With all the major car manufacturers taking a big forward step into developing new models, most of them eco-friendly, Porsche is announcing a new member in its line-up, which will be place above the 911.
In an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt, Porsche CEO Matthias Müller has confirmed that the company indeed has plans to build a new supercar to be placed between the 911 and the 918. He said that “there would be room for a mid-engine sports car above the 911.” Such a model “in a price segment of 400,000 euros” has good chances of being built, he adds.
Porsche’s new mid-engine supercar will be a direct competitor for Ferrari’s 458 Italia and its eventual successor. So far no details have emerged on platform and powerplants, but, according to Car and Driver it’s likely that the new supercar will use many components from the upcoming “modular sports architecture” which is being developed for the next generation of Audi, Lamborghini and Porsche sports cars. This exotic supercar will utilize a powerplant that produces over 600 horsepower, which should help push 0-60-mile-per-hour times into the three-second range, while top speed could hover as high as 220 mph.
Even if more vehicles like the Panamera and Cayenne are coming, the new model is part of Porsche CEO Matthias Müller’s plan to change any public perceptions that company’s focus has shifted to building SUVs and four-door sedans. This new model should help tip Porsche’s scales back toward hardcore sports cars. With this in the works, and the company also announcing plans to return to Le Mans with its own team in 2014, we bet Piech is smiling.
Source: CarAndDriver
