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    24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    www.porsche.com/usa/eventsandracing/motorsport/racing/furthersportprograms/24hnuerburgring/news/


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Seems like they have managed to bring down the flywheel in size, now housing it in CFRP box, rather than in a metal housing:

    Porsche:
    The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and stor-ing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon fibre safety cell on the passenger’s side.

     

     


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    Porsche, seperates LeMans from LeBoys

    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Yes, although have seen pictures of the "old" Hybrid with the same "box ".  (slightly different layout). Perhaps they were testing.

    Also - I hope that the "bit" about maintaining lap times of the "old" Hybrid, is just smoke and mirrors, as the lap times of the "old" hybrid were not exactly earth shattering.

    We all obviously understand that endurance racing is not all about speed, but...there is a limit to how much you can fall behind the competition and then catch up based on fuel efficiency.


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    BTW - I like the new steering wheel.


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    That looks amazing  


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    RT Moderator 
    - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Joost:

    Seems like they have managed to bring down the flywheel in size, now housing it in CFRP box, rather than in a metal housing:

    Porsche:
    The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and stor-ing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon fibre safety cell on the passenger’s side.

     

     

     

    This CFRP box is just a cover - safety cell .


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    -- Porsche Motorsport: Press Release -- 

    Porsche GT3 R Hybrid starts in Laguna Seca

    Stuttgart. The race outing of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 was trend-setting. The innovative race car achieved the same quick lap times as its top rivals yet used considerably less fuel. Just two broken transmission flanges and a collision thwarted a possible podium spot. The next test under race conditions for the further development of the particularly efficient drive technology of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is planned for the American Le Mans Series race on the Laguna Seca Raceway in California on 17 September. The vehicle is not eligible for championship points, as the hybrid technology is not yet a part of the GT regulations. 

    Two Porsche works pilots, Romain Dumas (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) man the cockpit of the orange and white racer from Weissach. Dumas has already driven the world’s most innovative GT vehicle last year at the “Petit Le Mans”, the ALMS race on the Road Atlanta circuit. Lietz piloted the Hybrid-911 at the 24 hour races on the Nuerburgring in 2010 and 2011 as well as at various long distance races on the Nuerburgring. 

    “I’m so looking forward to showing this very special car at race speed to the spectators in California. Many Porsche fans live on the west coast of America, and some of them have already discovered the advantages of the hybrid system at the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid,” says Romain Dumas. “I’m very curious, because Laguna Seca is one of the most exciting race tracks on earth. I only know it from computer games and onboard videos. Its layout with a series of up and downhill passages should actually suit our 911 GT3 R Hybrid.” 

    The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0, with two 75 kilowatt electric motors on the front axle supplementing the 465 hp four-litre, six-cylinder power unit at the rear, particularly embodies the philosophy of “Porsche Intelligent Performance”: The electric energy is generated during braking and stored in an electric flywheel in the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0, which has undergone further development since 2010. During acceleration, this energy is automatically delivered to the front wheels, supporting the combustion engine. This leads to a reduction in fuel consumption and increases the cruising range on the circuit. Moreover, drivers can manually utilise the stored energy with a boost-paddle on the steering wheel for overtaking. Compared to its predecessor, the weight of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid was reduced from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms. 

    ...interesting that the GT3 R Hybrid now has a paddle-shift for the gearbox...

    Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche takes up the Nürburgring 24 hour race on 25 June with a further developed version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid. Priority of the development was given to the improvement of efficiency through the targeted optimisation of hybrid components, which also resulted in a 20 percent weight reduction. Version 2.0 of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid is intended to achieve the same lap times as its predecessor but with less fuel consumption.

    The general layout of the hybrid was adopted from the 2010 model. A portal axle with two electric motors drives the front wheels and supplements the four-litre, depending on the balance of performance classification approximately 470 hp, six-cylinder boxer engine at the rear. The output of both electric motors has increased from 60 to 75 kilowatts each. For seconds at a time, pilots now have almost an additional 200 hp at their disposal with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0. Depending on the programming, this power is automatically activated through use of the throttle pedal. Moreover, pilots can manually call up this extra power, for instance when overtaking.

    The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and stor-ing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon fibre safety cell on the passenger’s side.

    At first glance, the new GT3 R Hybrid is clearly distinguishable from the 2010 model. Thanks to the optimisation of the hybrid system’s high voltage components, the large louvres in front of the rear fenders were no longer necessary. This reduces drag and also lowers fuel consumption. All in all, the weight of the vehicle decreased from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms.

    “We’ve collected a great deal of information from our races on the Nürburgring, at the ALMS race at Road Atlanta in the USA, as well as from the ILMC race on China’s Zhuhai circuit, which was an invaluable help for the further development of our racing laboratory,” says Hartmut Kristen, head of Porsche motorsport. “The emphasis of our work was on improving efficiency. That means we want to keep the lap times consis-tent with 2010 but use less energy, hence less fuel. In this way, we support future developments of road-going, sporting hybrid vehicles.”

    The cockpit of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid has also been completely revised. Most of the displays and controls have moved to the steering wheel. Drivers can operate the rest of the functions via backlit buttons now situated on the centre console. Priority was placed on the ergonomics and the clear layout for pilots – particularly in darkness.

    The new 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the ‘Porsche Intelligent Perform-ance’ philosophy, a principle found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the race track and on the road.

    Source: Porsche Motorsport

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    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid at Laguna Seca...

    American Le Mans Series, Round 8 in Laguna Seca, USA, Race report

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid – efficiency yields success

    It beat them all – on the track and at the gas pump. At its first outing on the West Coast of the USA, the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid beat all other GT vehicles in Laguna Seca. With Porsche works drivers Romain Dumas (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) at the wheel, it turned the fastest race lap on the challenging course in Monterey/California and conquered the six hour distance with just three pit stops, while its fastest opponents in the GT class had to stop five times: An impressive demonstration of Porsche Intelligent Performance.

    Porsche’s strong performance at the riveting eighth round of the American Le Mans Series was rounded off by Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA): With the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, the title defenders won the GT class in a photo finish final and secured their first win of the season featuring the world’s fastest sports cars. For Porsche, this marked victory number three after Mid-Ohio and Baltimore.

    "Our expectations have been far exceeded"

    Interest from the fans for the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid was enormous in California, as well. And the way the innovative sports car from Weissach - which started from the rear of the grid and was not eligible for points - chased through the field in just a few laps to snatch the lead caused a sensation in the grandstands. The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid convinced with its consistently fast lap times and low fuel consumption and finished ahead of all other GT vehicles thanks to its ground-breaking drive concept.

    “The start phase was huge fun, because it was relatively easy to overtake the slower competitors,” said Romain Dumas. “But it’s even more fun because we can apply superior tactics thanks to the lower fuel consumption. We are much more flexible and we made the most of this today.” Richard Lietz stated: “We had the least pit stops of all the teams and showed clearly what the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid can do. We didn’t experience one technical problem and left all the other GT vehicles behind us. Our expectations have been far exceeded.”

