Porsche Turbo-Four Boxer Engine a Possibility Says Engineer
For decades now, Porsche has reserved their turbocharged engines for its top-of-the-line models, such as the 911 Turbo, Panamera Turbo, or Cayenne Turbo. But given the success rival German automaker BMW has been having with its turbocharged powerplants across several of its models, it appears that Porsche may be interested in doing the same.
Turbochargers are being used by several automakers to help boost performance while maintaining great fuel economy with smaller, four-cylinder engines. Now that reliability with turbos isn’t a major issue, a Porsche engineer hinted recently that a four-cylinder, turbocharged boxer engine isn’t out of the question.
The last time the German automaker used a turbo-four in any of its model was back in 1995 on the 968. This move would make sense for Porsche considering their extensive knowledge with turbochargers, and could increase performance in their lower-end models like the Carrera and Carrera S. Whether or not those models will sport the Turbo badge is another question because clearly Porsche wouldn’t want to dilute the prestige of their higher-end models.
Interestingly enough, the engineer also spoke about the potential of a 911 Hybrid, stating that the automaker has no hybrid version of the 911 planned as of yet. The move hasn’t been made due to the extra weight the technology brings, but he did reiterate that it’s not entirely out of the picture. “But, never say never. The required technology is in-house, as seen with the hybrid versions of the Panamera and Cayenne, and the platform is suitable for the powertrain.”
[Source: telegraff.nl]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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