Porsche Bets on Combustion Again: S1 Supercar with Flat-Eight Engine Above 911

A new supercar with a flat-eight engine. That is what Porsche is preparing under the internal codename S1, following years of heavy investment in electric vehicles that faced sales pressure and a sharp decline in the Chinese market. The car will sit above the 911 in the lineup, with German reports estimating a price of around 500,000 euros.

An Engine Never Offered on the Road

The engine is the headline shift. Porsche has historically used the flat-eight in racing cars only, never in a production vehicle meant for road use. If confirmed, the S1 would abandon the flat-six that has powered the Porsche 911 for decades, pushing the brand into entirely new mechanical territory. Different gamble this time.

Michael Leiters Reveals the Plan on October 7, 2026

Timing matters. The capital markets day scheduled for October 7, 2026 will see CEO Michael Leiters present the company's strategy through 2035, with the S1 project expected to feature prominently. Until now, Porsche has not officially announced the car, and all circulating details remain in the realm of pre-announcement reports. No final specs. No official pricing.

The Numbers Behind the U-Turn

Financial pressure is real. Porsche deliveries fell 16.5% in the first half of 2026 to 122,306 vehicles, down from 146,391 units in the same period last year. Revenue also dropped 5.1% to approximately 17.5 billion euros, making a return to exclusivity and high profit margins a logical move instead of chasing EV sales volume. The S1 won't be mass produced.

Compared to the Porsche 911, the new car will stand a tier above. Estimates position it as a spiritual successor to models like the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder, but with a different philosophy focused on exclusivity and brand image rather than raw numbers. This direction brings Porsche back to its mechanical roots after years of pressure toward full electrification. The real test now: can this approach restore momentum?