Welcome to Car and Driver's Testing Hub, where we zero in on the numbers. We've been driving vehicles to their limits since 1956 to generate objective data that backs up our impressions on the road (you can read about our testing methodology here).
The Porsche 911 Turbo S has long been synonymous with explosive straight-line performance, and the newest version—now equipped with a hybrid powertrain—upholds that legacy without compromise. At the test track, the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S surpassed other performance benchmarks including the Chevy Corvette ZR1X and Porsche's own 918 Spyder, and its 0-to-60-mph time ties the fastest we've ever clocked for any gasoline-powered vehicle.
The 911 Turbo S rocketed to 60 mph in exactly 2.0 seconds, matching our current gas-powered benchmark: the $511,250 2021 Ferrari SF90 Stradale. The Ferrari, equipped with the Assetto Fiorano package, is also a hybrid—combining an electric motor with a twin-turbocharged V-8 and two additional front-axle electric motors for a combined 986 horsepower. The Porsche counters with a twin-turbocharged flat-six paired with a single electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic, good for 701 hp total; both cars deliver exactly 590 pound-feet of torque. The 911 ran on Pirelli P Zero R tires, while the SF90 wore Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2Rs.
As speeds rise, the Ferrari gradually stretches its lead. The 911 Turbo S needed 4.8 seconds to reach 100 mph, four-tenths behind the SF90, and trails the Ferrari by 1.3 seconds at 150 mph. The Porsche turned a 9.7-second quarter-mile at 142 mph—two-tenths back and 6 mph slower through the traps than the SF90.
Nevertheless, the 911 Turbo S is almost impossibly quick, and it actually outpaces cars with far more horsepower—including the Corvette ZR1X—through the critical early portion of the run. The ZR1X combines a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 with a front electric motor for a staggering 1250 horsepower, but all that power can't be managed as efficiently off the line, putting the Corvette a tenth behind the Porsche to 60 mph. The advantage reverses in the upper ranges: the ZR1X beats the Turbo S to 100 mph by eight-tenths and clears 150 mph a full 2.6 seconds earlier. The Corvette's quarter-mile time is a breathtaking 9.2 seconds at 155 mph.
The 911 Turbo S also illustrates just how quickly performance has progressed over a single decade. Ten years ago, the 918 Spyder represented the absolute peak of Porsche engineering, yet even that hypercar—which commanded around $900,000 when new—has been overtaken by the 2026 Turbo S ($286,180 as tested). When we tested a 2015 918, it needed 2.1 seconds to 60 mph and matched the Turbo S at 100 mph. Its V-8 hybrid system makes 887 hp, enough to edge the modern 911 by eight-tenths at 150 mph. The quarter-mile time is identical at 9.7 seconds, though the 918 crossed the line 3 mph faster.
Porsche's cars are not inexpensive, but the 911 Turbo S's $272,650 starting price looks almost reasonable in context of what it can do. It falls short at triple-digit speeds compared to higher-powered machines, but its launch-to-60 ferocity lets it embarrass far more expensive and exotic cars at speeds most drivers will actually encounter. The Corvette ZR1X offers a compelling counter—it's a tick slower to 60 but absolutely dominant at higher velocities, all from a starting price of $212,195. Taken together, the Porsche and the Chevy suggest we are living through a golden era for hybrid performance cars.