    In a photo finish final to victory

    Thrills and spills also characterised the fight for victory in the fiercely-contested GT class as always. Spectacular tussles for positions on the track and in the pits as well as frequent changes at the lead were played out over the entire race – and in the last two hours, long after darkness had fallen on the Laguna Seca Raceway, events began to heat up: In the penultimate lap, Joerg Bergmeister squeezed past a BMW into second place with his Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports. But the most successful GT pilot in the American Le Mans Series wasn’t yet finished. He wanted victory – and in the final lap he pushed fast the leading Ferrari.

    “That was our first win this season. We did it at last and it was high time for that,” said Joerg Bergmeister. “We didn’t have the fastest car in the field today, but we fought to the flag. That paid off. To go from third to first in the last laps – you don’t experience this every day in such a strongly-supported series.” Patrick Long added: “Joerg won the race today. Our tactic was to keep out of any squabbles as much as possible and to have the car in one piece at the end to fight for victory. This worked, but the driving style of several competitors was clearly too tough today. It almost cost us the race.”

    In the second Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports, Porsche factory pilot Marco Holzer (Germany) joined forces with American Seth Neiman to bring home ninth place. “The track was new for me and has to be one of the most beautiful in the USA. The race was a fantastic experience,” he said. “I’m pleased that we finished well. It was great fun.” Sascha Maassen (Germany) and Bryce Miller (USA) saw the flag in tenth with Paul Miller Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

    After wins from Mid-Ohio and Baltimore, luck evaded Wolf Henzler in Laguna Seca. The Porsche works driver from Germany had taken over the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR from his teammate Bryan Sellers (USA) and was lying within striking distance of the top when a rival hit his rear shortly before the halfway point of the race. The impact damaged the water pump and put a stop to Falken Tire’s recent run of successes. “Such a retirement is of course hugely disappointing, especially after our wins of the last weeks,” Wolf Henzler said. “Now we have to roll up our sleeves and try to turn the best season for our team so far into a happy ending at Road Atlanta.”

    The ninth and final round of the American Le Mans Series takes place on 1 October on the Road Atlanta race track at Braselton, in the US State of Georgia.

    Porsche takes GT title in the Grand-Am Series

    At the same time as the penultimate race of the American Le Mans Series, Porsche teams were also fighting for championship honours in the equally as popular Grand-Am Series which held its final race on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington/Ohio. With the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup run by the successful customer team Brumos Racing, which is based on the lightweight 911 GT3 RS sports car, Americans Leh Keen and Andrew Davis secured the title with fourth place. The highlight of the exciting season was the Daytona 24 hour race in Florida, where Porsche kicked off the season with a double victory for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.



    Statistics

    Result GT class
    1. Bergmeister/Long (D/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 236 laps
    2. Müller/Hand (D/USA), BMW M3 GT, 236
    3. Melo/Vilander (BRA/SF), Ferrari F458 Italia, 236
    4. Sharp/van Overbeek (USA/USA), Ferrari F458 Italia, 236
    5. Werner/Auberlen (D/USA), BMW M3 GT, 236
    6. Magnussen/Gavin (DK/GB), Chevrolet Corvette, 236
    9. Holzer/Neiman (D/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 230
    10. Maassen/Miller (D/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 224

    Result GTC class
    1. Pumpelly/Ende (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 222 laps
    2. J. Bleekemolen/Pappas/S. Bleekemolen (NL/USA/NL), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 222
    3. Le Saffre/Faulkner (USA/IRL), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 221

    Points’ standings GT class
    Drivers
    1. Dirk Müller, Joey Hand, BMW, 145 points
    2. Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen, Chevrolet, 110
    3. Dirk Werner, Bill Auberlen, BMW, 101
    4. Jaime Melo, Toni Vilander, Ferrari, 90
    5. Wolf Henzler, Bryan Sellers, Porsche, 77
    6. Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Porsche, 76

    Manufacturers
    1. BMW, 145 points
    2. Porsche, 132
    3. Chevrolet, 114
    4. Ferrari, 109

    Teams
    1. BMW Team RLL, BMW, 145 points
    2. Corvette Racing, Chevrolet, 114
    3. Risi Competizione, 90
    4. Team Falken Tire, Porsche, 77
    5. Flying Lizard Motorsports, Porsche, 75

    911-GT3-R-Hybrid_Laguna-Seca_Article-link

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid in Laguna Seca -- Video Footage

    Porsche Intelligent Performance made its debut at the US West Coast... and won!

    911-GT3-R-Hybrid_Laguna-Seca_Video-link

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    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    2011 PORSCHE 911 GT3 R HYBRID 2.0 -- First Drive by Road and Track

    Ferocious, frugal, and a glimpse into Porsche’s hybrid future...

    (4 November 2011)

    It’s my birthday, and I had to work—and that was the best present ever. In this case, work meant skipping out on the Halloween parties for a trans-Atlantic flight to Portugal to test drive the appropriately pumpkin-colored Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid at the Circuito do Estoril.

    The Porsche factory development team was on hand to prep me for the once-in-a- lifetime experience of lapping the prototype race car at speed. Unlike the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, or RSR, the Hybrid is not sold; it is purely a technology demonstrator and rolling test lab. That someone other than a Porsche factory driver is allowed to turn the wheel is a big deal, and also an indicator that there is a new car in development to replace it. Even the engineer responsible for Motorsport Development-Performance, Owen Hayes, hasn’t driven it. And he’s the guy explaining to me how the steering wheel’s 14 buttons and 6 knobs can adjust this all-wheel-drive hyper-drive hybrid from stable and predictable, to well…not. I try to remember the location of each knob and button, because I’m not going to take my eyes off the road in this $1 million test car.

    In The Car

    Mr. Hayes twirls his finger at me and I take a deep breath, which is challenging as I’m wedged into an OMP race seat complete with HANS device and 6-point Schroth belts. I press the start button. The chassis shivers to life like a wet dog fresh from a bath. Foot still on the clutch, I pull the intricately machined shift paddle with the fingers of my right hand. The large N displayed on the wheel switches to a 1. The red HYBRID MAP knob is set to 10, which means the system is off—unless I press the REKUP button to start manually charging the flywheel, or press the BOOST button to send power to the front wheels. In this mode, the Hybrid is purely a rear-drive Porsche GT3 R with 470 horsepower on tap from a 4.0-liter flat-6 race engine that makes earplugs an absolute necessity. I slowly let the clutch out to gracefully leave the pits without laying rubber.

    To the amusement of everyone, I stall it. This wasn’t unexpected. I’ve learned from driving a Porsche Cup car that finding the engagement point is a right of passage. Once found, the car chugs forward, and unlike in a Cup car, I won’t need the clutch again until I come back to the pits. All shifting of the dog-box 6-speed sequential is done via the paddles on the back of the custom steering wheel, made in-house for an estimated 5000 euros. A mechanical whine and gear lash resonate in the cabin, somewhat overshadowing the raucous flat-6. Not your everyday 911 here.

