Volkswagen and Porsche may be in a careful courting phase at the moment but soon a mini-war will ensue between the two companies. The new Porsche bosses at VW want to increase annual production to about 150 000 in the next four years. To do that new products must be created and sold.
Porsche insiders have told IN4RIDE that their company is seriously considering adding a couple of new models to its existing range. The main car will be in a segment below the new Panamera.
According to these sources, the car is around the size of an Audi A6 which means it will compete with another VW brand as well as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Most engines are to be shared with the VW group, including turbo diesels and smaller petrols. More powerful units should feature exclusive powerplants such as a 4.0-litre-plus twin turbo worth over 410kW (557hp) and a stonking turbo diesel pushing out over 750Nm of torque.
Two other new Porsche models are being talked about. A smaller SUV based on Audi Q5 underpinnings is under development as well as something below the Boxster/ Cayman range. Contrary to some reports on the interweb, Porsche has no plans whatsoever to get rid of the money-spinning Cayenne SUV.
“You spend millions of Euros developing, promoting and marketing a car,” says our source, “after which it becomes the best-seller in your range, and for what? To discontinue it all one generation later? How much sense does that make?”
Not much indeed we say. We like the idea of a small Porsche but isn’t that why they have a Cayman and the Boxster? How small can you be under those two? Our guess is that either a hot hatchback/ sportback rivalling the Subaru Impreza STI and Ford Focus RS is on the cards or alternatively something the size of a Mazda MX-5/ Miata, based on the VW BlueSport Concept.
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