Porsche in LMP1!?

[Aslak Vind]

Back to Porsche, is anyone else suprised Porsche can gain at least 30bhp with the new direct injection engine with a relatively small P2 3.4l V8?

No not really, that is common practice - 15 to 30 bhp. It is a great engine, but with the new DI in place, you can control the combustion so much better. Just look at Audis´s FSI system.

[JAG]

When Racecar Engineering interviewed the project leader for the DI project, he stated more personnel and resources were invested in it than the original V8 engine design.

Two points, the DI program was initiated by the motorsport department, not dictated to them by the road car arm looking for a marketing point.

The program also continued despite Penske being P2 class leaders, and not in desperate need of a costly DI engine just for half a season.

IMO Porsche developed the DI engine knowing P1 would use these motors in the future, so it was a long term investment.

[broadrun96]

Does the 4.0 in the RSR use the DI system as well, currently or for the '09 car? Or is it banned until added to a street 911, if it's not already?

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Does the 4.0 in the RSR use the DI system as well, currently or for the '09 car? Or is it banned until added to a street 911, if it's not already?

None of Porsche's street cars feature the 4.0L motor, but several of them feature the DI system. For 2010, Porsche will have the DI system on the GT3/GT2/Turbo, so I'd assume it can't be far away for the RSR.

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Does the 4.0 in the RSR use the DI system as well, currently or for the '09 car? Or is it banned until added to a street 911, if it's not already?

Porsche has the DI system already on the 997 Mark 2, launched this autumn. The Cayenne received the DI system last year, to lower the overall CO2 emissions per brand, as governed by the EU.

[deggis]

"Porsche will look at the 2011 ACO rules when they are finalized, and then consider our options, with our first choice being an alternative fuel powerplant. We believe in the American Le Mans Series and its approach in showcasing these alternative powerplants, and support their efforts in that direction."

http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=5052

After Cayenne and Panamera, diesel wouldn't surprise but still...

[Kiki]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

None of Porsche's street cars feature the 4.0L motor, but several of them feature the DI system. For 2010, Porsche will have the DI system on the GT3/GT2/Turbo, so I'd assume it can't be far away for the RSR.

Especially given that the factory teams are awaiting delivery of new RSRs for the 09 season. Porsche doesn't have to actively develop any other race cars so I'd imagine they spent some time with the RSR since they're concentrating on the GT effort and DI would go a long way. Those Ferraris are mighty fast, too.

[marcush.]

certainly not for 2009 the DI for the RSR .Remember the Porsche GT cars all use the old style engine also for 2009..

[Kiki]

Oh right, based off the 3.6L mill, not the new 3.8. I wonder what's keeping them from switching?

[Spyderman]

Rumor is that the road going GT3 MKII (expected some time before the autumn 2009) will have DFI engine. It is also rumored that it will have the 3.8L engine

[Ultimo]

I've been told in another forum that Porsche is making an LMP1 car - what's the latest?

[deggis]

Give a link to that another forum so rest of us can read what's the latest. If it's actually something that has substance.

[Ultimo]

Originally Posted by deggis

Give a link to that another forum so rest of us can read what's the latest. If it's actually something that has substance.

It's link would be pretty inconsequential - the owner of Ultimate Car Page seems to think that Porsche is in the process of building/going to build a new LMP1. I asked him about it but he's yet to reply.

There is no substance to it sadly other than what I have said.

[JAG]

If you've read Sportscar Pros recently it seems likely a Porsche P1 is in the works, but nothing will be announced for some time.

[marcush.]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Rumor is that the road going GT3 MKII (expected some time before the autumn 2009) will have DFI engine. It is also rumored that it will have the 3.8L engine

No definitely not. It will take some time till this might happen ,only the Turbo will get the DI engine this year .
With a high rev concept as it is the only option for the GT3 really the whole engine anciliaries need a lot of additional tlc ,its not just a matter of unleashing another few revs,
rest assured...and one might ask if the potential customers would spend the extra bucks along the lines of the Spyder angry engine) or if porsche is prepared to swallow that necessary extra invest ...So how many of those one has to build to allow it into GT2 ,maybe under the new GT1 ruling this might be easier to get waved thru.
Of course the sound of the Spyder DI engine does make you pray for the DI RSR coming asap...

