Porsche confirms development of new mid-engined sports car

Matthias Muller, CEO of Porsche, has confirmed the company to be working on a new mid-engined sports car aimed to rival Ferrari, McLaren and perhaps even Audi. The new car is assumed to be branded as the 961 and will slot in between the 911 GT2 RS and the upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid supercar. The mid-engined 961 is expected to cost around £250,000 (S$491,774).

The 961 will feature technical knowledge gathered from the 918 Spyder, including a lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced plastic monocoque chassis. The 916 is believed to be powered by a 4.6-litre V8 engine akin to the 918 Spyder with power output of 570bhp and a century sprint timing of slightly over three seconds - capable of matching the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C.

Porsche aims to sell 200,000 cars a year in 2018, and the new 916 model is expected to contribute to the company's plans. However Porsche expects majority of sales to come from volume sellers like the (smaller) Macan SUV and the next-generation Cayenne and Panamera range.