Porsche scoop special: Porsche 550

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It's Porsche Scoop Week at CAR Online, as we bring you the lowdown on every future Porsche on our radar. These are exciting times in Stuttgart as Porsche is subsumed into the Volkswagen bosom - and the pace of new model development is accelerating. Stay tuned this week as we uncover every new Porsche sports car coming in 2011, 2012, 2013 and beyond!

Project Mimo is the working title for Porsche's new junior sports car, a sub-Boxster coupe plopping Porsche right into Elise territory.

Loosely dubbed Porsche 550, the new entry-level Porsche would be twinned with Audi's proposed R5 and Volkswagen's BlueSport. The projects are still at an engineering feasibility stage and none has yet been greenlighted. Officially, at least.

Our artist's impression gives a flavour of what the new Porsche 550 could look like. Frankly, we hope any production version would suffer less from the Boxster-is-a-911-is-a-classic-Porsche Russian doll syndrome that afflicts so many of the current range.

Porsche 550: the engineering story

The whole of Project Mimo - standing for Mittelmotor, or mid-engined - has only recently been transferred from Wolfsburg to Weissach. Creating a common DNA for all three models (and others not yet mentioned) is a huge challenge for the Porsche engineers under their new R&D chief Wolfgang Hatz, who used to be the number one engine guy at VW.

The VW Group architecture destined for these models is expected to be MSS, and product planners are investigating Porsche, Audi and VW editions, most likely in roadster and coupé form. But sources tell CAR that further additions like Speedster/Spyder/Shooting Brake are all being considered.

Four- and five-cylinder engines will be the staple powerplants, and it'll offer rear- and - for Audi - all-wheel drive.

Manual and seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions are being factored in, while the power steering will be electric and optional brake upgrades ceramic. Magnaride adaptive dampers are also on the to-do list at Weissach.

Porsche 550 gets a 1.9-litre flat four

While the Audi version will sport a five-cylinder engine from the TTS/R, Porsche is developing a new trademark horizontally opposed four-cylinder for the 550.

Engineers say that turbocharged versions of the new 1.9-litre are capable of developing 210bhp and 215lb ft of torque. Relatively modest power outputs for Porsche, but weight should be kept low and don't forget Porsche's obsession with product distinction. While the mid-engined Audi is likely to sport around 340bhp, it doesn't have a Cayman/Boxster to protect.

If Porsche does decide to do a go-faster version (and since when did they not?), the new 550 will accept the larger flat fours being developed for future Caymen/Boxster models by 2014. Whereas today's models use six-pots, CAR has seen plans for a new 2.5-litre flat four turbo, codenamed B4 and listed at 360bhp and 350lb ft.

Porsche scoop special: Porsche 550 (2015) | Secret New Cars | Car Magazine Online

 

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Porsche hasn't been coy about their desire to build a modern-day 550 Spyder and new details are starting to emerge about it.

According to CAR, the roadster is slated to ride on the mid-engine MSS platform which will also underpin the Volkswagen BlueSport and Audi R4. Coupe and convertible variants are expected, but rumors suggest additional body styles - possibly a shooting brake - are under consideration.

Power will likely be provided by a four-cylinder engine, but there's been some debate on the displacement and output. Regardless, the magazine says to expect a turbocharged 1.9-liter unit with 210 hp (157 kW / 213 PS) and 215 lb-ft (291 Nm) of torque.

It all sounds pretty straight forward but keep in mind a recent report by Auto Motor und Sport that stated the BlueSport and R4 Coupe are cancelled. Is CAR just rehashing old material to bolster their Porsche Scoop Special feature this week or does AMS actually have a clue? Who to believe?

Read more: 2014 Porsche 550 Spyder gets rendered and rumored

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Apparently Porsche voted on the 550/551 project and it got an ok to go into the next phase of development.

Here is some speculation:
Base price: 37,000 Euro
2.0L inline 4 turbo with 180 hp, 210 hp and 240hp.
Model year 2018

Here are some renders (from new to old):

 

[Centurion]

I'm not sure who will buy this. The entry level Porsche, the Boxster is already anemic compared with the Boxster S. Who will buy a Porsche with less power and much higher price than a Golf GTI or Audi TT 1.8T?