[johntt]

The 2011 P1 rules state 3.4l as the maximum for atmospheric engines in P1, so i suspect they'll use a version of the DFI engine they used in the RS Spyder late last year. In theory all they'll have to do is build a P1 chassis and devlop a KERS system if they want to.

Interestingly Porsche have the ingredients for a 2011 compliant car. They have a P2 chassis in the form of the RS Spyder, and a 4.0l GT2 engine in the back of the RSR (2011 P2 rules allow GT2 engines of up to 4.0l). Could make for a very good customer car if engineered right, it would allow then to correct the mistakes they made with the drivetrain on the current RS Spyder.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by marcush.

No definitely not. It will take some time till this might happen ,only the Turbo will get the DI engine this year .

Good God man! - That was rumored back in December.
Every Porschephile now knows that the GT3 MKII will not have DFI - as Porsche have put out 2 PR's on the subject

[Danny_GT2]

Saw a vid about a new LMP1 Porsche, with Dyson livery! I have ideads on the engine! After the vid, I watched Top Gear's review of the Carrera GT & Clarkson said the 5.7L V10 engine was originally built for racing so what Porsche should do is put the CGT engine into the new LMP1, then put in a big air intake & racing exhausts to up the power from 612bhp to 650!

Anyone agree with the above?

[Dead-Eye]

Err, no. It wouldn't be that simple to adapt the engine to run with a restrictor, plus it would only be legal for one year.

[prototype]

This may be a little of topic, but what has happened to Sascha Maassen? I thought he was a fine driver for Porsche, and he has just disappeared. Just doing Daytona and the LM24.

[HORNDAWG]

He will be in IGT along with Dindo, what else I am not sure of. Here




L.P.

[Lola T70]

Massen is driving for Team Goh in an RS Spyder at Le Mans in 2 weeks.

Not quite disappeared yet!

[Lola T70]

Sorry, just read Prototypes post again.

No idea what else he is doing.

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by prototype

This may be a little of topic, but what has happened to Sascha Maassen? I thought he was a fine driver for Porsche, and he has just disappeared. Just doing Daytona and the LM24.

He's racing in the Italian GT with Autorlando. He will share the new 911 GT3 RSR Spec 2009 with Francisco Cruz Martins. They've sat the pole, yesterday, in Vallelunga.
Maassen is really a greatful driver, one of the best in GT. He will make the difference, helping the Porsche to fight for the title.


For the P1, I suppose Porsche will come back in LMP1 in 2012. Due to the change of the rules, the new P1s' ll be an evolution of the actual P2. Being the RS Spyder the best P2 ever built, it will not be so hard to improve its aerodynamic, its engine (with DFI technology), its bodywork, to obtain a better, faster and winning car.
I've read on Autosprint, some months ago, Porsche is working to this project. But they will keep it a secret until the last minute.
We only have to wait, to see...

[Kiki]

Building a new P1 for the current (unstable and soon-to-be-outdated) regs is out of the question. Even Peugeot knows better than that. IF Porsche were to return in 2010, it would be with a 2011 compliant P1 car. It would be uncompetitive and pointless save for gathering data for the following year. (not too unlike Acura's current P1, as they did not design an all-new powerplant, only a bigger version of their P2 engine)

The soonest I can see Porsche returning is 2011, for the new regs. The question that begs to be asked is "what happens to Audi?" Will the R15 make it through to 2011? Will Audi develop a 2011 compliant TDI engine? Will Audi and Porsche run P1 programs simultaneously? I think maybe 2011 might mark the end of Audi's glorious tenure at the throne of Le Mans. They have a good chance it winning in 09 and 2010 with the R15.

Porsche reportedly is no longer going to buy VAG outright, but instead is going to have a merger. That throws a wrench in the fear that Porsche will not allow Audi to continue to run. If Audi's TDI engines gain traction and market share in the US, will they need to race their diesel sports cars any longer?

If the merger is sorted out soon, maybe well see Joest running the Porsche P1 in Europe, and Penske racing it in the US. Maybe the best minds from Audi and Porsche will come together to create future sports racers. Then they will be unstoppable.

Who knows if my late-night babbling makes any sense