Ten years after the Porsche 918 Spyder left showrooms, the German automaker may finally be gearing up to replace its former flagship. Reports circulating in the German press point to a new standalone supercar project, internally referred to as "S1," that is said to be in active development.

According to the reports, the S1 will break from Porsche's usual playbook by introducing an entirely new flat-8 boxer engine rather than relying on the flat-six architecture that underpins the 911 lineup. Technical specifics have not been disclosed, but the engine is expected to give the car its own distinct identity, separate from the character Porsche enthusiasts associate with the 911's signature six-cylinder layout.

Pricing details have also emerged alongside the engine rumors. The S1 is said to be targeted at a base price of roughly €500,000, which converts to approximately $574,000 based on current exchange rates. That figure would place the car firmly in hypercar territory, well above the price point of most of Porsche's current lineup, signaling that the company intends for this model to serve as a genuine successor to the 918 Spyder's flagship status.

The timing of the S1 rumors comes as Porsche navigates a broader shift across its range. While the company appears to be exploring a return to a high-performance, combustion-powered halo car, it is simultaneously pushing forward with electrification at the other end of its lineup. The all-electric versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman remain under development, with the Boxster variant recently spotted undergoing testing in the United States.

Details on the S1 remain scarce for now, and Porsche has not officially confirmed the project. Given the decade-long wait since the 918 Spyder's production run ended, however, anticipation for a new flagship is likely to build quickly if further information surfaces. The combination of a bespoke flat-8 engine and a price tag well north of half a million euros suggests Porsche is aiming to create something distinct from its existing performance models, rather than simply building a more powerful variant of an existing platform.

For now, enthusiasts will have to rely on reports out of Germany as the only source of insight into the project, with no official timeline, specifications, or confirmation yet provided by Porsche itself regarding when or if the S1 will reach production.

Source: The Supercar Blog

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