Porsche is burning hot with new innovation and new models, and the 918 Spyder hypercar seems to be just the beginning.  At first, some thought the 918 Spyder might be the successor to last decade’s Carrera GT, but as more and more details of the vicious hybrid beast surfaced we quickly realized this was going to be the absolute tippity-top of the Porsche food chain.  So, what is going to fill that oh-so-sweet spot that we see filled by cars like the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C?  We’ve recently gotten word from from Porsche CEO Matthias Muller that a car to come between the 911 GT2 and 918 Spyder is sure to hit the streets at some point, and many are attaching the 961 designation to it.  Planned to be mid-engined, the 961 will cost ~$400k.  Though pricier than a car like the 458, it will borrow technology from the 918 Spyder such as its lightweight unibody that uses carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) construction.  Expect about 570 horsepower from the 918’s 4.6 liter V8 and a chassis that IS in fact different from the Audi R8 or Lamborghini Gallardo.  Timing is still largely unknown, but at least a few years is a good starting guess before we see traces of this Porsche.

– Evan W.

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