Porsche made an impressive showing at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this year with its 911 GT3 R Hybrid.
But don't think for even one power-boosted second that its hybrid initiative was a one-time affair for the Stuttgart-based automaker. Not, at least, if the latest reports from Germany prove accurate.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, mere days after the conclusion of this year's race, Porsche is already preparing to campaign a competition-spec version of the 918 Spyder at the Ring next year. The 918 Spyder concept debuted just a few months ago at the Geneva Motor Show to rave reviews. Derived from the same program that gave birth to the 917, 911 GT1 and RS Spyder, the 918 Spyder packs 718 horsepower of combined output, 90 miles per gallon and a simulated Nordschleife lap time of 7:30, making it an ideal machine to contest the grueling endurance race. We'll just have to wait a year to find out whether it lives up to its promise or falls victim to arch-rival BMW.
Get ready for a blast from Porsche’s past! The German firm is developing a luxurious, front-engined grand tourer – a spiritual successor to the 928 built between 1977 and 1995. The ‘new 928’ will be a fifth model line, and is designed to sit above the sportier 911 in the range.
With the compact Boxster and Cayman, the 911, the Cayenne SUV and four-door Panamera, Porsche would appear to have most bases covered. But it’s notable for its absence in the front-engined GT segment. The newcomer will allow the brand to take on rivals such as the Ferrari 599 GTB, Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9. And our exclusive pictures show exactly why the curvy, Panamera-based coupé is set to stun the competition.
Essentially it’s a two-door, short-wheelbase version of the Panamera, which will help to spread the £1.1billion development costs of that model. Its front-engined layout has a number of inherent benefits, too.
A rear-engined 911 has barely more than 100 litres of luggage space, but a similarly sized GT with its motor up front would offer a useful 320 litres – a vital attribute if the new 928 is to be taken seriously as a grand tourer.
While the nose is virtually identical to the Panamera, the shortened wheelbase and 2+2 layout mean the 928 features far smoother lines at the back. One of the major criticisms levelled at the four-door Panamera was its bloated rear, but this model’s muscular haunches and neater proportions should attract a new wave of style-conscious customers.
As you’d expect from Porsche, though, driver appeal remains a top priority. The engine line-up will mirror that of the Panamera, so a 4.8-litre V8, with or without a turbocharger, producing 500bhp or 400bhp, will be available. The naturally aspirated variant is set to come with four or rear-wheel drive, while the range-topping turbo model will be 4WD only.
Thirsty V8s aren’t the only power units on the agenda. The Cayenne SUV hybrid is ready to go on sale next year, with a petrol-electric version of the Panamera following closely behind. As the new 928 shares the latter’s platform, it’s sure to get the hybrid drivetrain, too.
An Audi S4-sourced 369bhp 3.0-litre supercharged V6, coupled to a 38kW electric motor, will give the hybrid 928 fuel economy that breaks the 30mpg barrier. That will make it the most frugal petrol-powered Porsche ever, while still providing hair-raising performance.
The 928 will slot into Porsche’s pricing line-up somewhere between the 911 and Panamera. The four-door ranges from £70,000-£95,000, while the 911 starts a little lower, at just over £60,000, but stretches to £128,000 for the GT2.
With this is mind, expect the 928 to be pitched between £65,000 and £90,000 – enough to safely undercut its Ferrari and Aston rivals when it goes on sale in 2012.
Cayenne is first Porsche to get diesel power, thanks to 3.0-litre V6 from Audi.
The Panamera isn’t the only big news from Stuttgart this week – Porsche has also announced its first diesel!
From February, the Cayenne off-roader will be available with a 3.0-litre V6 oil-burner. The unit is sourced from Audi, which uses it in the Q7 4x4.
Porsche’s decision to adopt diesel power was taken in the wake of European regulations that bring in tax incentives for manufacturers who produce oil-burners. The firm also claims that its stake in Volkswagen gives it access to a wide range of diesel units, which will allow the firm to develop sporty diesel models quickly.
The Cayenne’s 240bhp motor is claimed to achieve 30.4mpg, with CO2 emissions of 244g/km – while also delivering instant throttle response, thanks to 550Nm of torque. Performance figures are yet to be confirmed, but the 0-60mph time is expected to be faster than the heavier Q7’s 8.5-second benchmark.
The new model, which comes with a Tiptronic S automatic gearbox as standard, will cost £40,25.
