Rumors of a new mid-size Porsche super car surface again, and this time they sound too legit to be just gossip. Porsche CEO Matthias Muller has reportedly confirmed the project himself, and admitted they are targeting the Ferrari 458 Italia with this new car, allegedly called the 961.

The 961 will slot between the top of the line 911 models, i.e. GT2 RS, and the high-end 918 super car. It will inherit a lot of stuff from the 918, including, apparently, its V8 engine. It just gets the petrol engine though, not the full hybrid system.

That means it will be lighter, and with 570 horsepower provided by that RS-derived powertrain, which is a full-on racing engine, it is going to be blisteringly fast and incredible to drive; exactly the qualities it needs to take on the mighty 458.

It is possible for Porsche’s baby super car to match the Ferrari in technical aspects. But we’re not sure about the looks. The 961 will probably look a lot like the 918, which is fine, but nowhere near as sexy and charming as the 458.

The 961 is estimated to cost around £250,000.

via AutoExpress