C.J. Ichiban

I'll also say this- there is no way in hell that audi will have a car that competes directly with an RSR.

if audi and porsche "cup cars" slug it out, so be it- but porsche will not allow the RSR to race the R8. that is why the audi is a GT3 car!

the good thing is, this means someone could actually race the r8 it in the Rolex GT series...

Spyderidol

Agreed! The interesting part of the quote was " Rumours abound that it will produce a mid-engine 911".

MJSpeed

Guys,

Is there something mid-engine...it sure looks like it to me

Will Porsche continue to have the 911...YES! Will it be mid-engine...maybe...maybe not

MJSpeed

The fate of the 911 is NOT in question. And by no means does Porsche or anyone at Weissach I spoke with considers it a curse, more like a worshipable idol. Plus the design and engineering of it continues to evolve, they won't "run out" of new and better ideas/technology. How come no-one says the same thing about the oldest configuration; front-engined cars...

You're so close and at the same time so far...

kcl

LOL...I was thinking the same thing.

zizu

-Hello Mr dealer, I would like to be in line for one.

-For one what?

-hu...


I don't think the car on the picture is a 911. The front track is much wider, the wheelbase is longer and the front and rear overhangs are smaller.
So if I understand correctly, it would be a new 5th model. A mid-engine.
It's possible because Porsche said they want the Cayman/Boxster to be an entry level model and are considering 4 cylinders engine for it.
So it would be:

-Cayman/Boxster (entry level)
-911 (the classic)
-New mid engine (the sport one)
-Panamera (family sedan)
-Cayenne (whatever!)

cello

MJSpeed - Fixed it for you

Ok, Ok, its a mid engined Cayenne, right?

zizu may be on to something re the model lineup, me thinks (otherwise I cannot square the witnesses' various statements) - Altho, the nomenclature may suggest a derivative of one model vs the other. Any other hints??

am722

This GTxxxx...if you had to guess at an MSRP, would it be north of $250k?

C.J. Ichiban

xxx not xxxx

good question. that figure was my guess actually...perhaps fully optioned.

Jim W

Tantalizing.

How about a modern 911 GT1 RS with flat 8 moved forward, no rear seats, low content, low weight?

Or is it a 911 GT2 RS? OK, how about a GT RSR?

You guys are killing us!

C.J. Ichiban

the car from page one? I think it's a jacked up version of a C4S PDK test car that they're using for high mileage runs. when was this photo actually taken, and where?

I didn't see that particular car while I was there...I saw the car pictured in the link that I posted.

you want to get really into a conspiracy theory?

it's the v10 or v12 TDI audi prototype. the fact that windows are literally blacked out is super suspicious. I do not think that this is a mid-engine porsche test car...but it does look like different stuff is going on in the engine bay. the width of the track, the cuts in the fenders, etc point to this thing being a frankencar.

it for sure has FWD components- otherwise there would be no reason for that kind of track width in the front. it is definitely trying to hide whatever is going on in the engine bay/rear section of the car...and the standard front mk2 components on the front bumper are too narrow...but why the 996GT3 seats? all the test cars we saw had new GT2 seats in them and rollbars- safety first!

so it is either a C4S or a TT drivetrain and the car has been beat to **** (hence the ugly bodywork)

or, it's a mid-engine car from another manufacturer. you can't just slap a v10 or v12 TDI into the R8 and run it around because people would know right away what it was...

apparently tomorrow audi announced (according to wikipedia- dec 9th is tomorrow and it's only 6am in europe right now) the v10 finally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R8

my point with all of this is that either way that first page pictures a fugly *** car.

if porsche does a mid-engine, it will be a range topper like the CGT. this car doesn't look like that to me, sorry to say.

Carrera GT

If you put things on pedestals, they tend to fall over sooner or later.

Call me a pedant, but the GT1 blurs the 911 line -- I think it's reasonable to say the GT1 defines the exception, but the 911 is a rear engine design by definition.

Well, this thread is taking a turn for the outlandish, so here's my contribution to the word association football game.

As for Porsche these days, if they're willing to put "GTS" on a Cayenne; they're willing to put lip-stick on a pig or a pit-bull or anything in-between and call it macaroni. I think the "change" that Porsche needs is a new law allowing engineers to shoot marketing staff on sight. If Porsche can deliver a GT1, race it and win Le Mans, all will be well with the world and forsooth Obama for he is the Kwisatz Haderach!

MJSpeed

You pedant!

All I'm saying is, this argument about the 911 configuration getting old has been around since the 70's and yet like the race variations of it...it continues to motor on...Porsche understands the significance and blessing that is the 911...bread and butter.

RajGT3

There will be a front/mid engine 2 door 911 ish model coming out loosely based on the look of the panamera.

C.J. Ichiban

well with the rear end of the panamera being ugly- what is the point of that exactly?