Porsche’s new weapon for its return to the top class at the Le Mans 24 Hours was revealed in Switzerland today at the Geneva Motor Show – the Porsche 919 Hybrid.

While the car has previously been seen on track in disguised livery, today was the first opportunity for the world to see the car with its striking “Porsche Intelligent Performance” branding. When viewed from above, the stripes on the car make out the new Porsche slogan.

The branding also will be used in Porsche’s LM GT efforts in the FIA World Endurance Championship as well as the CORE autosport-run Rolex 24 at Daytona winning 911s in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

“Crucial in the development of the Le Mans prototype were the newly created and revolutionary racing rules for this class as they relate to energy efficiency,” said Matthias Müller, Chairman of Porsche AG.

“In 2014, it will not be the fastest car that wins the World Endurance Championship series and the 24 hours of Le Mans, rather it will be the car that goes the furthest with a defined amount of energy. And it is precisely this challenge that carmakers must overcome. The 919 Hybrid is our fastest mobile research laboratory and the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built.”

The drive system is based on a 500 horsepower 4-cylinder gasoline engine that is compact and lightweight. The 2.0 liter V-engine is a structural component of the chassis, and revs to approximately 9,000 rpm. It features direct injection, a single turbocharger and thermodynamic recovery capabilities.

Two different energy recovery systems harness energy to replenish the batteries and provide power. The first system is the innovative recovery of thermal energy by an electric generator powered by exhaust gases. The second hybrid system is a motor on the front axle utilizing brake recuperation to convert kinetic energy into electric energy.

The electric energy is then stored in water-cooled lithium-ion battery packs and when the driver needs the stored power, the front motor drives the two front wheels through a differential during acceleration. This gives the Porsche 919 Hybrid a temporary all-wheel drive system, because the gasoline engine directs power to the rear wheels.

Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland) and Marc Lieb (Germany) will share driving duties in the Porsche 919 Hybrid with number 14. Car number 20 will be driven by Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) and Mark Webber (Australia).