Porsche’s recent shift away from an EV-heavy future could be about to produce something rather unexpected. A new report claims the Stuttgart manufacturer is considering a flagship supercar powered by an eight-cylinder boxer engine, potentially creating a new model positioned well above the 911.
The project is reportedly known internally as the S1 and could form an important part of CEO Michael Leiters’ strategy to refocus Porsche on combustion engines, exclusivity and higher-margin models.
Porsche S1 Could Become The Brand’s New Flagship
Leiters is expected to outline Porsche’s next strategic phase at the company’s Capital Markets Day on October 7, with the rumoured flagship potentially forming part of those plans.
Porsche has spent the past few years dealing with weaker demand in China, costly changes to its electric vehicle strategy and falling profitability. Under Leiters, who previously headed McLaren, the company has been moving towards a lower-volume and more exclusive business model.
A halo model sitting above the 911 would fit neatly into that strategy.
Eight-Cylinder Boxer Engine Could Be The Big Surprise
Perhaps the most interesting part of the report concerns the engine.
Rather than using another evolution of Porsche’s familiar flat-six, the S1 is said to be under consideration with an eight-cylinder boxer engine.
Porsche has experience with flat-eight engines through its motorsport history, but the configuration has never found its way into one of the company’s series-production road cars.
Interestingly, RUF recently revealed its own 4.8-litre twin-turbo flat-eight producing more than 1,000 hp (746 kW) and 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque. There is currently nothing to suggest Porsche’s rumoured engine has any connection to the RUF unit, but the timing certainly makes the idea of a modern flat-eight supercar even more intriguing.
Styling details remain scarce, although speculation suggests the S1 could retain some visual connection to the Porsche 911 rather than adopting an entirely unrelated design.
What should separate the two cars is price.
Reports suggest the new flagship could cost around €500,000, placing it comfortably above even the most expensive regular 911 derivatives.
At that level, Porsche would effectively be returning to territory occupied by cars such as the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder, although there is currently no indication that the S1 would be positioned as a direct successor to either.
Porsche Is Reshaping Its Business
The possible supercar forms only one part of a much broader overhaul taking place at Porsche.
Leiters has already made it clear that chasing ever-higher production volumes is no longer the priority. Annual output could eventually settle at around 200,000 vehicles, a substantial departure from the previous ambition to produce between 350,000 and 400,000 cars annually.
The company is also dealing with significant workforce reductions. Around 9,000 positions are already due to disappear under existing restructuring measures by 2035. A recent report claimed Volkswagen’s supervisory board had identified scope for roughly another 4,100 cuts at Porsche, but Leiters subsequently told employees that no additional reductions beyond the already agreed programme are currently planned.
Combustion Engines Are Back At The Centre Of Porsche’s Plans
Whatever happens with the S1, Porsche’s wider direction has become increasingly clear.
The company is no longer betting as heavily on a rapid transition towards fully electric vehicles. Combustion engines and plug-in hybrids are expected to remain important for considerably longer than originally planned, while EVs will continue alongside them.
Porsche has already confirmed that the 911 will not become fully electric, while the company has also acknowledged that its decision to make the latest Macan exclusively electric was a mistake.
There are similar signs elsewhere in the range. The combustion-powered Cayenne will continue alongside the electric version, with an almost undisguised Cayenne Turbo GT Weissach recently spotted testing at the Nürburgring.
A flat-eight supercar would be the clearest statement yet that Porsche still sees a future for highly specialised combustion-powered machinery.
For now, the S1 remains unconfirmed. October 7 could give us a much better idea of whether Porsche is genuinely preparing to put an eight-cylinder boxer engine into a road car for the first time.