While the idea of a hybrid Porsche 911 is bound to upset many purists, it is inevitable the car will launch at some stage; and when it does, it should prove to be a serious performer. However, that doesn’t mean it will be easy to make.

While recently quizzed about the 911 hybrid, the head of the Porsche 911 range, Frank-Steffen Walliser, said the “biggest burden” of the car will relate to its weight and the ability to package the hybrid system.

“We have to package everything, because the car is relatively small. We don’t want to give up the 2+2 layout, the architecture or the shape of the car, because these are part of the 911 story,” Waller recently told Autocar, adding that the “return on investment” will be key in making the 911 hybrid a reality.

This isn’t the first time Porsche has discussed a hybrid version of the 911. In fact, the platform of the 992-generation 911 was designed to support a hybrid system, but as of March this year, the carmaker was not yet satisfied with the kind of hybrid 911 it could produce.

“We have prototypes, but they’re still at a weight we don’t really think is nice,” Porsche board member Michael Steiner told Top Gear. “For a two-door, serious sports car the additional weight of battery is not something we are satisfied with today.”