Leander

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche


"Porsche has for many years offered consultancy services to various other car manufacturers. Studebaker, SEAT, Daewoo, Subaru and Yugo have consulted Porsche on engineering for their cars or engines. Porsche also helped Harley-Davidson design their new engine in their newer V-Rod motorcycle."

993-CT

what are these things you speak of? "motorcycles", "aircraft engines". That's crazy talk

Dr. No

By 1997, they didn't. (Then again, I'm sure F. Porsche could have whatever gears he wanted on his personal car) .

Only reason a euro would be faster/higher output than US is lack of 50 state smog compliance stuff, and you'd have to put that on the car to get it here(legally).

Pete

I don't recall the exact time but somewhere around 15 or 20 some years ago Porsche marketed a flat 6 aircraft replacement engine. I forget the details. Porsche also designed a DOHC water-cooled V4 engine for Harley in the early '80s but Harley thought it was too drastic a change from the Milwaukee Eggbeaters and went with the aluminum air-cooled pushrod V2 that came to be known as the Evo instead.
Pete

autobonrun

Your memory is correct. Porsche has always derived a good portion of income from engineering consultancy. They provided consultancy services for Harley Davidson and provided the engine for a Mooney airplane back in the late 80's. I probably have an article in an old magazine but here is the Mooney list of models . Look at the 1988 through 1990 model M20L PFM.

http://www.mooneyevents.com/chrono.htm

Martin S.

From: http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...s/4_06_sub.htm
……..One of the most interesting facts behind the creation of the new Liberty Blitzen is the design philosy. Subaru went to industrial design specialists Porsche Design for help in designing much of the bodywork for the Blitzen. Perhaps it's also where the German naming came from, too………The new 'mean' look, courtesy of Porsche Design, includes a revised front apron giving the car more style. The bonnet scoop gives away the car's tubro-charged nature and lower, exaggerated aero side-skirts help reduce the car's drag co-efficient, meaning improved fuel economy…..The rear apron (bumper) is very classy, with moulded lower struts to make room for the chrome exhaust pipe. The spoiler is also rather flashy, taking a leaf out of the Porsche 911 GT2's book.

ZombiePorsche44

The aircraft you refer to is the Mooney Porsche which was a collaboration between the two companys which created and unique engineering opportunity for both companys eventually leading to the first "certified" single lever power(FADEC) production aircraft.
The Porsche engine package was discontinued due to cost and replaced by the Lycoming 540 series engines.
I still get excited when I see the ocassional Mooney with the Porsche crest on the cowl.

Slightly OT: Porsche also supplied 928 "marinized" engines to Wellcraft Scarab Offshore in the early to mid 80's for an exotic engine upgrade vs. a stock Mercruiser Chevy V-8.

ZP44

Martin S.

Enclosed is a link http://www.seqair.com/Other/PFM/PorschePFM.html that gives some background on the Mooney Porsche project....not a real winner.

JasonAndreas

The 964 AWD is actually a pretty simple 31/69 mechanical hypoid system. If you look at the costs involved you get a better idea of one reason why Porsche switched to the pseudo-awd with the 993. And with the 997TT Porsche has gotten rid of the viscous coupling and gone back to something more resembling a 959/964 system.

autobonrun

Could you explain more why you refer to the 993 as pseudo-awd? Just curious.

brucec59

This whole misunderstanding is simply the result of the Subaru engine being a "boxer" configuration. People misunderstand that to be "Boxter," and there you have it.

N51

Thanks, Jason. I was waiting. :-)

Noah

993-CT

Jason, interesting - I didn't know that. I thought the 959 and the 964 used an identical system with epicyclic box and clutch packs, and remember reading the 959 needed a lot of electronics to control the drivetrain. Is the 964 arrangement different to the 959?

The viscous coupling is certainly cheaper, but has its drawbacks compared to the 964 system. Did you mean pseudo-awd because the 993/996 system has hardly any power going to the front wheels under "normal" conditions?

mborkow

i thought that was a good thing. you only want the AWD when you want AWD...the rest of the time, a sports car should be RWD, right?

RallyJon

I don't know--the feeling of a proper AWD system on an STI or EVO pulling you into a turn is very cool. It gives a sense of front-end bite that the 993 could use more of.