porsche is testing the V4 hybrid in a Porsche 911 prototype. This engine is derived from the V4 that was used to great success in the Porsche 919 Hybrid endurance racer, where it produced 720 hp on its own while the hybrid system of the 919 Hybrid Evo added an extra 440 hp.
Porsche isn’t believed to be testing the hybrid V4 in the 911 because it intends on selling its best-selling and most beloved sports car with a four-cylinder. Instead, it is claimed the 911 is being used simply for “viability and engineering” purposes and may have been tweaked to a mid-engine configuration like the 919.
Read: Porsche 911 Gets Self-Driving Tech – But Only On The Assembly Line
The source has not provided CarBuzz with any information about Porsche’s intended use for this hybrid V4. It is possible that it will be used exclusively in a new race car and never actually be offered in a road-going production vehicle. Another possibility is that it could be used in the 718 Cayman and Boxster twins.
It is no secret that Porsche is hard at work developing all-electric Boxster and Cayman models but the carmaker has confirmed that ICE variants will continue to be sold after the EVs are introduced. Could the V4 hybrid be used to transition the two mid-engined sports cars from ICE to exclusively battery-electric power? Only time will tell.
