Porsche 961 Confirmed

Porsche CEO Matthias Muller has finally confirmed that the company is working on a rival for the Ferrari 458 Italia. Muller wants to bridge the gap between performance models such as the 911 GT2 RS and the upcoming £672,000 918 Spyder hybrid supercar. The perfect car to slot into that space is a mid-engined supercar that Muller envisages will cost around £250,000. Porsche hasn’t confirmed a name for the newcomer, but rumours suggest it could be badged 961. It will borrow technology from the 918 Spyder, including a lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic monocoque chassis. Our exclusive image reveals a look inspired by the 918 Spyder and the Panamera Sport Turismo concept that made its debut at the recent Paris Motor Show. Power is likely to come from the 4.6-litre V8 engine used in the 918 Spyder. Expect around 570bhp and a 0-62mph time of just over three seconds – figures to match those of the 458 Italia and McLaren 12C. The new supercar forms part of Porsche’s plans to sell 200,000 cars a year in 2018, but the majority of those sales will come from high-volume models such as the Macan small SUV and the next-generation Cayenne and Panamera families.(AutoExpress)