 

[Levi68]

If to put this in perspective with my possible next pruchase:

Toyota GT86
NA 2.0l H4
200 PS
205 Nm
7.450 RPM
29.990 €

Porsche 550
FI 2.0l H4
200 PS
300 Nm
7.000 RPM
37.000 €


Performance will of the Porsche will be still better than of the Toyota, and I'd say the Porsche will be lighter. The rear seats of the Toyota can't be a heavy argument point as they are nearly useless. Well, 7.000 € more and you have a Porsche is not that bad for those that buy new cars and not second hand. But of course I am not sure I'll be interested in it, I would be ready to pay double (60.000 €) to get a Cayman.

 

[Guibo]

I'm not sure who will buy this. The entry level Porsche, the Boxster is already anemic compared with the Boxster S. Who will buy a Porsche with less power and much higher price than a Golf GTI or Audi TT 1.8T?

I would venture that perhaps a pure sports car driving enthusiast who doesn't want the risk of a sloppy-seconds Boxster or someone who just wants a sports car as a fashion accessory (as many are often used) might be interested.
If this thing is lighter than the Boxster, its power/wt may be similar. At the estimated 300Nm, it's already 20 more than the Boxster so I doubt it'll feel sluggish. It might be an even better handling car than the Boxster or with a shorter wheelbase, it might feel livelier at more normal road speeds than a Boxster.

 

[Levi68]

I would venture that perhaps a pure sports car driving enthusiast who doesn't want the risk of a sloppy-seconds Boxster or someone who just wants a sports car as a fashion accessory (as many are often used) might be interested.
If this thing is lighter than the Boxster, its power/wt may be similar. At the estimated 300Nm, it's already 20 more than the Boxster so I doubt it'll feel sluggish. It might be an even better handling car than the Boxster or with a shorter wheelbase, it might feel livelier at more normal road speeds than a Boxster.

But it will need H4, not I4.

 

[SCOTT27]

The impression I got at the pre-Geneva symposium was that Porsche did not want or need this car purely because the Boxster is more than adequate for the entry Porsche (Porsche's actual comment) much to the annoyance of Audi which killed both the Quattro and R4 projects purely because Porsche did not want the internal competition. And the New Boxster is perhaps the best looking Boxster yet.

 

[Merc1]

I agree, no need for this thing.


M

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Baby Boxster on way | News | Auto Express

Could this small roadster bring Porsche’s legendary driving thrills to a new generation of customers – and at a lower price, of less than £30,000?

The sports car maker is preparing a production case for the model, which would sit below the Boxster as a new and more affordable entry point to its range.

With successive generations of the Boxster getting gradually bigger, more powerful and more expensive, now could be the time for Porsche to launch a sports car that costs almost £10,000 less than its existing ‘base’ model.

We’ve produced these images to show you how it could look. The as-yet-unnamed car has been on the cards since 2009, when parent company VW unveiled the BlueSport concept. Audi revealed its rear-drive e-tron concept in 2010 – both were based on the same mid-engined platform.

 

[Centurion]

A German MR2. I like it, as long as its affordable because I doubt that customers at the entry level accept paying €600 for mats that should be standard.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

More info from Automobile Magazine:
http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1205_the_porsche_550_revival_lives/

One year ago, Porsche chief Mattias Mueller let it known that a compact, open-top, two-seater would make a useful addition to the brand. Only nine months later, however, Herr Mueller stated that the time may not yet be right for such a new entry-level model. Misunderstanding, change of strategy, red herring? A bit of everything, it seems. Having spoken to the vehicle line chiefs from Weissach and to representatives of the supplier community, we are confident that proposed mid-engined project 551 has not been cancelled.​

However, it will no longer go into production in 2014 as originally planned; nor is its fate inseparably linked anymore to Volkswagen's VW215, better known as the BlueSport. Although Porsche is still working on a low-cost version of its new mid-engined platform - dubbed MSB-M - the 551 program has been delayed until 2017.​

How come? Reason number one: VW has gone lukewarm on the BlueSport, which is now deemed too expensive, too radical in concept, too small for North America, and of too narrow appeal to generate sufficiently high production volumes. Reason number two: Audi has never really like the idea of Porsche fathering the proposed R5 that would be positioned between the TT and the R8. Reason number three: Porsche has its plate full completing certified money makers like the Audi Q5-based Macan crossover, the facelifted Panamera, and half a dozen derivatives of the new 991-generation 911.​

"We need to concentrate on our cash-cows before entering a new segment where profit margins are notoriously critical," explains a senior strategist from Stuttgart. "But once we are done with the 918 Spyder, the 960 [Ferrari-fighting] supercar, and the new Panamera, a window will open between 2016 and 2018 which may be wide enough to get the Mimo[551] project under way after all."​

