Air-cooled Porsche purists look away now. The 911 Hybrid is officially about to become A Thing. Spotted during track testing and later confirmed by Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, the hybrid is the first time anything other than a conventional petrol engine has powered this motoring icon.

The 1965 Newport Folk Festival won’t be the first thing that springs to mind when considering this seismic shift in Porsche thinking but it’s a better parallel than you might think. Because it was here, nearly 60 years ago, that Bob Dylan shocked music fans by (gasp) playing an electric guitar rather than the traditional acoustic number that had made his name. The shockwaves still resonate today.

So, consider the potential ramifications for this (probably inevitable) move by the Stuttgart supercar manufacturer. Because according to recent press – and their own Annual Sustainability Report –Porsche’s own Dylan moment will be to add a third element to the water-cooled vs air-cooled debate that keeps the chat rooms buzzing.

According to the motoring press, it’s part of a wider ‘facelift’ programme for the whole 992 incarnation of the 911 range. Other newsworthy additions to the stable include a 911 Cabriolet, a 911 Turbo S, an updated 911 GT3 and a reimagined GT Touring saloon. But it’s the hybrid that’ll grab the headlines, for sure. So, what’s it like?

First things first.

The structure mirrors the current Turbo S model, suggesting a performance hybrid in the same vein as the Cayenne and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid models: superficially true to the originals, but with a big secret tucked away.

As we’re some months away from a showroom near you, full details are still hard to come by. But the Internet seems agreed that the power will come from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six allied with the 136hp electric motor found in other hybrid Porsches to generate up to 800hp worth of oomph.

Fully charged.

While the batteries will obviously add to the payload it’s expected to match and potentially beat the 2.7 seconds it takes the 911 Turbo S to get from 0-60.

And while there is bound to be some mutterings among the purists – remember, Dylan was booed at Newport – Porsche are not for changing and has faith in the new model.

“The high-performance hybrid seamlessly continues innovative development of the 911 drive,” Frank Moser, who oversees the 911 and 718 lines, said in a statement. “This benefits the driver whenever they’re accelerating. We therefore have a technology that will prepare us for future emission standards.”

Another motoring title speculates that the modified twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six and a 400-volt hybrid system powering the electrified 911 will feature an integrated starter-generator developed in conjunction with EV maker Rimac, in whom Porsche owns a significant stake.

Full wheel drive.

Unlike other hybrid or fully electric Porsches, the electric motor in this setup will be mounted on the front rather than the rear axle, giving the car all four wheels to distribute those extra 349 kilowatts.

The reimagined 911 is just one of four major launches with a Taycan Turbo GT, a new Panamera, and the all-electric Macan expected before year’s end. So, is it any good? The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, as a certain someone might say.

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