Porsche Reveals Awaited 2013 911 RSR
Fans have been anxiously waiting and Porsche has finally revealed the new 2013 911 RSR that is scheduled to compete in several endurance events this year. Based on the current 991 911, the new RSR will compete in the 2013 season of the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will not, however, make an appearance in a North American racing series this year.
The new 911 RSR, which is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car, follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the 911 GT3 RSR (type 997). As with the production vehicle, the wheelbase was increased by some four inches. A new wishbone front suspension replaces the previously used McPherson struts and also boasts a new, lightweight six-speed racing gearbox. Meanwhile, the engine is an optimized version inherited from its predecessor, a 460 horsepower, 4.0-liter boxer six-cylinder.
Significant weight reduction was achieved with the use of carbon fiber and polycarbonate windows, along with the use of carbon fiber in the front and rear mudguards, front and rear lids, doors, underbody, wheel arches, rear wing, dashboard and center console. The lithium-ion battery, also found in the production 911 GT3, also saw a reduction in weight. Porsche made it a priority to improve the weight distribution and as a result, the center of gravity is significantly lower than that of its predecessor.
Competing in the Porsche 911 RSR with starting number 92 are Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria), who already shared a cockpit in the 2012 WEC. At the first two races of the season in Silverstone (April 14) and Spa (May 4) as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 22), they will receive support from their works driver colleague Romain Dumas (France). Factory pilots also drive the #91 sister car, with Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Pilet (France) making up a team. In Silverstone, Spa and Le Mans, the duo is joined by Timo Bernhard (Germany).
Porsche Road Racing Technology Adapted to Passenger Vehicles
Porsche is known for their participation in road racing throughout the years. These races vary from high-speed races over short distances or slower-paced races over long distances. These varying conditions have challenged Porsche engineers to develop solutions to the problems race car drivers face. As a result, there are a number of safety innovations that have been passed on to production vehicles which Porsche owners enjoy today.
Porsche has been at the forefront of brake system technology due to its involvement in endurance road racing. Racers gain a considerable advantage the less they have to stop for any maintenance or repairs. Components that seem to get the most wear during a race is the braking system. As a result, Porsche developed ceramic brake pads to provide more durability. Ceramic brakes are better at handling the heat generated from braking compared to aluminum brakes and they also do not warp as much over time. In order to further dissipate the heat, engineers developed vented brakes which use vents to direct cool air to the disc brakes. Both ceramic brake pads and vented brake technology can be found on every vehicle produced by Porsche.
Huge demands are also put on a race car’s tires during a race. Tires play an important role in the ability of the driver to maintain contact on the road and control over the vehicle. A unique combination of ridged grooves and a smooth tire surface is required to maintain performance as drivers face a number of different situations during a race. Whether it be a sharp corner or slick asphalt from a downpour, tires need to perform.
As a result, Porsche has developed tires with the appropriate combination of ridged technology and smoothness that expel liquid from underneath the tires without interfering with vehicle contact on the road. Again, these technologies can be found on production tires available on Porsche vehicles.
To find out more or to experience some of these technologies first hand, we invite you to visit Pacific Porsche for a test drive today.
Porsche Supports All-Girl Racing Team Headed to World Championships
For the first time in history, an all-female team comprised of high school freshmen, won the national competition at Michigan Speedway. In a sport traditionally dominated by men, Team Shift, comprised of Kelly Fitzgerald, Sabine Saldanha, Claire McCoy and Anna Awwald, now prepare for the World Championships in Abu Dhabi at the end of October, where they will represent the United States against 38 other teams.
Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) employees had the rare opportunity to meet the Formula One racing team, who dropped by the Atlanta headquarters on June 22nd. The four young women are from the Greater Atlanta area and compete in F1 for Schools which is part of the largest and most successful school-based science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program in the world.
F1 in Schools challenges students aged 9 to 19 to design, build, and race a Formula One model car that is catapulted via CO2 cartridges down a track of only about 30 feet. Due to the short track distance, one can visualize that victory and defeat can be determined by 1/100 of a second.
Using the latest CAD methods and aerodynamic computer programs, the girls are building a completely new and further developed race car. Rather than a high-tech laboratory, their workshop is a family garage and instead of highly specialized engineers, they rely on their own creativity and imagination.
“F1 in Schools and the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) International has provided Team Shift with an educational experience well beyond the classroom,” said Team Shift coach Liz Fitzgerald. “They have had the opportunity to not only apply their engineering, technology and design skills but also learn the power of teamwork. These are lessons they will carry throughout their lives. Participating in Abu Dhabi will be the pinnacle of the team’s racing endeavors, but to get there, we are in dire need of further sponsorships and individual donations, however small.”
Porsche Cars North America is supporting Team Shift’s efforts to promote engineering and technical professions among high school students. PCNA’s German parent company, Porsche AG, is a main proponent of the German government’s initiative “Girls for Cars” where automotive apprenticeships are dedicated to female candidates.
