Porsche's Detroit Newcomer Could Be 918 Spyder Coupe Racer

With this year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit coming next week, Germany’s sports car manufacturer remains tightlipped about what type of vehicle it will unveil. Adding to the huge amount of rumors keeping the automotive press busy, Bloomberg is now saying that the model to be unveiled in a few days is a racing coupe version of the 918 Spyder hybrid concept that was first shown at last year's Geneva Show, based on information from “two people with knowledge of the matter”. According to the same source, the car will be powered by a V8 engine developing 600 horsepower and will be underpinned by the 918 Spyder, which was powered by an 500HP 3.4-liter V8 and two electric motors that added another 218 hp. 2011 marks the German carmaker’s return to Detroit, after it left in 2007 to focus its US activities on Los Angeles where it showed the Cayman R sports car in November last year. Porsche’s U.S. sales increased 21 percent last month to 2,567 vehicles, thanks to 1,109 deliveries of the Cayenne SUV, the company's best-selling US model. Meanwhile, full-year sales gained 29 percent to 25,320 vehicles. “The U.S. market is of vital importance for Porsche. The U.S. is offering potential for further growth and Porsche’s return to Detroit underlines their U.S. ambitions,” Frank Schwope, a NordLB analyst in Hanover who recommends selling the shares, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. autoevolution will be attending the 2011 NAIAS, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.