Thoughts on the new 1.4 litre 4 cylinder Porsche...

[SonnyM]

As has been stated in PP and by a couple of OPC bods the new 1.4 litre 4 cylinder model that sits below the Boxster is on its way...

Question is: How much power can such an engine generate and what weight would the car have to be to make this a fun car?

Looking at Porsche's history the most similar cars I can see are:

1. 550 RS 1500 Spyder - http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsportandevents/moto...

Engine: Air-cooled flat-four engine
Power: 110 bhp at 6200 RPM
Displacement: 1498cc
Weight: 590kg

2. 718 RS60 - http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsportandevents/moto...

Engine: Four-cylinder, air-cooled
Power: 160 HP at 7800 RPM
Displacement: 1587cc
Weight: 550kg

3. 904 Carrera GTS Coupe - http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsportandevents/moto...

Engine: Four-cylinder, air-cooled
Power: 180 HP at 7800 RPM
Displacement: 1966cc
Weight: 530kg

4. 804 Formula 1 - http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsportandevents/moto...

Engine: Eight-cylinder, air-cooled
Power: 180 HP at 9200 RPM
Displacement: 1494 cc
Weight: 452kg

[hornetrider]

Is it really only a 1.4? Is it the twincharged engine out of a Golf GT? 170bhp? If so it needs to be sub 1000kgs.

[OlberJ]

I think i would kill for a new 904.

[JW911]

As a former Elise owner, it works for me. Provided it's light enough.

[marky911]

hornetrider said:

Is it really only a 1.4? Is it the twincharged engine out of a Golf GT? 170bhp? If so it needs to be sub 1000kgs.

This is the engine I thought of straight away. Yes it will need to be bloomin' light.

[mollytherocker]

The Mclaren TAG Honda Turbos managed over 1000bhp from 1500cc in the 80's!

AND sounded incredible.

OK, its a totally different discipline but it can be done.

MTR

[sundayjumper]

All those cars you list are <600kg, no way that's going to happen.

Best case 175bhp & 1100kg.

[mollytherocker]

sundayjumper said:

All those cars you list are <600kg, no way that's going to happen.

Best case 175bhp & 1100kg.

If VW can get 160bhp out of a 1.4T Golf, Porsche could piss 200-220 surely?

MTR

[hornetrider]

mollytherocker said:

If VW can get 160bhp out of a 1.4T Golf, Porsche could piss 200-220 surely?

MTR

You're forgetting Porsche Performance Rules 101. This must not be faster than base Boxster. So, presuming 1100kgs it would need to be sub 200bhp to be slower than a 2.9 I would expect.

[cpufreak]

Porsche 924 originally weighed 1080kg and had 110bhp....

924 Carrera GT had 160bhp..similar weight... and according to Derek Bell (who owns one) its one of the best driving cars ever.

Originally Boxster 2.5 was only 200bhp, and weighed 1250kg.

[OlberJ]

If it's light enough and the handling is spot on, the power isn't going to matter too much.

Could be special.

[fioran0]

didnt i hear that audi, VW and porsche were all going to use the same platform to make essentially the same car as part of the new future?
just what we all need, a porsche below a boxster thats based off an audi chassis.
ill stick my neck out and suggest its going to be crapper than crap. hopefully they will follow through with the concept of calling it the 550 to complete the job of hosing all over themselves.
is the boxster not already an entry level 2 seater roadster?

Edited by fioran0 on Saturday 7th January 03:06

[freedman]

mollytherocker said:

The Mclaren TAG Honda Turbos managed over 1000bhp from 1500cc in the 80's!

MTR

TAG = Porsche

Honda = Honda

[Lowtimer]

cpufreak said:

Porsche 924 originally weighed 1080kg and had 110bhp....

924 Carrera GT had 160bhp..similar weight... and according to Derek Bell (who owns one) its one of the best driving cars ever.

Er, hardly. Even a 924S has either 150 or 160 bhp, depending on year. An ordinary 924 Carrera GT is 210 bhp. The car Derek owns is a 924 Carrera GTS, a car which had a standard 245 bhp. However, his own car was delivered to him with rather more grunt than that, being somewhere between standard spec and GTR spec (375 bhp).

Edited by Lowtimer on Saturday 7th January 10:05

[Matt Seabrook]

In these days of emission regulations it's going to be getting harder and harder to get large capacity engines through euro emissions. We have to face facts that engines are going to get smaller and smaller the new 991 is now 3.4 I believe and I can see that going below 3000cc with the next generation of 911's in the future. Also I believe that manufactures must have one model in the range that can produce low emissions.

[donna180]

>>Question is: How much power can such an engine generate and what weight would the car have to be to make this a fun car?

And/or keep the tyre/grip ratio down as per the Toyota GT-86.....

[SonnyM]

fioran0 said:

didnt i hear that audi, VW and porsche were all going to use the same platform to make essentially the same car as part of the new future?
just what we all need, a porsche below a boxster thats based off an audi chassis.
ill stick my neck out and suggest its going to be crapper than crap. hopefully they will follow through with the concept of calling it the 550 to complete the job of hosing all over themselves.
is the boxster not already an entry level 2 seater roadster?

Edited by fioran0 on Saturday 7th January 03:06

Think it says in my latest copy of PP that Porsche are no longer sharing the platform with the VW Blue Motion concept.

[mollytherocker]

freedman said:

mollytherocker said:

The Mclaren TAG Honda Turbos managed over 1000bhp from 1500cc in the 80's!

MTR

TAG = Porsche

Honda = Honda

Yes of course. How embarrassing! And it is the Honda Turbos I am referring to.

MTR

[Maersk]

Since when has TAG (Techniques Avant Garde) and Mansour Ojjeh been part of Porsche?

[David W.]

Never mind what power it can produce, unless it's 6 cyl or more will it sound any good, other than a Subaru I've not heard a 4 cyl that anywhere near ticks the noise box for me.
dw