Porsche's GT division isn't thinking about electrification

The company wants to keep making pure, thrills-over-tech machines.

Porsche is making substantial investments in electrification technology to bring plug-in hybrid cars and electric models like the Taycan to the market. However, at least one of its divisions has no interest whatsoever in using a battery for anything other than zapping a car's starter motor into motion.

Andreas Preuninger, the outspoken head of Porsche's GT division, told British magazine Autocar that electrification "is not something we think about at the moment." He's not necessarily against hybrids or electric vehicles, but he believes electrification doesn't fit into the brand's mission statement.

"There are ideas to maybe look in that direction for the normal sports car line but not for the GT cars. If we would decide to make all the racing cars electrified overnight, then we would have a reason to look into that but, as always, it has to be a connection between the cars we use on the track to the cars we sell with a numberplate attached," he added.

Another automaker might beat Preuninger and his team into submission; not Porsche. The company's executives are aware of how much money GT makes by selling pure, driver-focused, and race-ready models that deliver more thrills than tech. They're happy to let GT do its own thing as long as it continues to make significant contributions to Porsche's bottom line. That's why GT-badged cars -- like the GT3 and GT2 RS variants of the 911 -- will also be last in line to receive semi-autonomous technology.

Photo by Ronan Glon.