Polesitter

For those of you who are interested, as suspected the 991 cup will continue with a Mezger not only this coming year, but at least one year following but probably two. In addition, the "GT American" car (this is essentially a combination of ALMS GTC and Rolex GT) will run a 4.0 liter Mezger.

Bottom line: you won't see a 9A1 in a spec race car for several years.

I also doubt the Mezger will be in the 991 RS. The direct link between race engine and street engine will be no longer from what I can tell.

ShakeNBake

wow, that's enough time to develop an entirely new engine....

David A

Per FIA rules don't they need a link between street and race cars? Maybe the RS will have the Mezger for that.

TRAKCAR

^^ Please let that be true

mooty

if RS has mezger...
1. i am selling my kids to by one
2. if it's less than $250,000 all those who bought 991GT3 will spit on everyone related to PAG.

i think PAG is b/n rock and hard place.
cant wait to see the season finale of PAG's cluster fauk... new expression i learned watching TV lastnight ;-)

brake dust

Pretty much what is going to happen. Porsche Motorsport has already indicated that they will wait to invest/develop a new Motorsport engine until the new FIA GT regulations are confirmed.

tcsracing1

I dont know what to think in terms of those buying 991 Cups and those buying 991GT3.

AMLS Cups will need every bit of that 4.0 Mezger to at least be competitive. If not more...

The 991RS will have DFI, no doubt about it. Cut and paste job with turbo body and "lightweight" door pulls.
It wont be bad. but could be more....

GentlemanRacer

I am interested to know the opinions of why holding true to the mezger engine is really necessary in Porsche Motorsports. Yes it has heritage and is proven, but considering the competitive field of cars from other manufacturers, it will have to get bigger and more powerful. Can it do that and still remain the original Mezger? I don't see that happening for too much longer.

A company like porsche with all of its engineering prowess surely is developing a better or more powerful engine and I am sure it will be better than the original.....why wouldn't it...its a porsche.
If they make it to be a winner and strike a good compromise between durability and cost, then it will become the genetic blueprint for all of porsche's other engine.

Perhaps that engine has already been built?

ShakeNBake

Between the bean counters and the markers...who the hell knows what's going on. One thing is for certain, there is something wrong/missing with the 9A1 architecture, or we'd have the answer by now.

jackb911

Assuming this info is factual, could it be that Porsche doesn't have sufficient confidence in the 9A1 engine to use it as a base for competition purposes? The answer seems pretty obvious.

I agree that the current Mezger is outclassed considering what the competition is running, especially in Rolex Grand-Am. It is ludicrous that the RSR isn't allowed to race against the Pratt & Miller "funny cars" and other purpose built race cars. Cup cars against those? Give me a break. Porsche evidently isn't pouring huge sums into the France family coffers like GM is.

Brumos exited the series because they realized that they were no longer competitive under the current rules package and there is no telling what the Grand-Am/ALMS marriage will bring aside from a confusing plethora of classes. I applaud Brumos for their decision and hope circumstances allow their return eventually.

Sorry about the rant, but I was a fan of the '70's-80's IMSA days when racing was real and not nearly as orchestrated by the sanctioning bodies as it is today.

eab3@bellsouth.net

Cost aside, isn't the power generated in the head and pistons? Why can't DFI heads, etc. be incorporated on to a Mezger block? Doesn't the block just hold the crank? I know I am missing something, please explain what it is.

P_collector

Hi Polesitter,

Thanks for these - good - news. Its also what I suspected here for a long time...now just drop the "bomb" in the 991 GT3 threads..but youll get massacred..

If I knew this in 2010..I wouldnt have sold my first GT3 3.6..now its just time to pile these things up..a 991 CUP will be still a desirable car in a few years..even the 997 CUP post 2010 versions are holding their value very well.

PS: If this is true what you say, Porsche should stop fooling its 991 GT3 customers..

Polesitter

I can only tell you guys with confidence about the race cars. That comes from the horse's mouth. My thinking on the 991 RS is speculative.

The challenges Porsche has at Grand Am aren't really engine related. In Grand Am's efforts to enable more manufacturers to become competitive they have allowed more and more accommodations to the point that most of what you see on the track in the GT class there bear no resemblance to the street car. Porsche and Ferrari are the only real exceptions. What started as modest changes to a cup car over time approached RSR spec race cars in order to keep up with Pratt & Miller purpose built race cars. In addition, the spec tire put Porsche at a big disadvantage because the weight distribution in competitive cars is vastly different (ie not 60/40).

Anyway, the good news is that ALMS operating personnel will have a high degree of input going forward in this class and I think the insanity will be reigned in. The full blown GT efforts will then migrate

Polesitter

sorry....goddamned IPad...continuing....Migrate to GT2 where more manufacturer participation will be likely ie GM, etc.

Anyway, the Mezger isn't the most fuel efficient or light engine on the planet, but it is incredibly robust and proven. It also, in 4.0 liter form, can make over 550 HP. The 4.0 that will go into the new GT American class will probably be restricted to 480 or so.

malmasri

If the 991 RS will have the Mezger, that mean that the 991 GT3 could have a faster ring time if you all catch my drift !!!