A Porsche executive told Edmunds that the automaker is up against a wall and out of power. There’s one critical factor holding the company back from producing a more powerful engine, and it’s gotten Porsche into hot water before. What’s holding Porsche back from more power?

Out of power, for now

Porsche is known for constantly pushing the envelope of performance and engineering. When Edmunds took a drive in the 2022 Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Director of GT Cars Andres Preuninger opened up about the company’s battle with strict regulations.

Preuninger was frank. Current regulations mean it’s no longer possible to crank out a higher horsepower engine every year, reliably. The company is continuously working to balance power and performance with responsible engineering.

Porsche’s commitment to better transparency and adherence

In 2018 several automakers faced allegations, charges, and fines related to emissions standards and reporting. Porsche was one of the automakers involved. Since then, the company has been committed to the utmost ethical standards in engineering and reporting.

Porsche is a company now as dedicated to high regulatory compliance as it is to engineering. The legendary brand has a reputation of excellence to uphold. Engineering challenges accompany every major shift in technology. These rough patches are to be expected in a rapidly evolving industry. In short, the current pinch those road car standards put on automakers is just the cost of doing business.

How Porsche plans to evolve into the future

Porsche has already emphasized engineering to regulation standards. The automaker considers future standards that may occur during the lifetime of each vehicle. At present, 20% of the GT development budget is dedicated to improving horsepower without violating environmental regulations.

Improvements in aerodynamics, exhaust systems, and hybrid engines have already kept the brand relevant in the current market. The brand is far from falling behind. Given their track record of adaptability, it’s easy to imagine that a bigger, stronger, cleaner Porsche engine is on the horizon.

Porsche’s impossible dream

What many love about Porsche’s philosophy is its purist approach. Porsche builds precision-engineered cars that deliver an unparalleled driving experience. This approach is admirable. As stricter production car standards continue to roll out, building a pure sports car becomes more complex.

Porsche has managed to preserve its identity as it evolves. The automotive industry is changing rapidly as global focus shifts toward environmental concerns and renewable energy. Porsche has been a leader in innovation and engineering for decades. It will continue to adapt and keep the spirit of the sports car alive.

Out of power, but not solutions

Leadership at Porsche has met with the current market’s design challenges head-on. The company has been a leader in automotive engineering and innovation for nearly 100 years. It’s unlikely that adapting to renewable energy and stringent environmental standards will set Porsche back.

Horsepower isn’t everything. There’s a lot that makes a great sports car. Porsche has continued to improve the performance of its cars by tackling inefficiencies. The 2022 911 GT3, for instance, has been optimized from the ground up. Porsche is making its cars lighter, faster, and more agile. The standstill in horsepower is likely just a blip in the automaker’s history. Porsche may be out of power, but it’s not out of time.