Spotted once again circulating the Nürburgring, a new Porsche 911 prototype is reigniting speculation that the brand is quietly developing a Touring-style version of the 911 Turbo S, one that tones down the visuals while keeping all the muscle intact.
Eighteen months ago, an intriguing Porsche 911 prototype was seen pounding laps around the Nürburgring, immediately sparking rumors that Porsche might be cooking up a Touring version of its fearsome 911 Turbo.
Now, as 2025 winds down, what appears to be the very same prototype has returned to the Nordschleife. For a certain kind of enthusiast, this could be the ultimate expression of the 911 formula. At first glance, the differences between this prototype and the recently unveiled 911 Turbo S are hard to miss.
While the outgoing model retains prominent air intakes on the rear quarter panels to feed its twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter flat-six, those signature intakes are conspicuously missing here. Their absence alone dramatically changes the car’s character, pushing it closer to a cleaner, more classic 911 profile.
Up front, the changes continue. Where the Turbo S features aggressive vertical air intake vanes, this prototype swaps them for horizontally oriented elements. The result is a calmer, more traditional face, less track weapon, more restrained grand tourer.
Around back, the transformation is even more telling: the Turbo S’s large fixed rear wing is gone, replaced by a pop-up spoiler similar to what you’ll find on other 911 variants.
If our spy photographers are interpreting the clues correctly, Porsche may be developing a 911 Turbo Touring. The success of the GT3 Touring has already proven there’s real demand for high-performance 911s that skip the louder, motorsport-inspired styling in favor of subtlety.
For many buyers, losing the massive rear wing isn’t about giving anything up behind the wheel. It’s about enjoying the same driving experience without broadcasting it to everyone within earshot. Less visual drama, same thrills.
And from Porsche’s perspective, the business case practically writes itself. A discreet Turbo could win over buyers who’ve been put off by the Turbo S’s aggressive appearance. There’s no need for a new engine or major reengineering, just a sleeker exterior wrapped around the same devastating performance.
Assuming this prototype does turn out to be a 911 Turbo Touring, logic suggests it would carry over the standard Turbo S powertrain unchanged. That means a 3.6-liter flat-six equipped with dual electric turbochargers, producing a formidable 701 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque.
Those numbers translate into serious performance. The 2026 Turbo S rockets from 0–60 mph in just 2.4 seconds and reaches 124 mph in 8.4 seconds flat. The big question mark is cooling.
If Porsche plans to house its most powerful 911 engine in a body without the traditional side intakes, it’ll need an alternative way to keep temperatures in check. That won’t be easy, but if any manufacturer has the engineering chops to pull it off, it’s Porsche.