    With the pit lane speed limiter enabled I’m held at 35 mph in 2nd gear. I’m a habitual left-foot braker, so I take this time to shift my foot off the clutch and acclimate it to hovering over the massive brake pedal. Two feet fit on it comfortably. Interestingly, factory driver Jörg Bergmeister told me that the team prefers drivers to right-foot brake as it improves fuel economy.

    I’m not concerned with economy right now, and focus on entering the Estoril race track. I’m only a bit familiar with the course, thanks to YouTube videos and two laps in the passenger seat of a Carrera 4S piloted by Jörg. I think I know maybe two of the track’s 13 corners. Adrenaline flows and my nerves are lit up like the steering wheel’s shift lights. The engine tune we’re running today is allowing a redline of just over 9000 rpm and the majority of a lap is spent above a frantic 7000 rpm.

    Some of the stickiest Michelin rubber on the planet is beneath me. I’m cautious in the slightly damp conditions, but find the lateral grip superb. The (30/65-18 front, 31/71-18 rear) Michelin race slicks allow a staggering 1.5g of lateral grip, and that’s not a peak reading. This type of grip takes some getting used to, and I find myself progressively probing the limits and routinely coming up short in braking distance and corner entry speed. Better this than the alternative I suppose, but the car is capable of so much more. I think an entire day of lapping would be needed to acclimate.

    Full Flybrid Mode

    The fun truly begins as my radio clicks on and I’m instructed by Hayes to select HYBRID MAP 9. I feel for the red knob, visually check that I have the right one, and give it one click down. A slight deceleration is induced as the electric motors on the front axle create drag while generating the electricity needed to spool up the 30.9-lb. flywheel/motor in the passenger floor space. To allow for all-wheel drive, the front hubs are borrowed from a Panamera and have roughly a 6:1 gear reduction to the electric motor. Once the flywheel is up to 28,000 rpm, the onboard display reads 0 charge. A full charge of 100 requires 36,000 rpm. Without hearing protection, the 500-Hz hum of the system is deafening. It’s also surprisingly smooth, producing a mostly unnoticeable vibration.

    That’s amazing, when considering that the spinning mass is rigidly mounted to the chassis with a massive carbon-fiber backing plate for safety. If the flywheel fails, it will disintegrate into carbon dust inside the robust housing, while glass windows under it allow excess pressure to vent. This is to prevent the driver from being covered in a dust that resembles carbon-fiber brake rotor dust. (If you’ve ever seen a brake failure in an F1 race, you’ll know why Porsche wants to keep that stuff out of the cabin.) If something less catastrophic happens, such as a software glitch, the system can easily be rebooted while the car is in motion, or it can be disabled and de-coupled. This is accomplished via electronic clutches integrated into the gear reduction of the two front electric motors.

    Ignoring those contingency plans, I approach the main straight’s braking zone at 155 mph. I hit the big middle pedal and decelerate at just over 1g, slowing to 47 mph for turn 1. A quick check of the State of Charge lights and it’s clear I’ve generated flywheel energy. The SOC indicator looks like shift lights, but is below the digital display—it’s now at about 90 percent.

    The simple act of braking for turn 1 needs some explanation, as the brake pedal controls both hydraulic and regenerative braking systems. The brake pedal travel is slightly longer than that of a conventional race car. Front to rear balance is handled with a conventional brake balance bar on the pedal and adaptive ABS. When my foot first hits the brake the pedal sinks slightly until it hits something rock hard. In a standard race Porsche, the pedal is typically rock solid on the first touch. Pressure on the pedal determines deceleration, but the hybrid system wants that energy and thereby invokes the electric motors as generators. They begin immediately to absorb energy and spin up the flywheel. This means the hydraulic system needs less brake pressure to keep the braking force constant, so it pushes the brake pedal back slightly to unload the hydraulic system a commensurate amount. My pedal effort never changes, but I can feel through my foot the system kick in with a click. Nothing intrusive, mind you, but it lets you know that it’s working. Although the braking was phenomenal I wasn’t overly aggressive, seldom finding ABS. Bergmeister, however, told me that to be competitive it must be used.

    As is road-going hybrids, braking energy-regeneration puts less stress on the front brakes and so they last longer. This allows the 911 Hybrid race car to use lighter brake rotors if desired. In this case we’re running the thinner sprint rotors that were on the car at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the 6-hour enduro.

    Finding a Rhythm

    But I digress. Hitting turn 1’s apex with the flywheel near its maximum 36,000 rpm I’m charged (pun intended) for my first all-wheel-drive corner exit. I don’t have to hit the boost button to activate it, it’s pre-programmed for this track knowing approximate location on the track based on driven distance since it last crossed the start-finish line. I just have to hit the go pedal and it will apply the front power specific to that corner. Although adjustments can be made on the steering wheel to alter these settings, I’m not prepared to do that right now. I tip into the throttle and before I know it I’m snapping through the gears as the shift lights illuminate. I didn’t even feel the front wheels working. It wasn’t until the tight uphill right hand turn 3 that I felt the slight tug on the steering wheel that indicates the front axle putting power down. Before I had to be a little patient mid corner; now I can feel the twin 100-hp electric motors pulling the nose around, allowing me to use the right pedal sooner.

    The electric motors act independently on each wheel, and allow for torque vectoring. The exact amount is determined by the software, but it can also be tuned by the driver with the two yellow knobs at the bottom of the steering wheel, labeled TV IN and TV OUT. Regenerative braking can torque vector as well, so the system can drastically change how the car behaves on corner entry as well as exit. The EV MAP knob adjusts the ramp-up of power delivery by the electric motors. Bergmeister says he likes being able to adjust the car’s driving attitude without having to enter the pits, but points out that the system still can’t overcome worn tires.

    I find that an already well balanced and ultra responsive race car has become easier to drive. The stabilizing factor of all-wheel drive on corner exit is obvious, and the ability to put down another 200 horsepower at the front wheels makes the GT3 R Hybrid quicker out of corners. With a good flywheel charge, corner exits become violent and like turbo boost—addicting. But this is also where the Hybrid concept has its detractors. At best there is 6 to 8 seconds of boost to be had, with actual boost ebbing and flowing between corners, no two ever the same. Actual availability of boost is determined by the engineers and selected hybrid map. On the previous generation of the car, Version 1.0, the drivers made those determinations and all did it differently.

    To better optimize efficiency, the drivers are restricted to adjusting the lower four knobs on the steering wheel. The ENGINE MAP and TC MAP knobs are to be changed only by command of the race engineer. The driver focuses on going as quick as he can, while the engineers adjust the car to optimum frugality. When applied to endurance events such as the 6-hour ALMS race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, this very car ran about 5 percent more efficiently than the competition. This means the Hybrid pitted three times compared to five for the competition, which allowed the car top dominate the GT class, although it was not competing for points. In endurance racing, having to make fewer pitstops is a huge advantage, particularly when you’re still capable of running fast laps.

