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Porsche is in the midst of developing a new mid-engined supercar, likely to be called the Porsche Spyder RS, to fill the void left by the Carerra GT.

Contrary to initial reports from a French car magazine, the new Spyder RS will provide the basis for an advanced new endurance racer, rather than using the current LMP2 RS Spyder racer as a base.

The two-seat open top was originally conceived to go on sale in limited numbers in early 2012, but is now possibly delayed owning to Porsche...Read the full article

I'm surprised this is still going ahead - I heard about this project a while ago, but presumed that the recession and Wiedeking's attitude would have put the project on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

But I'm very glad. The Carrera GT was a fantastic car, and Porsche needs the halo effect of a high-end supercar to balance out the damage to the brand's image done by the Cayenne and Panamera.

Another Porsche supercar to follow on from the epic Carrera GT and carry on the lineage that started with the legendary 959? I was excited at the prospect....until i read 480Bhp, which means less oomph than a GT2! Surely this should be 680Bhp...i hope?!

While manufacturers are being more eco conscious and aware of the economic downturn and costs of such cars, surely there's still room for supercars to be brash, ostentatious, advanced, powerful and politically incorrect.

Just hope the Enzo, Zonda or Murcielago replacements don't follow suit! The world would be a poorer place.

 

Depends how light it is... 480bhp is surely enough.

Should be good! Porsche with a V8 gotta be fast

 Me thinks that 480hp will be plenty to compete against the likes of LP560, and the forthcoming F450. 480hp is good for sub 4 secs 0-60mph, do we really need more esp if porsche gives us a car that drives well?

I don't believe that this car will be a replacement for the Carrera GT. The power is no-where near hypercar league. I think it is more likely to be a direct rival for the Ferrari California. In fact, the specs sound very similar - V8, rear-wheel-drive, twin-clutch gearbox and designed to be eco-concious (small capacity V8 twin-turbo and probably DFI). Based on the figures of the California, this Porsche should crack 62mph in under 4 secs due to turbo torque, gearbox speed and relatively light weight. EXCITING TIMES!!!!!  

stutts:

compete against the likes of LP560, and the forthcoming F450

 

Rivalling the Gallardo and fnew F450 is the 911's job, the Spyder RS appears to their next supercar and therefore in the class above where the Carrera GT once competed. Sure, Porsches have nearly always matched their rivals despite having less power due to their fab chassis (e.g. the Ferrari Enzo was only a second quicker than the Carrera GT on TG's circuit), but 480 Bhp sounds a bit weedy in the class it'll compete in. 

Lanehogger:

The world would be a poorer place.

The world is a poorer place at the moment!

Lanehogger:

Sure, Porsches have nearly always matched their rivals despite having less power due to their fab chassis (e.g. the Ferrari Enzo was only a second quicker than the Carrera GT on TG's circuit), but 480 Bhp sounds a bit weedy in the class it'll compete in. 

The CGT is quicker than the Enzo around Der 'Ring.

480bhp is the same as the nissan GTR i believe.

a ring lap time will indicate what exactly pure grip means compared to the nimbleness of lightweight. power being equal.

 

Lanehogger:

orsches have nearly always matched their rivals despite having less power due to their fab chassis (e.g. the Ferrari Enzo was only a second quicker than the Carrera GT on TG's circuit),

The Porsche was a 5,7l V10. The Enzo a 6,0l V12. I don't see that "fab chassis" working that good, taking into consideration the fact that the two cars were built from scratch. Everybody knows that the Carrera GT had a horrible clutch problem (they last not more than 7k miles) and secondary price are not sky high, well below price list. Enzos are still hot property (not easy to find one for less than 800k). That means something.