fritz:
Spyderidol:
fritz:
bobr:
Spyderidol:
Grant:
bobr:
I wonder if this mid course switch is a result of reduction in development funding for completely new chassis (96x) because of the VW emission issue. Appears they will be leveraging components of Cayman configuration for the next generation RSR.
Struck me as sort of an inexpensive short-term solution as well.
At first I also thought that might be the reason, but it looks like development work on the car has been going on for six months, so way before the diesel scandal.
A number of people I have spoken with confirmed a mid-engine car. Also, I thought the change in course may be a result of the performance of the new Ford GT and Ferrari's switch to the turbo. Understand the Ford GT is a monster. Will be interesting to see when the car breaks cover next spring. Perhaps we will be looking at the basis for the next GT3.
I suspect that the proposed move to a mid-engined layout is not a short-notice knee-jerk reaction to the current competition so much as the acknowledgement that Porsche finally has to grasp the nettle of moving away from a rear-engined layout for GT racing, even if it means that the RSR becomes just a "silhouette" version of the rear-engined street 911.
From my understanding of the interview with Dr Walliser, since the racing programme for 2017 has yet to be confirmed, this mid-engined 911 silhouette concept might be retained beyond 2016?
I'm not quite following you.The so called silhouette car will only be raced in 2017, so beyond 2016.
The issue I have with this is that a properly designed platform for a mid-engine car is surely better than an adapted (modified) rear-engine platform.
Anyway, lets see what they come up with.
Not too surprising. I should have written " .... might be retained beyond 2017".
(Maybe I'm having problems accepting such long lead times for racing programmes!).
The text of the article is rather ambiguous in several points:
"Walliser did confirm that a bespoke mid-engine Porsche GTE car was in the pipeline, initially for 2016, but the decision was made to instead remain with a 911-based model instead.
“When I took over, we justified the technical concepts again,” he said. “I made some decisions but that delayed the program by approximately half a year.
“As you cannot do a mid-season entry, [the new car] will be for 2017… We have a high commitment to the 911. It’s our [key] sports car and it stands for Porsche.”"
I take it that the "bespoke mid-engine Porsche GTE car ... in the pipeline" would be a completely new car not based on the 911 (rumoured 960?), and it is still unclear whether it has been scrubbed completely or just postponed until after decisions have been finalised regarding activities (and budgets) for 2017. Those activities might have to include developing and building that new car as a replacement for the 911 "silhouette" car for use after the 2017 season, making the silhouette just a stop-gap car. "We have a high commitment to the 911" is not necessarily the same as saying "We decided we had to stick with the 911 shape".
We may - or may not - learn more after 12th, December.
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fritz
My apologies! I should have known you meant 2017.
I think what was in fact meant is that there was a mid-engine non 911 based car in the pipeline, but that has been scrapped (for the foreseeable future) .. I don't think the "silhouette" will be a stop gap car, as I suspect development budgets will be tight (given the diesel "scandal").
I continue to think that it is a risky option given the strength of the opposition. If it works out, then great, but if it does not, then the 911's reputation will be tarnished. I suppose if they screw it up , they can always rely on BoP.
I personally think that Porsche missed a golden opportunity to free itself from the 911 straight jacket . Porsche, of course, don't see it that way...and they are usually correct. Let's hope they are right this time too.