The Porsche 918 RSR can be considered the queen of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show - and it’s definitely a treat for those going to see what Porsche has in store for its super racing models of the future. The combination of the design of the 918 Spyder concept and the technology of the 911 Gt3 R Hybrid is almost too much to take in, but as revealed in the preview Detroit 918 RSR presentation video after the jump, Porsche has proved it is still at the cutting edge of racing technology. They say that this model was born not as a coupé or spyder concept, but as a super sports car project. The official 918 RSR racing lab video is above and despite the hyberbole, it shows just how convinced Porsche is that hybrid technology can fit its racing tradition and history.

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What do you to say to a mix of the Porsche 918 Spyder concept and the amazing 911 GT3 R Hybrid all in one racing Porsche 918 RSR? The model, revealed at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, is the next hybrid step in Porsche’s model range and is, again, nothing short of impressive. The 918 RSR is a kind of prototype preview of the technology that Porsche will use on future racing models, and even if you’re not into the new wave of environmental tech and the pressure put on sports car companies like Porsche, the results have been astonishing with models like these - enough to please any petrol head out there.

The Porsche 918 RSR has the same drivetrain set-up as the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, although this latest version gets even more power. The new V8 is based on that which appeared on the 918 Spyder and produces 563 hp. The rest of the hair-raising power is provided by two front-wheel electric motors, each producing another 102 hp to make for a total of 767 hp combined. It uses the same flywheel accumulator as the GT3 R Hybrid for extra energy storage (like having a powerful, onboard generator) and the front electric motors are equipped with a torque vectoring function for variable torque distribution.

Further aspects include a six-speed, racing transmission with paddle shift and the chassis is a carbon fibre, reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque. The accumulator mentioned above sits where the passenger seat would originally be, making this a one-pilot car, and it can be used for power boosts of up to eight seconds. Below you can find all the pics live from Detroit, along with the press release.

Continue reading: Live from Detroit: Porsche 918 RSR

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In order to reduce overall CO2 emissions across the Porsche range, the company is planning at least one hybrid drivetrain in every model line. There is already a Porsche Cayenne hybrid and the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid proves that they can make whopping sports cars with hybrid technology, although there are no plans in the near future to go to production across the coupé line.

The Porsche Cayenne hybrid will be joined by a Panamera hybrid sometime in 2011 and which will use the same platform as the SUV. The only electric-powered sports car to appear at this stage will be the 918 Spyder which will have a smaller production run and should appear in three to four years’ time.

While the 911, Boxster and Cayman are currently off the list, development manager at Porsche, Wolfgang Duerheimer said: “We want to learn how we can electrify all our sports cars in the future with the help of this short production run.” No time frame has been given for those models, but the hybrid roll-out plan is to meet the goal of reducing CO2 emissions to 216 g/km by 2015, from 255 now.

Other measures being considered are the use of smaller, four-cylinder engines and lighter-weight vehicles. The use of carbon fibre will likely spread across the Porsche range, saving around 50 kg on each new model. It’s a big challenge for a brand like Porsche, and it will be interesting to see just how it tackles the problems in coming years. Still, it’s good to see the investment being made while still keeping to the brand’s core values. Aston produced the Cygnet, Porsche is going hybrid….

Source | AutomotiveNews

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