Porsche reveals its new 911 RSR model
Porsche has dismissed any notion of building a road-going version of its latest mid-engined 911-based race car.
The German brand revealed its newest 911 RSR - the top-flight endurance racer that competes in blue ribbon events such as the Le Mans and Daytona 24 hour - at the Los Angeles motor show, confirming it has flipped the engine and gearbox configuration around for better weight distribution and to improve aerodynamics by opening up more space to fit a larger rear diffuser.
It is the first time since the Le Mans-winning GT1 that Porsche has created a 911 with a midengined layout. But unlike when the GT1 was raced - between 1996 and 1998, under a set of rules that required a handful of roadregistered versions be made to qualify - Porsche has no immediate plans to produce a road-racer based on the RSR.
‘‘At Porsche we never say no, as we have done so many things over the last 20 years that nobody has expected, but at the moment we have no plans for something like this,’’ Porsche’s global motorsport boss, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, said.
‘‘The 911, as a road car, is all about the two-plus-two layout, the space you have in the car com- pared to the Boxster and Cayman for example. This [configuration] is purely for motorsport - and endurance racing in particular.’’
Another innovation introduced on the 911 RSR is a motorsport application of collision avoidance warning, using a backwards facing radar system to alert the driver of faster-approaching cars such as the company’s Le Mans winning 919 Hybrid.
Under it’s bulging carbon fibre bodywork, the 4.0-litre flat six cylinder engine has maintained its naturally-aspirated layout with the ability to produce up to 375kW. It could produce much more, but air restrictors are fitted to balance power outputs between different makes of car in the World Endurance Championship.
The engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed semiautomatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Inside the cabin, the driver’s seat is fixed in place for better crash protection while the pedals and steering wheel can be adjusted to suit different drivers.
Walliser also revealed that Porsche’s presence in motor racing is protected from Volkswagen’s budget cuts.