FULLY CHARGED

It doesn’t matter what corner of the automotive scene an enthusiast inhabits, the message is the same: the future is all-electric. Porsche is leading the charge (groan) with the hugely successful Taycan and, more frequently than ever before, derelict air-cooled cars are being given a new lease of life with a conversion to battery power. The gorgeous Carrera RS 2.7 evocation on the cover of this magazine is a fine example of how the designs of yesteryear and the technology of today can combine to create a thoroughly stylish and hugely powerful Porsche. Battery power is the way forward, then? Done deal?

The vast majority of us are desensitised to politicians demonising the internal combustion engine and trying to convince us to ditch our perfectly sensible years-old car for a brand-new EV, but let’s not forget, these are the same administrations who told us all to go out and buy a diesel. Maybe, just maybe, we should be listening to engineers, scientists and automotive experts, many who welcome mass adoption of the electric powertrain, but see it as one of a number of solutions to deal with climate change. We’re simply not going to be able to get traditional engines off the road quick enough to meet government-set targets. And, of course, there are many of us who don’t want to get rid of our cherished chariots.

As you’ll discover across the following pages, a huge amount of work is being carried out in the field of hydrogen and synthetic fuels to maintain the survival and future development of the internal combustion engine. Porsche is at the forefront of this work. Because of course it is.