    The GT3 RSRs that make up the Porsche GT field in the ALMS are the fundamental basis for the Hybrid, and the team had tried hard to build parity between the two models to create a better comparison. Racing against oneself is a sure way to find room for improvement. Version 2.0, the car I drove, is 110 lb. lighter than the previous Hybrid, thanks to a consolidation of the hybrid system and the removal of many extraneous body modifications. Stock GT3 R bodywork is used, and the side air vents and louvered fenders of its predecessor are not needed. A new water-to-oil cooler keeps the flywheel’s ceramic bearings at a cool 158 degrees F. That same water cools the power electronics and motors, via a radiator located in front of the conventional one for the engine.


    Heavy Hitter

    Overall, Version 2.0 of the Hybrid (2866 lb.) still carries an extra 220 lb. compared to the 2646-lb. GT3 R race car from which it’s derived. The majority of that extra weight is over the front axle, providing a more even weight distribution compared to a typical 911. Not surprisingly, this has necessitated larger front tires, 30/65-18 compared to 27/65-18 on the GT3 R.

    All told, the hybrid system, by itself, adds 331 lb to the GT3 R, but creative engineering has helped the team shed 110 lb. in other places. Two examples: the 12-volt lithium-ion battery is borrowed from the RS Spyder, and the roof is made of magnesium and is 11 lb. lighter than the steel one it replaces. Of note, the exotic roof came from Porsche R&D, which experiments with alternative materials.

    As I clip apexes and drive more confidently out of each corner, it’s easy to imagine myself doing a 1-hour stint. Unfortunately, my time is up much too soon. Like going to Disneyland on your birthday, the best rides end too quickly. Hayes gets on the radio, telling me to select HYBRID MAP 11 and begin discharging the flywheel system on the cool-down lap. The frenzy is over, and I take a moment to finally blink.

    Looking Ahead...

    At dinner, I bring up a spy photo of a street-going GT3 with Hybrid 1.0 bodywork, shot at a gas station in Germany. According to Daniel Armbruster, manager Motorsport Development –Systems, that is the car used by System Engineers Christoph Seelbach and Jens Maurer to tweak the hybrid drive software. Its flywheel is mounted where the rear seats would be, which allows a passenger seat. While one engineer drives, the other adjusts the programming on a laptop using Simulink software from MathLab. This way, the team can rapidly make changes.

    Spy Shots: Porsche 911 GT3 Hybrid

    We’d love to see a version of this flywheel hybrid system in a street car, but there are some challenges. The first is noise and vibration from the flywheel—the hum it makes is like that of a turbine engine on a jet liner. That’s fine for a race car (say, a future 918), but obnoxious in a street car. That said, a Porsche board member has driven the car and liked it, so I’m hopeful that the team’s denial of this technology being used in a street car is all a ruse. Next year, when the GT3 variant of the new 991 chassis is introduced, I hope to see a hybrid option. Never thought I’d say that…

    2011 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - Road and Track - Article link

    2011 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - Road and Track - Gallery link

    2011 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - Road and Track - Video link

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    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 -- First Drive by Autoblog

    A Flywheel-Equipped Race Car Leaves Us Whirring for More...

    Spinning at 36,000 revolutions per minute just two feet from my right thigh, a 31-pound flywheel is screaming like a five-horsepower Shop-Vac with the filter removed. The sound pierces the composite shell of my racing helmet and drills through my form-fitted foam earplugs before painfully slamming into my eardrums.

    Yet despite the aching annoyance, I welcome and embrace the high-pitched drone. It means, in the simplest terms, that the monster inside this ballistic carbon fiber cocoon is not only awake, but completely energized.

    With a stab of the throttle, the kinetic energy in the spinning flywheel is automatically exchanged for electricity - the charged ions power two strong electric motors on the front axle. Instantaneously bestowed with 200 torque-laden horsepower, the sticky Michelin slicks claw at the pavement with a vengeance. I clench the wheel as the carbon-fiber bodied race car lunges forward with more accelerative force than an F-16 fighter jet at takeoff power.

    Welcome to the driver's seat of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0.

    Peer high up on Porsche's performance ladder, above the two-dozen or so street legal 911 models - above even the GT2 - to find the automaker's most competitive cars. Vehicles bred purposely for the track.

    The Porsche 997 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is one such model. Compared to its predecessor, which debuted last year, the second-generation hybrid is 20 percent lighter and more efficient without any concession to lap times. While sharing the same paint scheme, the new vehicle is easily identified by its lack of intakes in front of each rear wheel - changes to engine cooling allowed the slats to be dropped and aerodynamic efficiency improved.

      

    Beneath the orange, white, silver and black wrap, the GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 features a monocoque body of hot-galvanized steel with a welded roll cage. Body panels are carbon fiber and there are lightweight polycarbonate windows on all sides, including the front windshield. At each corner is a height-adjustable suspension with dual coil springs and Sachs gas-pressure fixed-position dampers. The steering rack is power-assisted, with an electro-hydraulic pressure feed, and there is a car-mounted air-jack system for use in the pits.

    With help from Bosch MS 4.0 engine management and a race exhaust system, the gas engine is tuned to develop 470 horsepower.

    At the front are six-piston monobloc aluminum calipers over 15-inch ventilated iron rotors. The rear features four-piston monobloc aluminum calipers over 14-inch ventilated iron rotors and there are optimized brake ducts aimed at all four to ensure sufficient cooling. Compared to the standard GT3 Cup (which we drove earlier this year), the wheel/tire package on the GT3 R Hybrid is wider to accommodate the extra workload of the tires. The front and rear wheels are one-piece Rays forged aluminum alloy (11.5x18 and 13x18, respectively) with a single central-locking nut, while dry compound Michelin Porsche Cup N1 slicks tires come standard (30/65-18 front and 31/71-18 rear).

    Hung behind the rear wheels of the 997 GT3 R Hybrid is a very traditional race-bred gasoline-consuming flat six-cylinder engine. Displacing 4.0-liters, the naturally aspirated four-valve powerplant features multi-point fuel injection and dry sump lubrication. With help from Bosch MS 4.0 engine management and a race exhaust system, the gas engine is tuned to develop 470 horsepower. The standard transmission is a six-speed sequential dog-type gearbox. There is an aluminum clutch pedal on the floor (controlling the triple-plate carbon clutch), but no transmission lever to the right of the driver. Instead, shifting is accomplished via small aluminum paddles on the backside of the steering wheel. A mechanically-locking rear axle differential completes the rear-mounted driveline.

      

      

    Things become very interesting at this point - the GT3 R Hybrid has a completely independent second driveline in the front of the chassis.

    Located just to the right of the driver, where a passenger seat would normally be situated, is a large charcoal gray carbon fiber case. At first glance it appears to be a fuel cell, yet the ominous bright yellow "high voltage" warning sticker and large air ducts feeding cool atmospheric air tell a different story. Porsche engineers reveal that a 31-pound composite flywheel, mounted horizontally on oil-cooled ceramic bearings, is buried deep inside. It is called a flywheel accumulator.

    The GT3 R Hybrid has a completely independent second driveline in the front of the chassis.

