Those of you who have used YouTube for tech videos are likely familiar with the content of Marques Brownlee. After 15 years, his MKBHD main channel, which mostly covers phones and laptops, has 18M subscribers. Then there’s Auto Focus, his car-related channel, which has racked up 730k subscribers in one year. Brownlee recently got a 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S as his daily driver, and we’ll see why this is important below.
Having been on YouTube since his teenage years, Brownlee perfected his MKBHD style to the point where you’ll lose count of the channels copying him. While his Auto Focus work is not as influential yet, this is the perfect opportunity to see how such an experienced and popular YouTuber plans to grow his car channel even further.
Brownlee dropped the news about “getting” a 2024 Porsche 911 Turbo S for his 30th birthday at the end of his iPhone 15 Pro 3-month review YT clip (the extended timeframe is relevant and you’ll see why below), while also sharing more details in dedicated posts on platforms like Instagram.
Marques Brownlee’s 992 Turbo S spec
On Instagram, Brownlee shared the most important optional extras of the car. We’re looking at a sliding glass roof, the Turbo Aerokit, carbon mirror caps, and Chalk (a particular shade of grey) interior stitching. This isn’t a high-tier configuration, which means the price of the vehicle sat at $250k-$260k. And, for what it’s worth, we expect this to be a lease.
The coupe also gets a few aftermarket additions, starting with Stealth PPF (Paint Protection Film) for the Jet Black Metallic paint. Other goodies include the gloss black hood stripe and red finish for the calipers of the PCCB carbon-ceramic braking system—normally, these come in yellow, which may see some people confusing the car for a non-S Turbo running steel brakes with their regular red caliper finish.
For the record, painting your brake calipers on a lease doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose value when returning the vehicle, given that the work was done professionally and you agree upon such terms with your dealer.
Why MKBHD got a 911 Turbo S
If you’re looking for the top dogs in the 25-model-rich 911 range, you’ll have to choose between N/A, track-focused GT models like the GT3 RS and the 911 Turbo (S). The latter is a benchmark of the industry, mixing supercar performance with practicality, reliability, and an understated approach. For one, here’s a 911 Turbo S giving a Bugatti Chiron a hard time in a drag race!
Now, most Auto Focus videos cover EVs, while Brownlee previously got a Tesla Model S Plaid. However, he mentions that getting a sports car with an electric powertrain is not the way to go presently, as the current battery technology adds plenty of weight. And while the big power and instant torque of EVs can easily offset that in terms of most performance numbers, there’s nothing engineers can do to prevent the agility of a sports car from being affected by this.
And that’s why Porsche is being cautious about releasing electric sports cars. The automaker will start this offensive via the 718 EV family, which will be offered alongside updated versions of the current ICE models starting in 2025.
2025 992.2 engine changes include new 3.6L boxer (N/A for 911 GTS and twin-turbocharged for 911 Turbo and Turbo S)
According to the latest insider info achieved by Car and Driver, not even the next-gen 994 911 will get an all-electric version. The rumor mill talks about the iconic 911 going all-electric after 2034 when another generation of the 911 will take over from the 994. Keep in mind that Porsche is one of the most important names in the industry when it comes to e-fuels, as it plans to rely on these carbon-neutral fuels to help the 911 keep its internal combustion engine.
As he mentions at the end of the Instagram post below, Brownlee is well aware of the fact that Porsche is introducing the 992.2 mid-cycle facelift next year, with the greatest change coming in the form of hybridization. Of course, now that he gets to use the ICE 992 Turbo S as a daily, he’ll be able to properly compare this to the 992.2 hybrid. However, Porsche isn’t expected to hybridize the 992.2 Turbo (S).
The said C&D article, which also includes info from two dealers, starts by mentioning the 48V mild-hybrid electrification across the board. However, unlike in the case of the Ferrari 296 GTB (reviewed on Auto Focus) and the McLaren Artura, the updated 911 won’t bring any plug-in hybrid models.
Instead, we should receive a 55 lbs T-HEV hybrid system developed with Rimac, of which Porsche holds a 45% minority interest. This involves an electric motor powering the front axle, along with a PDK transmission-integrated starter-generator offering on-demand boost. Juice will come from a small battery that will be charged by the combustion engine and via regenerative braking.
Thus, the hybrid 992.2 models will mix an updated version of the twin-turbo 3.0L flat-six currently powering the Carrera models with the said electric motor, with outputs ranging between 478 hp and 528 hp depending on the version—either way, the most potent 991 hybrids will be slotted below the non-S Turbo.
However, the 992.2 is also expected to see the GTS receiving an N/A 3.6L flat-six, while the Turbo and Turbo S will get a twin-turbocharged version of this engine instead of the current twin-turbo 3.8L boxer. In addition, Porsche will reportedly develop a 992.2 range-topping hybrid based on the Turbo, which will offer around 800 hp and probably rival the 991 GT2 RS track-savvy monster in terms of the power-to-weight ratio.
So while we’re not expecting to see Brownlee bringing other ICE vehicles into his garage, it looks like the vlogger is now ready for long-term familiarization with the breed so he can better compare this to the ever-deeper-electrified sports cars coming in the following years.