After months of testing and images of the car in camouflage paintwork, the brand new Porsche 919 hybrid was unveiled to the world this morning at the Geneva International Motor Show.
Porsche returns to the great motorsport stage. The sports car brand is sending a cutting edge technology platform, the new 919 Hybrid, to race in the top category of the World Endurance Championship, which include the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On the race track and at the Geneva International Motor Show, the LMP1 prototype will be accompanied by the new Porsche 911 RSR, another world premiere. Other vehicles making their debut include the Macan S Diesel and 911 Targa production models.
Technology transfer from race course to streets
Motorsport is as much a part of Porsche as the numeric sequence 911. The first sports car from Zuffenhausen was sent to race at Le Mans back in 1951, i.e. shortly after the company was founded. Ever since, knowledge acquired in competition has always benefited the company's production models. Developments such as dual ignition, disc brakes, the dual-clutch transmission and powerful hybrid drives were first proven out on the race course before they were introduced into street models. As a result, there is always a race car within every Porsche.
In 2014, Porsche is returning to the top class of endurance racing after 16 years. So the engineers had to develop the new Porsche 919 Hybrid from scratch. The WEC's new regulations for LMP1 race cars gave them an unusual degree of freedom, while focusing on such technologies with great future potential such as hybridisation, engine downsizing and a systematic approach to lightweight design. Instead of pure power, the focus is now on clever ways to enhance fuel efficiency: only those with fuel-efficient cars are competitive.
For a long time now, Porsche has called this “Porsche Intelligent Performance."
The 919 Hybrid is the most complex race car that Porsche ever put on wheels. It benefits from the know-how that Porsche acquired in producing the 918 Spyder super sports car as well as the hybridised production versions of the Panamera and Cayenne. At the sametime, the LMP1 racer – as a unique test laboratory that is subjected to the unrivalled innovative and competitive pressures of motorsport – has maximum relevance when it comes to the future of sports cars.
In addition to the 919, the wraps also came off the 2014 911 RSR which will challenge for the LMGTE World Manufacturers Cup this season.
Both cars will be attending 'The Prologue' at Le Castellet on the 28/29 March and the public will get their first opportunity to see the 919 Hybrid in action on Saturday 29 March when it will be on track at Paul Ricard alongside the Audi R18 e-tron quattro and the Toyota TS040 hybrid.
