Porsche reveals new twin-turbo V8

Porsche has unveiled a new bi-turbo V8 engine at the Vienna Motor Symposium. The new unit is based on the same modular platform as the 3.0-litre V6 which powers the new Audi S4, and will be seen in the next-generation Cayenne and Panamera Turbo variants. The engine is part of a new modular family of V6 and V8 motors developed jointly by Audi and Porsche.

The new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 develops 550hp and 767Nm of torque making it about 30hp more powerful than its current 4.8-litre predecessor and giving it a specific output of 138.5hp – an increase of 30.31hp.

Porsche officials suggest the more powerful variants of the twin-turbo 4.0-litre unit destined for the upcoming Panamera Turbo S and Cayenne Turbo S models are set to develop up to 610hp and over 815Nm of torque.

The new engine features a cylinder deactivation system that shuts down four cylinders between 950rpm and 3,500rpm, resulting in a claimed reduction in fuel consumption by up to 30 percent. Porsche has said that the unit been engineered for use in hybrid applications as well, suggesting the new V8 could be coupled to an electric motor in selected models for even higher levels of performance.

Porsche has also confirmed that the modular engine will be used in the Audi-developed MLB platform architecture, as well as in its own MSB platform; the former supports front- and four-wheel drive and the latter, rear- and four-wheel drive. In the MLB application, it will be mated to an eight-speed automatic, while the MSB will see it combined with a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The new Porsche-engineered V8 is also destined to power a wide range of models from the Volkswagen Group, as part of a cost-cutting initiative aimed at amortizing engine development and production costs. Besides the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne, the 4.0-litre unit is also expected to see service in the Audi A6, A8, Q7 and Q8, the Lamborghini Urus and the Bentley Bentayga and Continental.