Porsche is reportedly developing a new flagship supercar known internally as the S1, with a starting price of roughly €500,000 and a flat-eight gasoline engine. The company could preview the two-door model during its Capital Markets Day on October 7, although Porsche has not officially confirmed the name, price, or technical details.

The reported project would mark Porsche’s return to the supercar class more than a decade after production of the 918 Spyder ended in June 2015. Unlike the 919 Street clay model shown in 2017, the S1 is said to be moving beyond the design-study stage and could become a standalone model positioned above the 911.

Flat-eight engine could power Porsche’s flagship

The most significant detail in the report is the rumored engine layout. Porsche has built eight-cylinder boxer engines in the past, but it has never put a production flat-eight powertrain into one of its road cars.

Porsche previously tested a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter flat-eight prototype mounted in a Cayman chassis. That engine reportedly produced 750 horsepower and 738 pound-feet (1,000 Newton-meters) of torque, revved to 9,000 rpm, and drove the rear wheels through a manual gearbox. The prototype spent more than a year undergoing road testing near Weissach but was ultimately deemed unsuitable for the time.

The concept may now have a second chance in a much more exclusive application. Porsche specialist Ruf is also developing a flat-eight, with its prototype using twin turbochargers, 4.4 liters of displacement, more than 1,000 hp, and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm). Ruf sends that power to the road through a six-speed manual transmission.

Price would put the S1 above Porsche’s 911 range

A €500,000 starting price would place the rumored S1 in a different financial bracket from Porsche’s existing sports cars. In Germany, that figure would be approximately twice the domestic price of a 911 GT3 RS. Even the expected return of the GT2 RS is unlikely to approach the S1’s reported price.

The equivalent figure of $574,000 is based on current exchange rates, but direct comparisons are imperfect because German vehicle prices include 19 percent value-added tax, while U.S. pricing does not. Porsche has not announced a market price or confirmed whether the model will be sold in the United States.

Possible debut at Porsche’s investor event

The S1 would fit Porsche CEO Michael Leiters’ stated focus on maintaining profitability with lower production volumes. Leiters told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the company needs to make money even with fewer cars, making an ultra-low-volume flagship consistent with that strategy.

Investors could receive a broader look at Porsche’s future lineup on October 7. Other possible announcements include a gasoline-powered Macan replacement related to the Audi Q5, the delayed electric 718 Boxster and Cayman, and a three-row SUV positioned above the Cayenne. Porsche has also said combustion-engine versions of the Boxster and Cayman are returning.

For now, the S1 remains a report rather than a confirmed production car. Its rumored flat-eight engine, standalone design, and €500,000 price would nevertheless give Porsche a distinctive flagship if the project reaches the road.