PORSCHE Considering Flat-8

Falc'man · 08-09-2011, 05:49 PM

Porsche mulls flat-8 for Ferrari rival
30 August 2011

Porsche is considering engineering a flat-eight boxster engine for its Ferrari-rivalling supercar, company bosses have admitted.

At the first unveiling of the new 991-series 911, Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche head of Research and Development said such an engine was ‘possible’. He told Autocar: "We have to go into that market properly equipped.".

This week Porsche CEO Mathhias Müller said he was ‘irritated’ that Porsche didn’t compete with Ferrari in the 250,000 Euros-plus price range. He said there was space for a car like the seminal 1980s high-tech 959 model.

Porsche engineers have long been frustrated by the fact that the company’s iconic flat-six engine cannot be extended much beyond 4.0-litres. It’s also felt that in the Ferrari-dominated market, eight cylinders are a pre-requisite.

Moving to a larger engine would also differentiate the new model from the new 911 and next-generation Cayman range. It’s thought that the creation of such an engine has been made easier by the engineering working currently being done on the new turbocharged flat-four engine, which will be offered in Porsche’s planned entry-level roadster. This all-new motor is thought to be modular, allowing it to be extended into the next-generation flat-6 and a flat-8.

Hatz also said that a development of the Carrera GT’s ultra-compact transmission could be used for the new model. Such a transmission would free-up space for the use of the longer eight-cylinder engine.

"We could develop it, of course, One of the key issues is where we put the differential, but it is a possibility," he said.

In 1969 Porsche built two flat-eight equipped versions of the mid-engined 914, one of which was given to Ferry Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche’s son) for his 60th birthday. The other is in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Despite the concept’s age, the 3.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine was still good for nearly 300bhp.

Hilton Holloway

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/258874/

henry 351 · 09-09-2011, 11:58 AM

It would certainly have a unique note, that's for sure. If Porsche were achieving 370hp from a 2 valve, air cooled, 3 litre 8 cylinder back in the early 1970's with the 908, imagine if this concept becomes a reality.

**Polyal** · 09-09-2011, 12:12 PM

Gawd anything Porsche and 8 cylinders is awesome. I believe they even dropped one in the 718, didnt know about the 914/8 only 914/6.

Anyway, I just hope Porsche arent getting to big for their own boots (if possible), they do a good job at nailing what they have now.

burnz · 09-09-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henry 351

It would certainly have a unique note, that's for sure. If Porsche were achieving 370hp from a 2 valve, air cooled, 3 litre 8 cylinder back in the early 1970's with the 908, imagine if this concept becomes a reality.

that i would love to hear, trying to imagine a boxter 8 type is hard

**Polyal** · 09-09-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burnz

that i would love to hear, trying to imagine a boxter 8 type is hard

youtube is your friend. 908, 917 etc

SteveJH · 09-09-2011, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Anyway, I just hope Porsche arent getting to big for their own boots (if possible), they do a good job at nailing what they have now.

Too late for that, they tried to take over VW, and look where that got them.

Bossxr8 · 10-09-2011, 10:23 PM

They already have a V8 in Cayenne and Panamera, why not just use that.

Lower centre of gravity maybe but it hasn't stopped Audi, Ferrari, McLaren etc using V8's.

**Polyal** · 10-09-2011, 10:42 PM

Well I know its just romantic but Porsche to me atleast have some respect for heritage and peruse it. I dont think the V8 is anything overly special anyway.

Road_Warrior · 10-09-2011, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

They already have a V8 in Cayenne and Panamera, why not just use that.

Lower centre of gravity maybe but it hasn't stopped Audi, Ferrari, McLaren etc using V8's.

For Porsche, it would be like the Falcon and it's I6 - the two are intertwined and if they were making an iconic car, it would have to be a Boxer motor.

mrghia · 10-09-2011, 10:54 PM

i think maybe they should design a 911 that looks different. there current 60's design is starting has looked dated since the 90's

**Polyal** · 10-09-2011, 10:55 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO thats what makes it a 911..why follow the rest when you have a perfect design?

FPVGT500 · 10-09-2011, 11:17 PM

Porsche is alreay getting almost 500hp out of a 4.0 NA flat 6 in the GT3 imagine this thing :0

Bossxr8 · 10-09-2011, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

For Porsche, it would be like the Falcon and it's I6 - the two are intertwined and if they were making an iconic car, it would have to be a Boxer motor.

Carrera GT was a V10, and the 918 Spider is a V8 hybrid. They are/were range toppers.

mrghia · 11-09-2011, 12:11 AM

na 40yrs is a bit to long for the same design. I think porsche and holden might have the same design team the do stuff all for years then when when they design something new it still looks crap.

2011G6E · 11-09-2011, 03:16 AM

Shouldn't be too hard...a bit like Mazda with rotaries: you just keep tacking on bits to the end of it to make engines as big as you like, from the humble two rotor up to the four rotor monsters, and bigger ones customisers have built over the years.
With a flat six (which is just an evolution of the flat four that preceeded it), just add two more cylinders and there ya go...instant flat eight.