Porsche 918 RSR

Last year Porsche unveiled the 918 supercar, and this year;  they have done one better by unveiling the 918 RSR at the Detroit Auto Show.

Porsche is adamant that this is not a race car, it is a "race laboratory". Yeah, we don't understand it either, but when it looks this awesome, who cares!.


Mechanically the 918 RSR is a lot different to the 918 hybrid. It is still a hybrid, but it owes more to the successful and revolutionary 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car. Porsche have lost the heavy rear-mounted lithium-ion batteries and electric motor that allowed the 918 to drive along in an almost stealth-like mode. In the RSR there are two nose-mounted electric motors; under braking the two motors acts as generators, like the regenerative braking in road-going hybrids, and charge the flywheel. This flywheel spins at a huge 36,000rpm and creates energy that can be released at the push of a button, linked to two 75kW motors to help overtaking and fuel consumption. How very green.

It's Not A Race Car

There is also a direct-injection V8 derived from the Porsche RS Spyder race car’s 3.4-liter V8. The mid-mounted engine produces 563bhp at 10,300 rpm in the 918 RSR. When you link this traditonal motor to the high-tech hybrid gubbins you get a total of 767bhp.

source: motormorph

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