    A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device used to store energy. Unlike nearly every hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle on the market today, which require batteries or capacitors to store electricity, the GT3 R Hybrid uses a spinning flywheel mounted on an electric motor/generator. It's a brilliant solution, as a vacuum-encased flywheel unit is not only lighter than a battery pack but is capable of being fully "charged" (accelerated to its maximum speed) and "discharged" (decelerated to a near stop) multiple times a minute without adverse affects - batteries and capacitors would quickly overheat rendering them nearly useless after a short period of such abuse.

    Mounted directly to the steel chassis, the flywheel is generally spinning between 28,000 to 36,000 rpm (it is rated to 40,000 rpm). When the hybrid system is activated, the flywheel is charged automatically under braking by two permanently excited synchronous motors that reverse their function to send electrical current to the flywheel motor (the driver may also charge/discharge the system via a steering wheel-mounted button while coasting or even under acceleration). In layman's terms, normally wasted heat (energy) in braking is converted to electricity and sent back to the pavement when accelerating out of a corner or overtaking another race car via twin 75 kW (101 horsepower) motors located on the front driveshaft.

      

    As mentioned, the hybrid drivetrain in the front of the chassis is completely independent of the combustion drivetrain mounted in the rear. This means the GT3 R Hybrid is capable of racing exclusively in rear-wheel drive mode with the hybrid system shut down. Of course, it may also resort to electrical front-wheel drive to limp back to the pits in an emergency. Versatility is an understatement.

    The all-wheel-drive Porsche GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 will accelerate to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds.

    With a curb weight of just 2,866 pounds and a total system power of 672 horsepower, the all-wheel-drive Porsche GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 will accelerate to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds. Its top speed is gearing limited to about 175 mph.

    Showcasing Porsche's technology, the second-generation GT3 R Hybrid has been very busy. In June, it competed impressively (despite a last-minute restriction) during the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. In September, it wowed the crowds while competing in an exhibition class during an American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race at Laguna Seca - it outran the entire GT class as it didn't have to pit as frequently. And in October, it was on display for tens of thousands of fans during Porsche's Rennsport Reunion IV.

    Autódromo Fernanda Pires da Silva - the famed Estoril race circuit - is located about a dozen miles west of Lisbon, Portugal. The 2.6-mile road course offers drivers an excellent challenge thanks to its hairpins, elevation changes and long front straight. Although out of the spotlight and frequently forgotten (it was dropped from the Formula One calendar more than a decade ago), the venue remains a world-class facility.

      

      

    Today, the track serves a very noble purpose - a fully-fueled race-ready Porsche 997 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is in the hot pits, and Autoblog enjoys a rare opportunity to spend some time behind the wheel.

    Arriving at the circuit a couple hours early, the first order of business is a track orientation lap with Jörg Bergmeister in a bone-stock 997 911 C4S. The track is wet from an overnight rain, but the former Grand-American Rolex Series Champion doesn't seem to notice. Despite being completely disheartened and now more nervous than ever, I shake it off and head over to the Porsche trailer to suit up. Ten minutes later I emerge wearing all of my fireproof gear and carrying my helmet and HANS Device (upgraded with a sliding tether system) under my arm. I grab a sugar-free Red Bull and march over to the hot pits.

    I check in just as the GT3 R Hybrid enters the far side of pit lane. Despite being a full two hundred yards away, it is unmistakable with its distinctive white and orange bodywork. Sitting fat and low on the tarmac, its yellow headlights glare piercingly at me as it cackles through each downshift. It is damn intimidating.

    The ignition is killed and the two beady eyes are extinguished, breaking its stare. The Porsche quietly rolls to a stop in front of me.

      

      

    Climbing into a race car with a full cage and not looking like a complete tool requires some planning. As I am six-foot two-inches tall, I put my helmet and HANS on first (most cockpits don't have enough room to lift it cleanly over my head). This means tiny foam earbuds, each with miniature speakers, go into my ears and a Nomex balaclava is slid over my head before my helmet. With the steering wheel removed, I swing both legs over the side intrusion beam, grab the top of the cage with both hands and gently drop myself into the racing bucket. The carbon fiber seat is thinly padded with fire-resistant upholstery, but the thickness of my Nomex suit adds a bit more cushioning. It is tight, but comfortable. With my arms raised, two crew members reach across the cabin and strap all six buckles into the quick release latch just below my beltline. I cinch each as tight as I can while one of the crew attaches the communication electronics jack. I'm ready to roll.

    The $6,000 interface appears more sophisticated than the instrument panel on an Apollo command module.

    Pre-flight instruction is short, but critical. Nearly all of the primary instrumentation and controls, with the exception of the brake, accelerator and clutch, are located on a flat carbon-fiber panel of the thick suede-wrapped steering wheel. As a result, the $6,000 interface appears more sophisticated than the instrument panel on an Apollo command module. Truth is, there are only a few buttons/switches that require attention as most of the R Hybrid is automated - nearly everything on the face of the wheel is for driver override. Most critical today is the small "Hybrid Map" wheel, at about 7 o'clock in relation to the Porsche crest in the center of the hub. The twelve adjustable-on-the-fly settings change hybrid boost from full auto to system discharge.

    Some factory drivers prefer manual control of boost and energy recuperation, so there are buttons for that ("Boost" and "Rekup") and buttons to alter system torque vectoring ("TV IN" and "TV OUT"). Of course, the traction control ("TC MAP") and engine ("ENGINE MAP") are also cockpit-adjustable. Lastly are two rows of bright LEDs. The top row displays engine revolutions, while the bottom shows the flywheel's state of charge ("SOC"). Confused? Yeah, me too.

    After a brief radio check, a crew member flips the console-mounted main ignition switch ("MAIN SWITCH") and I receive the signal to hold down the engine start button ("STARTER"). The tuned 4.0-liter flat-six takes a sip of fuel and ignites immediately. A rough idle shakes the chassis while the concussions from the anxious exhaust bounce of the pit walls.

    I'm the only car on the circuit, and all eyes are on me.

    With the clutch to the floor, I pull back on the right paddle to engage first gear. The big LCD on the steering wheel confirms my choice. Despite gingerly lifting my left leg and feathering a bit of throttle with my right, the engine stalls - a common occurrence (thankfully, the clutch is only used to break inertia). Without skipping a beat I again stab the start button, apply more throttle and cleanly roll out of the pits towards the wide-open track. I'm the only car on the circuit, and all eyes are on me.

    The hybrid system is shut completely off (via the "HYBRID" master switch) during the first couple laps so I am able to orient myself with the chassis and handling without distraction. Despite the electronic castration, the Porsche is still sending 470 horsepower to the rear wheels. I drive guarded, at maybe five-tenths, to get a feel for the brakes, turn-in and available grip. There is plenty of power and the track is still damp. All it takes is a slight goose of the accelerator and the coupe squiggles on the asphalt as the cold rear tires lose grip. Braking is a bit unnerving as the pedal travels a bit then stops - one has to press the seemingly frozen pedal impossibly hard. After a couple minutes, the radio call comes to bring me back into the pits.

