More details on the upcoming Porsche V8 Ferrari 458 Italia rival

May 4, 2011February 16, 2012 Omar Rana Coupes, Porsche 918, Porsche 961, Sports Cars, Supercars

Porsche is said to be working on a new V8-powered, mid-engine supercar that will sit above the 911 but below the very expensive and limited 918 Spyder. According to reports, the all-new model is directly aimed at the Ferrari 458 Italia and the McLaren MP4-12C and will be priced competitively.

The new Porsche will be called the 961, a badge that should resonate with motorsport fans. The Porsche 961 was a racecar built in 1986 based on the 959 supercar and was designed to compete in Group B sports car racing.

Power for the Porsche 961 will come from a 4.8 twin-turbo V8 from the Panamera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo and will produce around 600-hp.

When can we expect to see the Porsche 961 on the roads. Insiders suggest as soon as 2013 – the same year the Porsche 918 Spyder is scheduled to start production.

PS: We’ve heard about this new V8 Porsche before.

Refresher: The Porsche 918 RSR is built on a stiff carbon fiber plastic monocoque and is powered by a direct-injected V8 from the RS Spyder making 563-hp. The two electric-motors on the front wheels contribute a burst of 150 kW bringing output to peak drive power of 767-hp. The additional jump in power is generated during braking and is stored in an optimised flywheel accumulator.