Caught near the Nurburgring, does this prototype prove that a petrol-electric 911 is on the way?

From the racetrack to the road! Porsche threw the covers off its 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and judging by these exclusive spy shots a roadgoing version is on the way too.

Caught near the Nurburgring in Germany, this mysterious prototype has a number of telltale signs that under the skin it's no ordinary 911. The air intakes infront of and just above the rear wheels are exact replicas of the bodywork seen on the hybrid racecar.

The 911 GT3 Hybrid R has already enjoyed some success on the track, scoring a podium finish in only its second appearance in the Nurburgring Endurance Series. And now porsche it attempting to transfer that proven motorsport pedigree to its road cars.

Using a newly-developed 473bhp 4.0-litre flat-six engine, coupled to a pair of 80bhp motors on the front axle, the hybid race car is designed to be a test bed for future road car applications. So expect the roadgoing 911 hybrid to use the same engine and electric motor combination - making it one of the fastest, but also the most efficient 911 ever when it goes on sale in 2012.

Click the title for the source