Autoblog

Porsche 960 could come with quad-turbo flat-eight engine

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Rumormill, Luxury

Getting a bead on the target that is the so-called Porsche 960 is not easy, as the target keeps moving. First labeled the 960, then the 961, and now back to being called the 960, it is Porsche's take on a supercar specifically aimed at Ferrari - the latest report in Automobile says that Porsche's internal moniker for it is "FeFi," which stands for "Ferrari Fighter." Because it is expected to cost as much as the top-tier V12 Ferrari, Porsche wants the engine solution to justify the price tag. That means, according to author Georg Kacher, a 3.9-liter, quad-turbo flat-eight engine with 650 horsepower.

Last summer, the engine was mooted to be a twin-turbo flat six. A few months later, the rumor was that it would use the 4.6-liter V8 from the 918 and have about 570 horsepower. This new mid-engine configuration would be quite the leap, giving the 960 more power than the 918 Spyder (pictured) and 911 GT2 RS, and utilize other tech features like four adjustable camshafts and "a complex multistage intake manifold." In this scenario, power would be run through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive.

Build materials are still slated to be a hodgepodge of materials including aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, titanium and magnesium. The boosted flat-eight, all-wheel drive and a 3,000-pound weight could get the 960 from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 2.5 seconds. Since it is looking squarely at Ferrari, the idea that the 960 will be a "four-door coupe" can probably be put to rest. For now.

Porsche 960 could come with quad-turbo flat-eight engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auto Express: Porsche confirms Ferrari 458-fighting 961 supercar

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

The haze around the mid-engined Porsche supercar being bred to fill the space between the 911 and 918 Spyder is clearing. A few months ago, combined intel from Automobile and Car was that the 960, a challenger to the Ferrari 458, would either be a coupe or a "four-door coupe" powered by a twin-turbo flat-six and priced "on the creepy side of 200,000 euro." Auto Express has just reported that the new car is "set to be called the 961" and cost in the area of 250,000 pounds, reflecting a lower price than was supposed last year.

Exotic technology runs downhill and Auto Express suggests the 961 will be a heavy study from the 918's chapbook, utilizing a monocoque chassis from the same CFRP materials and the 918's 4.6-liter V8. The deep haze returns again in the predictions of how those details will come together, though. Theorized output is 570 horsepower, which is the horsepower number of the engine in the 918 but less than the 620 hp in the current 911 GT2 RS, the 961 going without the electric motors of its hybrid brother. The sprint from naught to 60 miles per hour is pegged at just above three seconds, which would put it in the same bracket as the 918 and nearly a second faster than the GT2 RS.

We await more word from The Oracle to know where the 961 will get its looks from - the 911 or 918 side of the family.

Auto Express: Porsche confirms Ferrari 458-fighting 961 supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speculation runs rampant on Porsche Pajun and 960 supercar

Noah Joseph — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:27:00 EST

There's no question that Porsche is on the move. The company that once revolved almost entirely around the 911 has since expanded to include smaller sportscars, sedans and SUVs, and is showing little sign of slowing down. The Cajun is set to arrive shortly to slot in below the Cayenne, while the 918 supercar will anchor the top end of the company's product line-up. But that ain't all.

Porsche is also said to be working on a Junior Panamera tentatively known as the Pajun, though we pray that's just a temporary moniker until the final name is announced. Britain's Car magazine claims the Pajun could breed sedan, coupe, convertible and even shooting brake derivatives, and share its underpinnings with upcoming models from Bentley and Lamborghini as well. Both those bits of information, however, have also been said about the next-generation Panamera under which the Pajun is meant to slot, so we'd take that bit with a grain of salt.

Powertrain options, meanwhile, are speculatively tipped to include V6 engines producing as much as 550 horsepower in direct-injection, turbo form, a twin-turbo V8 topping 600, a plug-in hybrid and an array of Audi-sourced diesels, driving either the rear wheels or all four - all of which also seems conspicuously Panamera-like.

Back at the heart of what Porsche does best, the 961 project that was initially expected to pack a twin-turbo V8 in a 911-based chassis has, according to CAR, been dropped in favor of what's now being dubbed as the 960. The supercar would still slot below the 918 but reportedly be based on a new mid-engine platform, separate from both the 911 and the next-generation Lamborghini Gallardo and Audi R8.

Considering the synergies which the Volkswagen Group seems keen to bank on and the number of cars the group already fields in this segment, that doesn't seem likely, but the plan to switch to a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six just might, though distinguishing it from the upcoming new 911 Turbo could prove a tough sell even for a mint like Zuffenhausen.

Speculation runs rampant on Porsche Pajun and 960 supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First details of Porsche's next 911-based flagship, the 961

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Porsche, Rumormill

According to German site AutoBild.de, Porsche is prepping a new V8-powered flagship, and it could be wearing three digits on the back that'll strike a chord with motorsports fans. Rumor has it that this next Porsche superstar will be called the 961. If those numbers ring a bell, that's because Porsche created a 961 race car that only saw limited action. Based on the 959, the 961 ran three races before ultimately finding a home in Porsche's Stuttgart-based museum.

It's being reported that this modern 961 will be modeled after the 918 Spyder, yet will arrive in coupe form. Power will be provided by a V8, however, an electric motor will also be available to provide boost and push output up to 600 horsepower. We expect to see the flagship Porsche 961 by 2013.

First details of Porsche's next 911-based flagship, the 961 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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