Details are still sketchy at this point, but Porsche->ke1 may already be thinking about an all-new supercar as a successor to the 918 Spyder,->ke3629
}} according to a recent report from British media. Take this with a pinch of salt, but Autocar put together some quotes from Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Hatz once again, and it seems that aside from a 918 replacement, the rumored 988->ke4885 mid-engine sports car still has a green light as well.
Powered by a twin-turbocharged V-8 that may or may not be a hybrid but will definitely sit behind the driver in a midship position, the internally codenamed 988 would be pitted against models like the Ferrari 488 GTB or the McLaren 675 LT, both of which are mid-engined and use twin-turbocharged V-8s. The supercar's powerplant would be derived from a new generation of V-8 engines that will be used in the second-generation Panamera and third-generation Cayenne.
As for the hypercar, there is obviously too little information to speculate on the matter right now, even though the 918 Spyder has been already sold out. It would be safe to say that it will also feature a plug-in hybrid powerplant with mountains of horsepower and torque, while the earliest launch date would be somewhere around 2020, or about two years after the 988 supercar. While Porsche is currently busy developing the new Panamera, Cayenne and various 911 and Boxster/Cayman versions, the prospect of two new halo models sounds more than interesting.
Continue reading to learn more about Porsche's future supercars.
Why it matters
Many Porsche purists and car fans in general frowned at the Cayenne->ke212 and the Macan, ->ke2674 but the truth is without the two SUVs we probably wouldn't have had the hardcore Carrera GT->ke2124 and/or the beastly 918 Spyder. With recent reports suggesting that SUV and crossover sales are going nowhere but up in the upcoming years, I think it's more than reasonable to assume that Porsche will continue making cars for the old-school enthusiasts.
As the 911 Turbo->ke571 and Turbo S are now a bit far from the Ferrari 488 GTB and McLaren 675 LT in terms of exclusivity and performance, Porsche does seem to need a mid-engine supercar in the lineup. Something not too exclusive though, as that niche would be covered by a hypercar that doesn't follow any traditional conventions. That said, don't expect a 918 Spyder replacement to arrive any time soon, but the 988 could be less than four years away, based on an all-new modular architecture that can be used on both mid-engined and rear-engined models.