    Stopped a minute later with the engine shut down, the driver's door opens and the very patient man at the other end of the radio is waiting. He is Owen Hayes, Porsche's GT3 R Hybrid chief engineer and my personal Obi-Wan Kenobi for the test drive. Owen leans in and flips "ON" the master switch for the hybrid system, moves the hybrid map to "10" and then gives me the signal to head back out.

    I had been warned that the hybrid system would make the GT3 R feel sluggish during its initial charge, but I had underestimated the effect. After half a lap, following several regenerative braking cycles, the heavy front wheels magically lighten. At about the same moment a strange sound begins to emerge from the right side of the cabin - the flywheel had finally come alive. The noise starts as a smooth electric whir, but it soon becomes a deafening howl accompanied by a high-frequency vibration.

    The game is completely changed.

    There is no need to look at the bank of LEDs, now fully illuminated, to verify the flywheel's charge as the noise tells me all I need to know. Passing the apex of the next corner I mash the throttle and hold on. Thanks to a very sophisticated torque vectoring system, power is sent precisely to the wheel that needs to maintain optimal cornering around the radius. With more than 200 horsepower now being pushed through the front wheels, I expect massive torque steer. Nothing of the sort rears its ugly head, and the steering balance remains just as smooth and precise as before. Dynamically, and as expected, the grip up front reduces oversteer and the Porsche magically pulls itself out of the corner as if tethered behind a Nautique ski boat.

    Boost is short lived, no more than eight seconds with a full charge, but it's plenty of time to exit most corners with energy still remaining in the flywheel. Foot to the floorboards, the GT3 R Hybrid launches itself out of the hole quicker than any street car. The power pins my body against the back of the seat with insane levels of thrust (at one point, telemetry reveals that the GT3 R Hybrid is accelerating in third gear through 77 mph with an unbelievable .8 g's of acceleration). The power is stupefying, and I readily admit that I have never driven anything this quick, on or off a track.

    The hybrid's flywheel boost provides an instant 40 percent increase in vehicle power for those fleeting seconds. The acceleration pattern almost reminds me of my high school days when we'd plumb nitrous oxide (NO2) into our engines for a quick hit - but there is no high pressure tank to run dry this time. Aggressively apply the brakes and the system recharges automatically.

    The ground still shows large patches of moisture on the track. Yet the warm Michelin race tires brush off the laws of physics and stick to the pavement as if they are covered in hot glue. This is good, as it quickly builds my trust in the vehicle. Within minutes my braking is exceeding 1.2 g and my cornering forces approach 1.5 g. I am pushing hard, but still off the pace of the seasoned pros. The GT3 R Hybrid is laughing at me, asking for more.

    My body is being slammed back and forth between the carbon-fiber seat and nylon restraints violently, but everything is happening so fast that it's of little concern. Holding my hands on the wheel, my fingers flick up and down through the gears. Overwhelmed, I focus only on shifting, braking, steering... and breathing.

    I can hear the 31-pound flywheel, locked inside its prison chamber to my right, screaming under deceleration and then relieving itself as I accelerate. The pattern is rhythmic, and its wail blocks out the soothing roar of the flat-six and the mechanical whine of the straight cut gears. It is terrifyingly noisy.

    Overwhelmed, I focus only on shifting, braking, steering... and breathing.

    Two good straights, nearly evenly placed apart on the circuit, give me a chance to relax my grip on the wheel and enjoy a strong blast of fresh air from the vent cut into the exterior mirror. The Porsche will hit about 135 mph on the back section in sixth gear, and I see a consistent 155 mph in the same gear on the front straight if I exit the corners properly (still running the transmission ratios and suspension settings for Laguna Seca, the orange and white race car will need taller gears to go much faster).

    A couple laps later, Owen comes on over the communicator and tells me it is time to pit on the next lap. He instructs me to switch to hybrid map "11," which will drain the flywheel while I am on the track (it can also be done in pits, by raising the front end and allowing the wheels to spin off the energy). I crave more time behind the wheel, but part of me is relived as I am both physically and mentally drained. Keep in mind that I've only been in the car for about 20 minutes.

      

    Coming off the last corner, I shift the gearbox into neutral and roll the GT3 R Hybrid the last few hundred feet. As I stop, Owen opens the door and kills the ignition. A member of the pit crew attaches an air line to pneumatically raise the Porsche off the ground while other members of the crew immediately start to remove the wheels. Another plugs a dump can into the dry break valve on the hood and splashes in more Panta racing fuel. I unbuckle and muster the strength to climb out through the labyrinth of roll cage. Once clear, I remove my helmet. Standing in the hot pits and taking in the welcomed silence, I realize that I am not only completely soaked with sweat, but I am completely exhausted.

    The GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is absolutely spectacular, yet Porsche is still chasing perfection.

    Minutes later, while gulping down a cold orange juice in the garage (and waiting for my pulse to drop below 165), I find myself almost speechless. The GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is absolutely spectacular, yet Porsche is still chasing perfection.

    Last year's model, the first-generation, relied on the driver to control recoup and boost. However, Porsche found that each of its drivers would use the hybrid system differently and this caused inconsistency in tire wear and fuel economy. The engineers tried a GPS-based boost program (it would "learn" the track and provide boost at the proper moment), but satellite-based positioning doesn't work when passing slower vehicles off the racing line. The solution was the current automated system to deliver boost to the front wheels based on throttle position and other sensors. This works well most of the time, but there are situations when drivers don't need the boost (e.g., exiting a corner behind slow traffic), preferring it to remain stored in the flywheel until passing. Porsche drivers still use the manual overrides in these situations, admit the engineers.

    There is also an interesting phenomenon that occurs during braking. Under initial brake application, the hybrid's regenerative system produces heavy drag as it is diligently electrifying the flywheel motor. However, once the flywheel has absorbed its maximum energy (at about 36,000 rpm) it abruptly shuts off - the drag on the front wheels is eliminated and the vehicle shoots forward under standard braking force. The driver has to anticipate this switchover, or they will find themselves overshooting the entry, or worse go right into the wall.

    The Porsche GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is a clear look at the next-generation of exhilarating personal hybrid transportation.

    Peculiarities out of the way, Porsche's hybrid system works very, very well. But as of now, the GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 still hasn't raced for a spot on the podium. Its unique hybrid powertrain leaves it a bit ostracized, without a class in which to compete. Today's game-changing hybrid race car remains nothing but a very fast proof-of-concept. But don't expect that to dissuade Porsche, an automaker obsessed with winning. Revealed earlier this year was the 918 RSR Hybrid - also fitted with a flywheel accumulator - expected to mark the brand's return to the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014.

    Thankfully, crash helmets and Nomex suits won't always be required to pilot a vehicle equipped with a flywheel accumulator. The technology not only promises a clean, safe, lightweight, environmentally friendly and completely self-contained alternative to battery storage, but it delivers fun-to-drive free boost. I am convinced that the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 isn't just a glimpse at the future of racing - it's a clear look at the next-generation of exhilarating personal hybrid transportation. Maybe it's time for the Prius, and its numb clones, to finally move aside...

