At the time, company CEO Michael Macht put the rumors to rest and declared that the German brand had absolutely no plans to fit a hybrid drivetrain in the 911, or in any of its sports cars, for that matter.
Fast forward to 2012 and things have changed quite a bit. Matthias Mueller has taken over Macht's spot as CEO, and the possibility of a hybrid 911 seems to be back on the table.
"If the environmental agencies ask us to change our sports cars in terms of powertrains, then we will do it," said Bernhard Maier, a Porsche board member, at a conference held at the Geneva Motor Show.
Maier is referring to upcoming regulations in both the United States and the European Union that will impose strict lineup-wide standards for gas mileage and CO2 emissions. Companies like Porsche that primarily build sports cars are expected to have a tough time complying with the regulations, which could ultimately result in heavy fines.
At the same conference in Geneva, Maier talked about the downsizing wave that the global auto industry is currently surfing. He said that regardless of regulations, a 911 powered by a four-cylinder engine was absolutely not part of the brand's forecast. However, the smaller Boxster and Cayman models could end up powered by four-bangers in the not-so-distant future in order to create more efficient models.