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A Porsche-only product, but with VW economies of scale​

The Porsche 551 is inspired by the legendary lightweight 550 roadster built between 1953 and 1957 and is based on the brand-new modular sports car matrix, known in VW Group parlance as MSB. Due in 2016, MSB will work for front-, mid-, and rear-engined models with either rear- or all-wheel drive. In theory, the mid-engined variant (MSB-M) would cover the entire spectrum from the four-cylinder 551 to the V-12-powered Lamborghini Aventador replacement. To meet this ambitious target, MSB-M must be extremely flexible in terms of dimensions, weight, and engineering content. Common denominators earmarked for all variants include the electronic architecture, the A/C modules, and the various shared engines, as well as elements of the vehicle structure such as platform and firewalls. While the number of fixed hard points is relatively small, the scalability breaks new ground by offering a wide selection of bodystyles, chassis variations and drivetrain applications.​

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If all goes according to plan, the Porsche 551 will later be twinned with the next-generation Boxster and Cayman. Joining forces with VW and Audi would, of course, significantly improve the economies of scale, but there is probably enough volume in the $45,000 to $60,000 ([euro]35,000 to [euro]45,000) bracket for Porsche to go this alone. Although the global demand for affordable sports cars is declining, a strong product and a strong brand name should still make a serious impact.​

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Retro design, modern power​

The 551 would be launched as a roadster, but a coupe edition is set to follow suit in 2018. At this point, two design proposals are fighting each other for approval. One is notably more retro, displaying prominent power domes behind the rollover hoops and striking longitudinal air vents inspired by the original 550. The rivaling concept looks much cleaner, more modern - and somewhat more anonymous.​

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In either case, the sole available engine would be a turbocharged flat-four cylinder. Featuring aluminum block and heads, variable valve timing, an adaptive intake system, direct fuel injection, and a choice of one or two turbochargers, the only initially envisioned displacement is 1.6 liters. Expect three different tuning stages rated at 180 (551 base), 210 (551 S), and 240 (551 R) hp. The manual gearbox and the optional dual-clutch PDK transmission each sport seven forward ratios, just like the larger 911.​

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[mod9]

I honestly don't know what to think of the 550, part of me says no while the other part thinks it may be a good-ish idea.


Anyway, back to the award, I really, really, really love the Porsche 911 design and a well deserved award to Porsche! I am just concerned and a little worried by the idea of relegating the 911 to a lower level of Porsche cars when the Spyder and the 960 arrive. I still like the design of the Spyder but I would prefer to have a high-end Porsche supercar looking exactly like the 911.

 

[Centurion]

If Porsche decide to go ahead with a mid+engined 458 Italia fighter then it should look like what's above.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Autobild render:

 

[Kilcrohane]

over 2 years on - 'Porsche 718':

sub-Boxster, 1,200 kilos, 4-cyl. boxer turbo engine, 360 PS, €40k, on sale 2016.

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/porsche-718-vorschau-5143330.html

 

[rollo]

I read somewhere that this project had been killed?

 

[Kilcrohane]

I read somewhere that this project had been killed?

- it was 'back-burnered'.

Now that the engineers have done the Macan, 918, and presumably Ferrari 458 competitor as good as finished, there's probably both a good deal of spare engineering capacity and heaps of funding cash lying around - Porsche is genuinely the world's most profitable car company - as well as an increasing urge to shove the words of many car 'experts' back down their throats, who continually lambast Porsche for being a glorified SUV maker, with this thrilling new sports car, which might not make the owners of Porsche the fortune a Macan or Cayenne does, but will properly reconnect Porsche with its roots from the 1950s and 60s.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

 

[rollo]

- it was 'back-burnered'.

Now that the engineers have done the Macan, 918, and presumably Ferrari 458 competitor as good as finished, there's probably both a good deal of spare engineering capacity and heaps of funding cash lying around - Porsche is genuinely the world's most profitable car company - as well as an increasing urge to shove the words of many car 'experts' back down their throats, who continually lambast Porsche for being a glorified SUV maker, with this thrilling new sports car, which might not make the owners of Porsche the fortune a Macan or Cayenne does, but will properly reconnect Porsche with its roots from the 1950s and 60s.

Could be I suppose. The wife's new Boxster S is outrageously good but the price has also been rising to the point where an "entry level" may open up another market for Porsche.