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 -- Specifications:

    Engine: 4.0L Flat-6, 75 kW x2
    Power: 672 HP (total)
    Transmission: 6-Speed Sequential
    0-60 Time: 2.5 Seconds (est.)
    Top Speed: 175 mph (est.)
    Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
    Curb Weight: 2,866 Pounds
    Seating: 1
    MSRP: $1.5 Million (est.)

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 -- Track Video

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - Autoblog article link

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 -- Image Gallery

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - Autoblog gallery link

    Smiley SmileySmiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    ...and to think that this was all happening 5min from my apartment in Estoril.


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 -- First Drive

    "Porsche Blasts Hybrids Into New Stratosphere"

    To borrow a line from Jon Landau: I have driven the future of sports cars, and it's the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid.

    I know that the very word "hybrid" causes old-schoolers to grind their molars like hadrosaurs. Sorry, I'm afraid it's going to be a long century for you. Real car guys have always seen the promise that now the GT3 R Hybrid makes manifest: a sports car that is both more efficient and vastly, outrageously, splendidly more capable than a conventional car (if you want to call Porsche's factory race car "conventional").

    What you have here is an experimental, 670-horsepower, all-wheel-drive, 2,860-pound gas-electric cyclone, and after 10 laps around the Circuito do Estoril my poor addled Dorothy was nowhere near Kansas anymore, or even Portugal. Trust me: A Prius it ain't.

    There are two very trick bits to this car: The first is its tomorrow-tech flywheel energy-storage system. Like other hybrids, the car has a motor/generator (actually two, worth about 100 hp each) attached to the front wheels. Under braking, these motor/generators convert kinetic energy otherwise lost as heat in the brakes into electrical current.

    However, unlike battery-equipped hybrids, the Porsche stores its amperage mechanically, spooling up a 31-pound flywheel operating in a vacuum chamber in (one hopes) a crash-proof box beside the driver. Under acceleration, the flywheel's enormous kinetic energy is converted back to electrons and returned to the front-wheel motors, helping the car go farther and faster. There is also the not-inconsiderable thrust provided by the 4.0-liter, 470-hp flat-six in the back, churning the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. This car can accelerate and decelerate at about 1 g and corner at nearly 2 g, which is pretty physical, let me tell you. Lisbon hasn't been this blurry since the earthquake of 1755.

    At the American Le Mans Series' six-hour endurance race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in September, the GT3 R Hybrid walked away from the field, posting the fastest laps in the GT class and stopping only three times for fuel, compared with other competitors' five or more stops. Because the ALMS hasn't yet written the rules to cover this technology, the GT3 R Hybrid is ineligible for points. Porsche calls the car a "racing lab." I would like to publicly apply for the position of lab rat.

    In racing, flywheels have a singular advantage of high power, which is to say, rapid discharge, compared with electrochemical storage. Batteries typically don't like deep power cycling (see your cellphone) and tend to get hot and fatigued.

    The GT3 R Hybrid's flywheel device was built by Formula 1 constructor Williams as part of F1's pursuit of Kinetic Energy Storage Systems (KERS), which began in 2009. The date to remember, however, is June 2014, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That race will debut a new set of rules by the race organizers, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, and it will see many of the world's great car makers competing with advanced hybrid prototype sports cars. Porsche, the winning-est marque in endurance racing, will return to the P1 class for the first time since 1998, fielding its 918RSR Hybrid, which will almost certainly use a more evolved version of the flywheel system on the car I drove.

    Set your TiVos now. This will be the race of the century, a battle of giants. It will also be the ultimate test of various hybrid technologies and arrays, and will ratify the wholesale hybridization of performance cars. In many people's opinion, and mine, too, this is the only direction big-time racing can go to save itself from its own vanity and irrelevance.

    Why would Porsche put such an important piece of technology in the hands of an amateur like me? That brings me to the other trick bit: torque vectoring. The electric motors on the front wheels, where the steering gets done, can be driven at different speeds and power levels, with an articulation that's impossible with mechanically based torque-vectoring systems, like that on the McLaren MP4-12C. The Porsche can literally pull itself into a corner by over-driving the outside front wheel and under-driving the inside wheel.

    It's like falling into some sort of weird asphalt gravity well. There's very little drama in the steering, no unpleasant electrical pushback coming through the suede-wrapping steering wheel. When you go back to the power and unwind the wheel, all 200 electric horsepower at the front wheels yanks you down the track as if on a magic cable, vectoring torque to take you precisely where you're pointing. The car blasts out of turns with a fierce, arcing inevitability, with its mountain of software helping to balance the car on the very knife-edge of tire adhesion.

    This is genius-level technology in the service of stupid fast.

    The amount of corner entrance and exit torque vectoring ("TV IN" and "TV OUT," according to the knobs on the steering wheel) can be preprogrammed by the engineers according to the track layout, the condition of the tires and the driver's style. Like an earlier version of the car, the GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 has manual-mode buttons ("REKUP" and "BOOST") for the drivers to capitalize on chances to recuperate energy or pass, but on this day Porsche's engineers declined to let journalists try them. Crucially, another dial controls the electric-motor "map," allowing drivers to dial down the rate at which the electric boost comes on—quite helpful in the rain.

    It adds up to nothing less than a revolution in race-car dynamics, a virtually self-adjusting car, a dancing alloy algorithm of stunning pace and rip-your-head-off handling, an all-wheel-drive car with optimized traction control that knows the track as well as or better than the driver. Then it's just bang-bang-bang, up and down the paddle-shifted gears, topping out on the front straight of Estoril at about 160 mph before a 1-g braking event at Turn 1—and, believe me, it is an event.

    Complaints? First and foremost, the noise of the fully charged flywheel, whirling at between 28,000 and 36,000 rpm in the passenger compartment, is unbearable, a stunning, suffocating 500 Hz at, I'm guessing, at least 100 dB. It's like sharing your helmet with a Harrier jet.

    Second: Frankly, Mein Herr, I'd like more horsepower. Perhaps a taller final gear? This car is so exquisite dynamically that it actually cries out for more top speed. I'm sure Porsche can fix that.

    Bottom line: There is nothing about this technology, that cannot migrate to Porsche's road cars, and as I unstrapped my sweating and woozy self from the driver's seat, I felt as if I had driven a Porsche 911, circa 2016 or so. Indeed, it seems inevitable, given Porsche's track-based product development, that the company's flagship sports car will one day be a hybrid.

    I'll be counting the tenths of a second.

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - WSJ article

    Smiley SmileySmiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Just a quick note: The 918RSR is NOT a P1. It is a car based on a road version of the same car, and thus by definition, is a GTE class car. The "problem" is that the GTE class rules do not allow for Hybrid Technology.

    Unless the LMP1 rules change drastically (in other words : eliminated altogether) for 2014, Porsche's LMP1 effort will NOT be the 918RSR.

