Has anybody heard if Porsche is going to build and sale an '08 version of the RSR? If so, is it better than the '07? I've seen a couple of '07's pop up for sale since the end of the season.

 

Great question, and a critical one if Porsche is going to be able to compete against Ferrari in '08. The only rumor I heard was a slimming down and lightening up goal.

 

The new 08 RSR is supposed to have a new sequential gearbox (apparently from the RS Spyder), possibly a new aero package, and a slight increase in power.
Slimming down is not an option as Porsche opted for the wider tires (thus more weight) in exchange for larger air restrictors.

There are some rumors (from a credible sports car forum) that Porsche are working on a V8 engine for GT racing (not to be confused with the RS Spyder engine).

 

I'm very interested to see the changes. The RSRs seemed to best the Ferraris in a straight line and with the new set of rules that entail using air restrictors to bring the power of all the competitors to around the same level, does Porsche really need more power, especially if it will end up being capped by the governing body? It seemed to me that they were getting beat by the F430s because they were harder on the rear tires and did not have the mid-corner speed that the Ferrari was able to obtain due to their better weight distribution. I think I also read in Excellence that the RSR were suffering from lack of front end grip. I'm not a race engineer, but could that be because there is too much of a difference between the width of the front and the rear? If you were build a car with a narrower rear, you would lose grip, making that problem worse, but the balance of the car may be better (if my assumption about the difference in front and rear width is correct) and you would have all of the advantages of a light car which would include a potentially better power:weight ratio (depending on what the governing body does), better braking, acceleration, better top speed (narrow body may be more aerodynamic). If that notion is right, and correct me if it is not, would it make sense and is it possible for Porsche to revert their thought process, lose the 934 look, narrow the body and in doing so, lose a few pounds? This is just a novice mind thinking out loud, I'm just trying to learn.

 

Has anybody heard who will be running the new car next year?
I would imagine the Lizards for sure. But what about Rahal? I also heard that Tafel is going to Ferrari. I believe it was in a different post here.

 

Yes it is true for Tafel. Team Trans Port #54 (Borcheller/Pappas) have a '08 RSR on order and are selling their '07 so their is officially a '08...

 

The Rahal car is for sale in Panorama right now. The Transport car is for sale here on Rennlist. I heard Tafel was switching to Ferraris. Anyone have a few hundred grand they want to loan me?

 

Farnbacher Loles raced at Sebring with Yokohama tires, but will they have more races in 2008 along with the updates?

http://www.farnbacherloles.com/gener....asp?callout=2
A new sequential gearbox is on the way for the new 911 GT3 RSR.

Hartmut Kristen is the head of Porsche Motorsport.

"Says Kristen: with the increased wheelbase, crankcase versus gearbox input shaft angularity increases. Heat increases. The new gearbox will relocate the output shafts, lower the center of gravity, reduce the angularity, and equate to a horsepower increase due to reduced friction and reduced heat."

August, 2007 issue of Excellence