Spy Shots: Is this Porsche 911 mule hiding a shocking secret?
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Jul 28th 2009 at 9:55AM 
No automaker is immune to global environmental pressures to reduce pollutants and limit carbon dioxide emissions. Even Porsche has gotten into the green game with both diesel and hybrid options for its Cayenne along with an expected hybrid powertrain for its Panamara range. Could that fuel-saving technology make a move closer to Porsche's sportscar roots? If so, would the battery pack go under the front hood in the rear-engined car?
According to a series of spy photos from our friends at NextAutos, the answer to those questions may be yes and yes. Although there aren't any logos on the car – save for some awesomely well-placed Batman stickers (Are we looking at the next Tumbler?), the bodystyle undoubtedly screams 911 while the details have us scratching our heads. What's with the oddly shaped bulge (complete with what appears to be a lightning bolt graphic) on the hood, or the fact that the photogs claim the car made virtually no noise as it sped away at high velocities?
For what it's worth, in addition to the hybrid Cayenne and Panamera programs, we also know that the German automaker is keenly interested in electric vehicles, including its iconic 911. In other words, these are spy shots that have our interest piqued even more than usual.
[Source: NextAutos]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Josiah 9:59AM (7/28/2009)
Could it be an F1 style KERS? Just a wild guess.
Reply
Kyle 8:57PM (7/28/2009)
I highly doubt even Ferrari are going to adopt KERS in their cars... but as for porsche, thats a big no.
Bart 10:00AM (7/28/2009)
On the bulge is yet another Batman logo.
Reply
Bird 10:22AM (7/28/2009)
I think that's actually a lightening bolt
Red 10:18AM (7/28/2009)
This one's easy...Clearly, it's the new Batmobile. Duh.
Seriously, the Batman sticker on the front is teh awesomez. The 911 practically hasn't changed in design since its inception. It's wonderful to see someone at Porsche actually has a sense of humor.
Reply
HotRodzNKustoms 10:02AM (7/28/2009)
Clearly it is a nerdy German teenager Comic-Con edition, complete with Batman outfit and a pimple. So this German teen thought, "I know I'll put a lighting bolt sticker on my pimple cause I have always been a fan of The Flash! The girls won't notice a thing!"
Reply
HotRodzNKustoms 10:06AM (7/28/2009)
Also there appears to be a Ghostbusters sticker on the left rear quarter window...
But why would Porsche use a convertible as a powertrain mule???
CDave 4:55PM (7/28/2009)
Porsche has traditionally designed their cars as cabriolets, before engineering a coupe so that no matter what you're driving, cab or coupe, you'll get a similar feeling in terms of vehicle rigidity and chassis response. Unlike most open top vehicles, you can put a Porsche cabriolet on a lift and still be able to open the doors, even after sitting there for a week.
O.Z.Racing_UK 10:06AM (7/28/2009)
It is just Batman's daily driver, and just hides his gadgets under the black box.
Reply
homunculus 10:12AM (7/28/2009)
idiots, that's not a porsche, that's a batmobile.
and you call yourselves car people.
Reply
Bart 10:22AM (7/28/2009)
I forgot to mention, the car quite clearly has disc brakes, no regenerative brake rotors. Assuming hybrid/electric, the wheels would be driven by electric motors.
Reply
CaramelZappa 10:51AM (7/28/2009)
It's not terribly uncommon for an electric car to still have disk brakes. Sometimes pulling up on the throttle brings some light regen but you still have the real brakes for when you really need to stop quickly.
That said I don't think this is an secret Porche 911 Electric, it's just a 911 with some nerdy stickers.
There are some homemade conversions around though. http://evalbum.com/1069
sparrk 10:32AM (7/28/2009)
NOOOOOOooooo..... why , Porsche , i mean Batman , why ???? why a hybrid ??? i understand Americans fall for such crap , but did you really have to do it ??? ...i'm gonna grab my bottle of vodka and get drunk now....
...on the other hand, the added weight to the front will make the 911 easier to drive for the imbeciles who drive hybrids,.but still , it's a disgrace to the 911. make a hybrid Cayenne , a hybrid Boxster , but leave the 911 alone !
Reply
Ian 10:40AM (7/28/2009)
Its not a hybrid. Its an electric vehicle.
Ancharr 10:53AM (7/28/2009)
A properly done performance hybrid should devour any gasoline/diesel-only competition. Electric motor has insane torque at low speeds and it can be augmented by a high-performance IC engine at higher speeds. Think Tesla without the limitations of range and a need for a recharging station. I think if anyone can pull something like that - Porsche is probably at the top of that list.
I think Boxster is a little too small to fit something like that in at this point, maybe even 911, seems like they're trying though.
Reply
BoxerFanatic 11:09AM (7/28/2009)
Except for the added weight and complexity.
RUF did an electric 997 a few months back... sure it is fast, with instant torque.
That doesn't mean it felt like a proper sports car.
There is more to a sports car like a Porsche, than just numbers and figures.
A hybrid or electric car just somehow seems soulless and hollow, as a concept.
honestly, if you want efficiency, but something other than a performance car.
Electric motors and batteries don't have the energy longevity or feedback of a high-revving gasoline burning engine.
Even aside from traditionalism, electric, while not bad, is just not the same combination of power, feedback, fuel storage duration, and ease of use.
m 12:00PM (7/28/2009)
"A properly done performance hybrid should devour any gasoline/diesel-only competition."
No no no no! That's just what the tree huggers and the marketers at Tesla want you to think. It's very far from the truth.
The specific energy of a charged battery comes nowhere close to that of a tank of gasoline. They're not even on the same playing field. Maybe one day battery technology will get there, but right now it's a long way off.
An electric motor can be made to have specific power about as high as a gasoline engine, but only if you severely over-power it like Tesla does. That's exactly the reason the Tesla is a fun, gimmicky little car, but not a sports car. You can't run a race in a car like that. It'll be about as fast as a metro by the end. It can put out a lot of power, but only for a little while. Then it has to derate to keep from damaging its poor overheating motor.
m 12:05PM (7/28/2009)
"A properly done performance hybrid should devour any gasoline/diesel-only competition."
Unfortunately that's not correct. That's just what the tree huggers and the marketers at Tesla want you to think. It's very far from the truth.
The specific energy of a charged battery comes nowhere close to that of a tank of gasoline. They're not even on the same playing field. Maybe one day battery technology will get there, but right now it's a long way off.
An electric motor can be made to have specific power about as high as a gasoline engine, but only if you severely over-power it like Tesla does. That's exactly the reason the Tesla is a fun, gimmicky little car, but not a sports car. You can't run a race in a car like that. It'll be about as fast as a metro by the end. It can put out a lot of power, but only for a little while. Then it has to derate to keep from damaging its poor overheating motor.
m 12:06PM (7/28/2009)
Seriously, this commenting system never gave me trouble until last week. Now it screws up every post.
C 11:00AM (7/28/2009)
There's another sticker on the passenger side windshield. Someone with better eyes may have to make it out.
Reply