Porsche Hybrid 2.0 for Laguna

August 5, 2011

Porsche Hybrid 2.0 for Laguna

August 5, 2011

The latest version of Porsche’s 911 GT3 R Hybrid is set to make its global debut at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Version 1.0 raced at last year’s Petit Le Mans, but the new 2.0 model will debut on American soil at the penultimate round of the American Le Mans Series.

Two Porsche works pilots, Romain Dumas (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) will share the cockpit of the Michelin-equipped orange and white racer from Weissach.

Dumas has already driven the innovative GT racer last year at the Petit while Lietz piloted the Hybrid-911 at the 24 hour events on the Nurburgring in 2010 and 2011 as well as at various other long distance races.

“I’m very much looking forward to demonstrate the capabilities of this very special car at race speed to the spectators in California. Many Porsche fans live on the west coast, and some of them have already discovered the advantages of the hybrid system at the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid,” said Romain Dumas.

“I’m very excited, because Laguna Seca is one of the most challenging race tracks on earth. Its layout with a series of up and downhill passages should actually suit our 911 GT3 R Hybrid.”

The car features two x 75 kilowatt electric motors on the front axle supplementing the 465 hp four-liter, six-cylinder power unit at the rear.

The electric energy is generated during braking and stored in an electric flywheel. 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.

Drivers can manually utilize the stored energy with a boost-paddle on the steering wheel for overtaking. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid has undergone further development since 2010, and compared to its predecessor, its weight was reduced from 1,350 kilograms (2970 lbs.) to 1,300 kilograms (2860 lbs.).

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