2017 Porsche 919: 900 HP and Lots of Headlight
Porsche rolls out a revised, hybrid powered 919 with an eye towards LeMans glory.
Fresh off a record-extending 18th LeMans victory, Porsche isn’t exactly resting on its laurels for the 2017 season. Instead, they’re rolling out a refreshed 919 featuring a host of improvements. And Porsche isn’t letting up on their goals for the year, either. They intend to obtain their third consecutive hat trick by winning not only LeMans, but also the FIA World Endurance Championship titles for Manufacturers and Drivers.
And the revised 919 hybrid looks like just the weapon to do it with, too. While the car retains the same carbon fiber monocoque as last year, 60 to 70 percent of the remaining bits are all new. Several aerodynamic enhancements abound, including revised wheel arches and rear air intakes. Changes also had to be made to comply with new FIA rules that aim to lower cornering speed for safety purposes.
The same 500 horsepower 2.0 liter V4 gasoline engine powers the rear wheels, with a 400+ hp electric motor sending power to the front wheels. The system has received some updates, however, and now the brake and exhaust energy recovery systems are the most efficient ever developed by Porsche. And while all other hybrid prototypes recover energy while braking, the 919 is the only one to also recover energy while accelerating.
The 2017 World Endurance Championship begins in just a couple of weeks, so we don’t have to wait long to see the new 919 in action. The new hybrid prototype debuts at the Six Hours of Silverstone on April 15th with two cars and six drivers. And we, as well as Porsche, look forward to watching it once again dominate the competition.
