Porsche mulls flat-8 for Ferrari rival

[enzo1]

Porsche is considering engineering a flat-eight boxster engine for its Ferrari-rivalling supercar, company bosses have admitted.
At the first unveiling of the new 991-series 911, Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche head of Research and Development said such an engine was ‘possible’. He told Autocar: "We have to go into that market properly equipped.".
This week Porsche CEO Mathhias Müller said he was ‘irritated’ that Porsche didn’t compete with Ferrari in the 250,000 Euros-plus price range. He said there was space for a car like the seminal 1980s high-tech 959 model.
Porsche engineers have long been frustrated by the fact that the company’s iconic flat-six engine cannot be extended much beyond 4.0-litres. It’s also felt that in the Ferrari-dominated market, eight cylinders are a pre-requisite.
Moving to a larger engine would also differentiate the new model from the new 911 and next-generation Cayman range. It’s thought that the creation of such an engine has been made easier by the engineering working currently being done on the new turbocharged flat-four engine, which will be offered in Porsche’s planned entry-level roadster. This all-new motor is thought to be modular, allowing it to be extended into the next-generation flat-6 and a flat-8.
Hatz also said that a development of the Carrera GT’s ultra-compact transmission could be used for the new model. Such a transmission would free-up space for the use of the longer eight-cylinder engine.
"We could develop it, of course, One of the key issues is where we put the differential, but it is a possibility," he said.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by enzo1

It’s thought that the creation of such an engine has been made easier by the engineering working currently being done on the new turbocharged flat-four engine, which will be offered in Porsche’s planned entry-level roadster. This all-new motor is thought to be modular, allowing it to be extended into the next-generation flat-6 and a flat-8.

Cool news, what is the source of the article?

EDIT: Found It
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=258874
Hilton Holloway

[doug_porsche]

Is there an advantage to the flat-8 over, say the Ruf V8?
Geneva 2010: Ruf RGT-8 is a V8-powered, 550-hp 911

As Alpha Romeo / Brabham showed with the Brabham BT46, the flat configuration makes ground effects messy.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by doug_porsche

Is there an advantage to the flat-8 over, say the Ruf V8?
Geneva 2010: Ruf RGT-8 is a V8-powered, 550-hp 911

As Alpha Romeo / Brabham showed with the Brabham BT46, the flat configuration makes ground effects messy.

This is why the 911 GT1 was mid engined.

[Brando]

A water-cooled flat-8?

Oooooh the swap possibilities just expanded...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just bring back the air-cooled 12!

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by doug_porsche

Is there an advantage to the flat-8 over, say the Ruf V8?
Geneva 2010: Ruf RGT-8 is a V8-powered, 550-hp 911

As Alpha Romeo / Brabham showed with the Brabham BT46, the flat configuration makes ground effects messy.

Boxer engines allow a lower center of gravity, are better balanced internally.

[Flieger]

And yet Porsche and Subaru are the only cars using them in racing. All others use V configuration (or the occasional inline) for aerodynamics.

At speed the gain in grip with ground effects trumps the balance of a horizontally-opposed engine.

V configuration can put the crankshaft *very* low. Ever see an F1 engine?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Or the new BMW engine on the K1600s? Amazing stability. That's a 6-cyl inline interestingly enough.

[Flieger]

Bikes are a little different with the short wheelbase and leaning and such. High CG is not bad for handling, only for wheelies. They also want weight forward. Mass centralization is the highest priority.

[teenerted1]

flat-8 = 180degree v-8

[Flieger]

Well, usually a 180 degree V like the 917's engine is when there are two rods on a single throw of the crankshaft. A flat/boxer engine has one rod per throw like a 911 engine.

When I said V I meant things in the 90 degree range.

[Hawktel]

I wonder what some kind of w horizontally opposed engine would work like. Basically like 2 banks of 6 cylinders one right ontop of the other. Like a horizontally opposed w 12 cyc engine.

[Flieger]

That would be a BRM H 16. Two flat eights with their crankshafts geared together.

[Flieger]

[Flieger]

Sorry for the large pic: File:BRM H16 engine.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia