Porsche is Planning a Ferrari Fighter

Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller wants to take the fight to Ferrari, as Reuters reports the Stuttgart-based automaker’s chief announced his wish for a Porsche-branded supercar. Intended to go head-to-head with the Ferrari 458 Italia, the new car could begin where the short-lived Carrera GT supercar left off. If a Ferrari competitor is destined for production, it could make meeting Porsche’s goals for the future, which include offering more models and selling 200,000 units a year by 2018, within arm’s reach.
In an interview with a German newspaper, Mueller said, “It always irritated me that the [most expensive] 911 tops out at 250,000 euros ($360,000) and then the 918 continues starting at 750,000 euros ($1,090,000)…In between, Ferrari moseys around relatively comfortably and without any competition.”
Mueller continued, saying, “That is where we need to be. There is still space for a larger sports car, one like the 959 that we built in the 1980s.” If such a model were produced, Mueller says it could cost between 250,000 and 400,000 euros ($581,000). Automobile, our sister publication, recently went inside Porsche to discover more about the company’s Ferrari fighter, codenamed the 960.
Rather than being a derivative of Porsche’s upcoming halo car, the 918, the 960 will lead development of the German automaker’s new platform, known internally as MSB-M, or modular sports car matrix, mid-engine. This platform will underpin several cars from the Volkswagen Group, including the VW Blue Sport, the next Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago, and even the 2018 Porsche 911, through a special version of the platform configured for rear-engine layout. As the platform will be widely used throughout VW’s brands, it will be able to accommodate many engine types, from in-line to boxer layouts, and V-6s to V-12s.
Porsche may opt for a twin-turbo flat-six engine for the 960, as opposed to a V-8 or V-12 found in more conventional supercars. This would save space, lower the car’s center of gravity, and also allow Porsche to pull from its existing parts bin. A twin-turbo six-cylinder could also be more efficient than a V-8 or V-12, while still offering ample power – as much as 600 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque.
Reuters says Porsche has planned three new models for the coming years, including the small Cajun SUV, an entry-level, mid-engine roadster expected to channel the spirits of the 550 Spyder and 356 Speedster, and a smaller version of the Panamera four-door GT. The 960 is still awaiting the green light, but such determination from Porsche’s CEO could mean the company’s future lineup could soon increase to eight models. Porsche’s mid-engine Ferrari competitor could go into production as early as 2015.

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