Warren99

John Mclane

Allegedly it reduces insurance premiums in Germany, as a rear end collision is cheaper to fix without involving the exhaust system. Allegedly.

erik_plus8

If above is true I don't know - seems likely. But one definite reason for doing fake exhaust tips is that manufacturing won't have to align and adjust exhaust tips in relation to the bumper. You take out all tolerances and possibilities for looking bad from behind when doing this. Problem (IMHO) is that now it really looks bad from behind because you see the smaller diameter shiny pipe ends inside huge fake oval tips. Look at Audi R8 V10 for a really horrible example.

I was hoping Porsche wouldn't do this but the 991.2 GT2RS proved me wrong, and it seems to continue

chuckbdc

I think they started the practice of placing the hot muffler exit pipe inside of a fitting that keeps hot gases slightly away from the decorative bodywork on the 918. A GT2RS showed up at Cars N Coffee last Saturday. This "horrible" feature was not the topic of discussion. Granted, it was not the 992 version so we will have to wait on that judgement.

Argon_

Weight, reliability, ease of self maintenance, driver engagement, dilution of the name.

Denny Swift

All exhaust tips are "fake." They don't serve a function other than adding bling. Whether they are welded on or aligned but not physically connected doesn't make them real or fake. And how they are connected (or not) does not affect performance one iota. Real exhaust comes through them in both cases. It's fine to not like the lack of a physical connection, but to call them fake is like saying a Lotus chassis is fake because it's "glued" together rather than welded.

Warren99

STG

+ Very expensive long-term maintenance and technology that becomes obsolete very quickly.

subshooter

Guys buy 911s for many reasons but certainly performance, handling, prestige, and history are at the top of the list. They don't buy 911s for high mpg or low emissions. 911 folks are not clamoring for a hybrid. It is being forced upon them by regulatory requirements.

So then the question is, what does a hybrid do for the sports car enthusiast? Not much. More weight, complexity, worse handling, sound sucks etc. You can make an argument that performance can be increased (918, 919) but these are specialty cars, in part to emotionally prepare the sports car community for hybrids and to be a developmental test platform.

If you want to know the future of the 911, look at what Porsche just did at Le Mans. Abandoned LMP1 for Formula E. All electric is coming to the 911.

chuckbdc

I somehow doubt that a 911 hybrid will be "foisted" on anyone, any more than Porsche will stop marketing a deconted, "lightweight" 911T to satisfy the "purists" if there are sales to be had and money to be made. A 911 hybrid is most likely to be the range topper for non-GT cars, slotted above the big engine Turbo. If you want to understand why, get a ride in a Panny TT Hybrid and see why demand exceeds supply.

subshooter

Fair enough. I did get a ride in that car on Porsche's track in Leipzig by a professional driver. Scared the crap out of me.

Rocket_boy

No doubt the all electric 911 is coming,....and that will be my bow out from the name and new cars in general. I grew up on ICE's and it's too much in my blood,....every single electric toy I had,....I always wanted the gas version. Plus I think there are much better alternatives coming compared to a bunch of batteries and electric motors. There is just no way I could drive around a silent 911. Now that will be a sad day (at least to me). I'll let the next generations handle the autonomous electric car world.

C2Spin

I'm with you. I'm old school. Don't care for electric or FI. NA for me. Perhaps when I'm done with GT cars I move on to Singer.

Alan Smithee

It predates the 918 by a long time on VW products. The decorative chrome tips of my Gallardo are attached to the rear fascia, but not to the exhaust pipes, so it's been going on for at least a decade. As you say, I expect it is to keep hot pipes away from flammable plastic.

As we move away from ICEs, however, I do not understand the big faux-pipe trend. Who are they fooling with giant square dual exhausts on a 2.0 turbo-4 (pick your manufacturer)? It's like fake side pipes back in the 1970s. Even as a little kid I thought it was ridiculous.

Porsche911GTS'16

The move toward FI and ultimately toward electric is why I am stockpiling - if 2 cars is stockpiling - NA 991s. God willing, my GTS and GT3T are the last two cars I will ever buy. If I want to drive an electric vehicle, I'll go play golf and rent a cart.