Porsche 918RSR

[Dino Scuderia]

Packing the same drivetrain as the track-proven 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car, Porsche says that the 918 RSR will bring a whopping 767 combined horsepower to the party when it shows up in the paddock. A total of 563 of those ponies are provided by a 6.2-liter V8 that revs to an atmospheric 10,300 rpm. Porsche has partnered its beastly eight-pot with two electric motors capable of 75 kilowatts of juice positioned at each front wheel.

The 918 RSR stores braking energy in a flywheel accumulator stationed where the passenger seat would traditionally rest, and the tech allows the driver to summon up an extra bump in power for passing or acceleration. The pilot can command the boost in grunt for up to eight seconds.

Like the 918 Concept, the bones of the 918 RSR are built of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and the body was penned to pay respect the legendary racers like the 917 short-tail.

Autoblog

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918rsr #2

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918rsr #3

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918rsr #4

[RacingManiac]

Sexy car, though I am not personally too fond on the back when looking at it straight on...a tad boring in that respect....but thats nitpicking...

Too bad I think this car will only be eligible for Nurburgring 24 Hours/VLN races. Its not homologated for anything else until it actually becomes a production car. Lining this up with the P4/5 Competizione will be some sight to behold though...

BTW the V8 is 3.4 liter, not 6.2....at least if what they are saying about RS Spyder motor is true...

[Commodore GS/E]

10300 rpm are insane. I can't think of many road cars that have ever broke into the 10.000's.
The looks are super amazing. Porsche has without doubt done a good job to both channel their history and look modern at the same time. It's also a good sign that they start it up as a race car which (again) strengthens their relations to motorsport. It's also almost the only "hybrid" i would consider to buy if I had the money.
I also have to compare it to the CRZ for obvious reasons: the Honda claims to be the first sporty hybrid and aims for the enthusiast's heart. But in my opinion, Porsche is going the only possible way to win the enthusiast's heart for hybrid technology: by proving it's sucess in racing. I really hope the best for Porsche.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Commodore GS/E

10300 rpm are insane. I can't think of many road cars that have ever broke into the 10.000's.
The looks are super amazing. Porsche has without doubt done a good job to both channel their history and look modern at the same time. It's also a good sign that they start it up as a race car which (again) strengthens their relations to motorsport. It's also almost the only "hybrid" i would consider to buy if I had the money.
I also have to compare it to the CRZ for obvious reasons: the Honda claims to be the first sporty hybrid and aims for the enthusiast's heart. But in my opinion, Porsche is going the only possible way to win the enthusiast's heart for hybrid technology: by proving it's sucess in racing. I really hope the best for Porsche.

this is not a road car, the engine that is being used is the 3.4 litre previously used in the RS Spyder LMP2 programme, for which factory support has now stopped. So running this sort of revs in a race engine is nothing spectacular.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Commodore GS/E

I also have to compare it to the CRZ for obvious reasons: the Honda claims to be the first sporty hybrid and aims for the enthusiast's heart. But in my opinion, Porsche is going the only possible way to win the enthusiast's heart for hybrid technology: by proving it's sucess in racing. I really hope the best for Porsche.

Costing a fortune does not bode well for the enthusiast...

[RacingManiac]

I think its a stretch to call it a road car though, even for the original 918 Spyder with a passenger seat. The engine and gearbox came straight from their LMP2 car. Which despite how amazing it sounds(in sound and in concept), is not going to be something very livable day to day....

On that tangent with the CR-Z, its a scary thought that I am liking it more and more....saw one the other day and its a spiffy looking car...

[RacingManiac]

It is when its running direct injection though.....

[culver]

I like most of it thought it's not anything to risky design wise. I hate the engine cover. I simply don't like the fake parts that are supposed to remind of a manifold or something and of the old air cooling fans.

[Dino Scuderia]

Originally Posted by culver

I like most of it thought it's not anything to risky design wise. I hate the engine cover. I simply don't like the fake parts that are supposed to remind of a manifold or something and of the old air cooling fans.

Agreed. It's a Porsche, not a Fisher-Price toy.

[culver]

Is it safe to assume this car will race in a one make (spec) class. Porsche's reputation for racing was made back when they competed against other makes. Again, in the substance over style vein I would be more interested in this as a racing car and be more impressed with the racing heritage, links etc if it races in an open series.

[RacingManiac]

Originally Posted by culver

Is it safe to assume this car will race in a one make (spec) class. Porsche's reputation for racing was made back when they competed against other makes. Again, in the substance over style vein I would be more interested in this as a racing car and be more impressed with the racing heritage, links etc if it races in an open series.

I doubt this will be a "one-make" series car. For one a car like this is far too complicated and expensive to run for a one-make series. They've made a total of how many RS Spyder? This is no less expensive to run I'd imagine compare to that...plus the flywheel hybrid system on top of that....

If its homologated I can see it racing in FIA GT, if that series is still healthy and well. It might race in ACO sanctioned race if some kind of special dispensation is made, but I am sure other OEM will be pretty noisy about it. The only legitimate outlet for it right now is VLN/Nurburgring 24. Which has classes made up exactly for cars like this...and to Porsche its no less important/prestigious to score a win for a hybrid in that race, especially consider how close their GT3R Hybrid car came...

[Kitdy]

The possibility of seeing this up against Jim's P4/5 at the Nürburgring 24 hours is very exciting for me.

Will this car be ready for then? Does Porsche have any plans to race this?

Where is the whole 918 project going anyways?