Wednesday 9th May 2012

Porsche plans four-seat mid-engined coupe

Weissach has Ferrari FF in its sights with radical super-coupe

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Those PHers with sharp memories, or a predilection for Porsches, may remember we brought you news last year of the company's plans to slot a model between the 911 and the forthcoming 918 supercar.

989 concept never made production

At the time, the German press had been reporting that the new car would be effectively a successor to the techno-fest that was the 959 of the 1980s and perhaps a revival of the old 989 concept. Well we have news on that front. The new car looks like being a numerical successor to the 959 - it's been dubbed the 960, at least by the press - but instead of a conventional supercar it's expected to be a four-seat mid-engined coupe.

In an article on US mag Automobile's website a couple of weeks back, detailing the VW Group's new product we noticed nestled in a part describing the new MSB-M platform, this little nugget:

"Porsche 960, a four-door coupe due in late 2015. The 960 will be the lead car for the new MSB-M platform."

Porsche four-door plans remain blurry

Which means we can expect the 960 to be a mid-engined, rear- and/or all-wheel-drive offering.

Automobile's Georg Kacher goes on to say that the new car will be a direct rival for Ferrari (you've got to be thinking FF), being nicknamed the 'Fefi', or Ferrari-fighter.

And the motive power it will use to take on Maranello? A twin-turbo flat-six. Should be interesting...

 

 

 

 

[AndrewSV]

I thought this gap was already filled by the Panamera? :S

[number1nesta]

The closing line; 'Should be interesting...'. Not for me if it's anything like the Panamera.

Oh, and yes, isn't this niche already populated by the Panamera? Is this a Porsche/VW example of models massively overlapping, yet again?

[Chicane-UK]

I will predict that it looks almost exactly like the Panamera then.. just a little bit shorter.

[TrivsTom]

Again, its a niche filled by the Panamera. The idea of a mid-engine four seater sounds ridiculous, unless its a Citroen DS-style front-mid set up, it will take up loads of passenger space..

[Mr-B]

Chicane-UK said:

I will predict that it looks almost exactly like the Panamera then.. just a little bit shorter.

You mean a bit like a 911 with 4 doors?

[Zod]

Of course, the FF is a roaring success for Ferrari, so it's inevitable that Porsche would follow it.

Er.

[mogjay]

Don't make this Porsche, hurry up and cut up the brilliant but ugly panamera and make a 928 for the 21st century instead please

[needham]

Lets hope it looks like a nice little French " Fefi " and not a Dusselburg "Doris". I don't hold out much hope though if it looks anything like the Panamera.

[LotusOmega375D]

Tomorrow they'll be announcing a twin-engined hybrid unicycle, just to make sure they've got that particular niche covered.

Oh hang on a moment: apparently BMW & Mercedes are also looking into that market.

[Johnboy Mac]

So, it's a 911 LWB version crossed with Boxster and a couple of doors added. Inspiring.

[goron59]

Will they put the engine between the front and rear seats?

[garypotter]

If Porsche build it the public will buy it, regardless of the looks -(cayenne)

The panamera imho just looks wrong to long and huge, but it sells and with the money Porsche make on their road cars means that Porsche can keep racing??

[Matt UK]

hmmmmm...

Well, my view is that if these avenues Porsche keeps heading down create the profitability to secure funds and resource to race and develop the RS end of the sportscar market, crack on.

[deltashad]

mogjay said:

Don't make this Porsche, hurry up and cut up the brilliant but ugly panamera and make a 928 for the 21st century instead please

Quite. Porsche need to stop playing with offroaders and saloon cars.
If they want to be different do a 928 style pick up, or a 944 estate type car.

[tommy vercetti]

Just hope it does not look like a Panamera. fk me that car is hideously ugly

[J4CKO]

deltashad said:

Quite. Porsche need to stop playing with offroaders and saloon cars.
If they want to be different do a 928 style pick up, or a 944 estate type car.

Love the 944 estate, kind of M Coupe-esque but a bit more useful. Porsche should do another 944, mainly as I need something to buy when I am 60.

[ThunderSpook]

tommy vercetti said:

Just hope it does not look like a Panamera. fk me that car is hideously ugly

Have you actually seen one out on the open road, or had one come up behind you on the motorway?

The Panamera is a fantastic looking car when it's on the road, big and graceful yet still sporty. It's a brilliant thing. It just doesn't take good pictures.

[Twincam16]

Been done before...

[Krikkit]

ThunderSpook said:

tommy vercetti said:

Just hope it does not look like a Panamera. fk me that car is hideously ugly

Have you actually seen one out on the open road, or had one come up behind you on the motorway?

The Panamera is a fantastic looking car when it's on the road, big and graceful yet still sporty. It's a brilliant thing. It just doesn't take good pictures.

I've got to disagree with you there - it looks better in the metal than pictures suggest, mostly because it's quite imposing, but it's still pretty a nasty thing to behold. Certainly not as nice as an XJ or Quattroporte by any stretch, even the pretty mediocre 7 series looks decent next to it.

[lgomgf]

Zod said:

Of course, the FF is a roaring success for Ferrari, so it's inevitable that Porsche would follow it.

Er.

Inst the Panamera front engined like the FF... so I am missing something here...