stout

Photos, my first take, and full press release here:

http://www.excellence-mag.com/of-not...w-hybrid-racer

Cheers,

Pete

Larry Cable

might go myself!!

Salespunk

So does the RSR moniker point to a mid engine car competing with the 911 for top dog in their street car model range? Up to this point they have refused to make a Boxster/944/etc with HP anywhere near the 911. BTW I view the CGT as a halo car and not really competing with the 911. With the corporate Gallardo/R8 chassis now available, it would be fairly easy to build a somewhat reasonably priced road going version without KERS.

Larry Cable

918 Spyder is the current "street car" above the 911 range (think CGT) they may do a coupe version, but the RSR is a pure racecar ala the 911 RSR and Cup cars available from the motorsport division ... its even arguable that the
918 RSR will be available to buy from motorsport (at least initially)...

I wonder what the significance of naming it a "racing lab" is ... do they actually intend to campaign this car in endurance racing or not ...

micahbones

Will be interesting to see how the FIA & Le Mans series decide to sanction race cars like this? Last year the GT3 R Hybrid ran in a class by itself, even though it was presumably battling the other GT entries. The 918 RSR won't be able to run in GT due to lack production-based homologation, so we're talking a prototype class, unless a new hybrid-only category is created...?

Porsche certainly executed well on the design, including as you mention Pete details like the new skool interpretation of Porsche's historic racing colors. It "looks the business" IMO.

Larry Cable

question is will Porsche run it at Le Mans given that Audi will campaign the R18 with the aim of winning ... "team orders"???

911SLOW

“Lab” can also be used when someone is uncertain of the outcome of his effort to create something new. If all goes down in flames ok it was an experiment; testing something new no harm done. It was a lab. Just a pricy lab.
If it wins Le Mans then Lab will be replaced by a tag. Just a pricy tag.
No?


ps. I am in RLers le mans trip 2012 is a go

Larry Cable

I wonder if they will go to Le Mans given that Audi is taking the R18 ...

if they do I will probably go, stay in Paris and catch the train down to LeMans, since it is a sh*thole devoid of the comforts of life ... esp when it rains!

kyrocks

If it's a succuss (which it may very well be), I'm still not sure the rear engine platform will die off. The CGT never really threatened the 911, but then again it wasn't a pure race platform. Porsche's street cars are based on their success in motorsport and if this 918 is a hit, we may see more mid-engines coming... Nevertheless, very exciting.

Larry Cable

I dont think that PAG consider it a replacement for the 911 either as motorsports or street car ... if for no other reason than the suggested pricetag for a 918 Spyder. We still have to see what motorsport option (if any) emerges from the 991 ...

ADias

I agree with Pete. Soon we will see this car in ALMS. Porsche Motorsports is known to want a mid-engine chassis to compete against Ferrari - now they have it. The corollary is that this may be the start of the end of the 911 (as we know it) in motorsports, or at least in factory-sponsored motorsports. Notice that Mauer was very careful to say that this tech was proven on the 911 last year... So from a marketing perpective they may continue to say that but do otherwise. And now they can do anything on the new 991 (long wheelbase) platform, including flipping the engine and making it mid-engine for motorsports purposes. I said long ago that the last 911 (short WB, rear-engined) is the 997.

This video makes my point - listen when they say that "in 2010 they proved what they could do with the 911 GT3 Hybrid, but that is not enough"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj--1g9Qb8

Spyderidol

This car is neither a GT2 (soon to be called GTE) car (it does not meet with the regulations - no hybrids allowed in the GT classes), nor is it a LMP car. (it is closer to a GT car than it is to a full blown LMP)
If and when this car races, it will be in a class of it's own , and like it predecessor the 997 hybrid, it will be unclassified if allowed to race in ACO sanctioned races.
Look for it to run in the 24h of Nurburgring.
If Porsche are really serious about Le Mans for 2012, it will be with a full blown LMP1 car.

Larry Cable

I think you are overlooking the existence of the Porsche Cup, and the role of the 911 RSR in GT3 class racing. Both the 911 Cup and RSR cars are a successful business for Porsche Motorsport.

918RSR would probably have to be a LMP class car, not GT3 ...

Larry Cable

good point, probably a more likely venue than LeMans 2011 ... especially since as you point out its not LMP spec, nor GT spec, but somewhere inbetween ...

this also avoids it competeing against its Audi R18 "cousin"

micahbones

Racing the 918 against Ferrari 430/458 in GT2 will require production homologation of car. We've not yet seen production plans for the 918...it will come, but legit GT racing of this car is at least a couple years out.

Not sure the 997 is the last race iteration of the 911 platform, but front suspension design seems like it will at least need to be addressed for the 911 to remain truly competitive against GT-class cars (without serious rule-based "equalization" measures at least). 918 certainly addresses this issue with its pushrod front suspension.