    PS: This is what happens when articles are written by non-specialized media

     


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    There is no comparison between this (LMP1):

    Audi-R18_2011_800x600_wallpaper_04.jpg

    and this..

    13-porsche-918-rsr-live-opt.jpg

     

    The 918RSR compares to this:

    250px-Ferrari_458_italia.JPG

     


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Great series of articles.  Can't wait to see what Porsche is planning for its return to LMP1 in 2014 (and looking forward to meeting 90% of Rennteam members at Le Mans for this historic occasion).  Smiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Wow, stunning photos of the R Hybrid test in Protugal! Thanks for posting.

    I think the 918 Sypder won't race as advertised. Certainly the LMP1 class should see it's own development.

    Porsche is going a great route with their concept on hybrid tech and racing


    --

    indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    According to Marshall Pruett (a highly respected sportscar racing journalist) Porsche are working on the 918RSR.

    I think this may be the source of the confusion made by non-specialized journalists are making.

    I am not sure that this is indeed the case. However, a case can be made for Porsche developing an interim car before moving on  the LMP1 project (note that at this time , the final version of the 2014 LMP rules have not yet been decided, and so it is a little early to start the final design and development of the LMP1 car). Also - the GT3 Hybrid was not a purpose build platform for the hybrid experiment. The 918 is, and so will the LMP1 car be purpose built. Given the above, Porsche may want to gain more experience with this type of platform.

     

     


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid: Test Drive Video... (7min53s)

    ...turn up the volume! Smiley

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid -- Video Link

    Smiley SmileySmiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 in Track Test

    JOURNEY INTO THE FUTURE...

    The second hybrid version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R shows that this technology offers opportunities in motorsports. We drive the GT sports car...

    It is an irritating noise that interferes as in the familiar sound of the boxer engine. If I give gas or brake - is this strange sound. Initially, I think that this humming coming from the headphones, which I wear under the helmet. But actually installed on the passenger side of the flywheel provides the unusual background music for my exit in a Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid.
     
    CONVERTED BRAKING ENERGY
     
    With more than 36 000 revolutions per minute this orbiting rotor, which is housed in a carbon fiber box. The flywheel is the heart of the hybrid concept of the Stuttgart, the braking energy generated from otherwise unused extra horsepower. The issue of energy recovery has arrived in motorsport - held at least since 2009 KERS in Formula 1 feeder. But should during these battery systems facilitate in Grand Prix racing after brief power increase mainly overtaking and thus improve the show, in developing the 911 GT3 R Hybrid faster lap times and a lower consumption were compared to a conventionally powered vehicle the foreground.
     
    Suitable for long distance should also be Zuffenhausen hybrid racer yet. How well this task was solved by the engineers showed already the first major appearance in the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring 2010: The new development was leading the field until a profane damage stopped at the internal combustion engine, the Porsche company after over 22 hours of racing. In the Eifel, the 911 hybrid celebrated a year later his first major triumph with the further developed version 2.0 brought Lietz / Holzer / Long in May 2011, the overall victory at the fourth round of the Endurance Championship.
     
    AROUND 200 HP EXTRA PERFORMANCE
     
    Who at the helm of the 911 hybrid takes a seat to see over a steering wheel that looks more like a control center: it houses numerous buttons and rotary switches to a display, the shift lights plus shift paddles - and those who display that the driver about the status of the hybrid system information. The energy storage is filled, is provided by two electric motors mounted on the front axle with 75 kW output in seconds, for an additional boost. But first I have to do without this extra power, because after leaving the pit takes a few hundred meters, until it is ready. And still lacks the required current. But the next time you start braking the diodes of the charge indicator lights up - and I feel a slight pulsing in the brake pedal, similar to a braking with ABS. The two electric motors on the delay function of the generators and provide the energy that is stored by the flywheel whirring on the passenger side.
     
    When stepping on the accelerator at the apex of the curve, the two electric motors on the front axle are now automatically enabled. The nominal 448 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid turns into an all-wheel-drive GT sports car - at least for a few seconds. Not only the gain in thrust by addition of 200 hp is remarkable, but also the manner in which this power is converted into propulsion. The two electric motors on the front wheels are mechanically decoupled and act like an electronic differential. The traction benefits of the temporary four-wheel drive on dry roads are clearly noticeable. When it rains, they may still be far clearer. In addition, the hybrid Porsche has in the border area significantly natured than a conventionally powered GT3.
     
    After a few laps I change by reaching for knob from the automated mode of the hybrid system to manual control, with the boost button on the steering wheel I can now power add-PS accurately retrieve it whenever I want it - provided the memory is accordingly fully. At the end of the target curve of Estoril I press the button - and the result is impressive: Although I slowed from the previous round five km / h on the long straight coming, the electric motors ensure that the Porsche reaches about 300 meters already Tempo 240 has. That is ten km / h more than before. This difference makes it clear that the hybrid make it easier for Porsche drivers in the race, overtaking through the targeted use of the additional power clear.
     
    Its fuel efficiency but is perhaps the biggest plus point of the 911: "On the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring we could drive our car ten laps at a time", Development Engineer Owen Hayes said after returning to the pits. "This was a game more than our competitors -. With an identical tank" Porsche is not the inventor of the hybrid-drive in racing. But there are parallels to the turbo development about 40 years ago: It was the Stuttgart who helped this technology on the track to success. The Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid offers a glimpse into the future of motor racing, because the benefits of the approach are obvious. At the strange sound in the cockpit while you get used much. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    TECHNICAL DATA 
     
    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0
     
    DRIVE 
    6-cylinder horizontally opposed, 4-valve Displacement 3996 cc Power 329 kW / 448 hp at 8600 / min; electric motors 150 kW / 204 hp Transmission 6-speed, sequential, paddle shift driving the rear wheel (combustion engine), front (electric motors)
     
    CHASSIS 
    MacPherson struts, control arms, stabilizer
    Multi-link suspension, springs, dampers, stability, traction control
    Ventilated disc brakes all round, ABS
     
    Weight 1300 kg
    L / W / H = 4530 / 1954 / 1260 mm

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 in Track Test -- AutoZeitung Link

    Smiley SmileySmiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Test Driving the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid...

    "The Porsche GT3 R Hybrid is an experimental, 670-horsepower, all-wheel-drive, 2,860-pound gas-electric cyclone..."

    Test Driving the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid -- Video Link

    Smiley SmileySmiley


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Just had to decline an offer to drive the N24 in a new GT86... I'm kicking myself hard... mail


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Are you still driving your Clio this year?


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Ferdie, please see my answer in the relevant thread: http://www.rennteam.com/forum/thread/20361243/Re_VLN_2012/page1.html#p20361243


    Re: 24h Nürburgring - Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid video review by Autocar...

    "Porsche has given the new 911 GT3 R Hybrid more power and less weight. Autocar puts the 661bhp Porsche development racer through its paces around Portugal's Estoril circuit..."

    Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid video review by Autocar -- Video Link

    Smiley SmileySmiley


     
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