Porsche at the 2011 Monterey Classic Car Weekend- Celebrates iconic 911 alongside 918 RSR Concept

Porsche Zentrum located at Quail Lodge

911 Motorsport Heritage showcased alongside 918 RSR Concept

ATLANTA, Aug. 15, 2011  — Porsche celebrates the motorsport heritage of its iconic 911 sports car alongside the 918 RSR Concept during the 2011 Monterey Classic Car weekend this year.  In keeping with tradition, the Porsche Zentrum is the central hub for the Porsche experience during the week.

 Porsche 918 RSR Concept

The Zentrum, located at Quail Lodge, features a full-line Porsche display and a consumer test drive program.  A Porsche display will also be nearby at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on Friday, August 19 and on Peter Hay Hill at Pebble Beach, beginning on Thursday, August 18.

This display at Peter Hay Hill will feature several historic 911 race cars, including the 1979 935 from the Brumos Collection, believed to be the last remaining unmodified 935 in existence, as well as the 911 S that carried Hurley Haywood to 10 Camel GT race wins in 1972. Other cars to be on display include a 2011 911 GT3 Cup Car from the Porsche Sport Driving School, the Gunnar Racing 911 GT1 fashioned after the car that won Le Mans overall in 1998 as well as the 2011 911 GT3 RS 4.0.

The 918 RSR concept will be the highlight of the Porsche Zentrum display on Friday and Saturday, August 19-20.  The 918 RSR concept is a high-end synthesis of Porsche’s successful hybrid concepts – the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the 918 Spyder.

It is a true ‘racing laboratory’ featuring an updated V8 engine from the successful RS Spyder race car with an output of 563 hp at 10,300 rpm. In addition, it features electric motors on the two front wheels that each contribute 75 kW, i.e. a total of 150 kW, to provide peak drive power of 767 hp. This additional power, which is generated during braking, is stored in an optimized flywheel accumulator.

The 918 RSR and the displays from the Monterey Classic Car Weekend are a precursor to the cars that will be on the track at Rennsport Reunion IV later this year October 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

This event promises to bring together an unprecedented gathering of significant Porsche vintage and current race cars, as well those who have driven them to victory in the world’s most famous sports car races. The three-day program of on-track competition is complemented by a concours d’elegance, which is open to invited race participants, and special activities celebrating the decades-long history of the legendary 911 race cars.

Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV along with images from the first three Rennsport Reunions are published on Porsche’s press web site (www.press.porsche.com) and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s web site (www.mazdaraceway.com).  Ticket information is available by contacting 800-327-7322 or www.mazdaraceway.com.

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

Follow Porsche: www.twitter.com/Porsche and www.facebook.com/Porsche

SOURCE: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Photos: Porsche Press Database

Web Site: http://www.porsche.com

 

American Le Mans Series, round 4 in Mosport/Canada- New confidence for Porsche pilots after 1st podium

Photo Source: Mosport Raceway

Stuttgart. Once a year, the American Le Mans Series makes a detour to Canada.On the Mosport International Raceway near the major metropolis of Toronto, round four of the race series featuring the world’s fastest sports cars takes off on 24th July.

On this demanding circuit, Porsche factory pilots Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) aim to continue their strong performance with the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, with which they recently scored their first podium result of the season in Lime Rock.

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

The race

The Grand Prix of Mosport has been a regular fixture on the calendar since the American Le Mans Series began in 1999. It is the only race held in Canada.

Photo Source: Mosport Raceway

The circuit

The 3.957 kilometre Mosport International Raceway with its ten corners is situated in Bowmanville, about an hour’s drive east of Toronto. It is regarded as one of the fastest and most demanding circuits on the American Le Mans Series calendar. Canada’s oldest permanent race track opened in 1961 with a sports car race that Stirling Moss won with a Lotus 19. From 1967 to 1977, the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix was also held in Mosport.

The Porsche drivers

With the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long contest the particularly tough GT class.

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

Their works driver colleague, Wolf Henzler, shares driving duties in the cockpit of the Falken Tire team’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Bryan Sellers (USA).

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

Joining forces with American Seth Neiman in the second 911 GT3 RSR of Flying Lizard Motorsports is again Porsche factory pilot Marco Holzer (Germany).

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

The 911 GT3 RSR run by Paul Miller Racing is manned by Sascha Maassen (Germany) and Bryce Miller (USA).

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

Quotes before the race

Hartmut Kristen, Porsche Head of motorsport:

“Mosport is a track where engine performance is more important than on any other circuit. For this reason we were thrilled to hear that the rule-makers in the USA want to revise the imbalance that disadvantaged our cars. I hope that Flying Lizard and the Falken and Miller teams can continue their upward trend that they showed in Lime Rock.”

 

Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport
Source: Porsche AG Media Database

Joerg Bergmeister:

“Last year we travelled to Mosport without high expectations and we won. It’s not normally a circuit that particularly suits us and it features too many straights. But if we can manage to make everything come together like in Lime Rock recently then we might bring home a podium result. I’d be very happy with this.”

 

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

Patrick Long:

“It’s not easy making a reliable prediction for Mosport. The track is very fast, and very demanding for the driver. It’s unforgiving with mistakes. That should work in our favour. I hope we can use this to our advantage.”

 

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

Wolf Henzler:

“The tests that we conducted since Long Beach have brought us a huge step forward. This was clearly apparent in Lime Rock. We’re now in the position to drive consistently quicker lap times over a race distance. This will also help us in Mosport. There are many fast corners there that we drive in fourth and fifth gear, so our average speed is correspondingly high. I hope that we can continue our good performance from Lime Rock.”

 

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

 

Marco Holzer:

“Like Lime Rock, Mosport is a circuit that I’ve never raced on. So I’ll be taking a look at the videos again to check out the track before the first practice. I quickly became familiar with the Lime Rock circuit, so I’m hopeful it’ll be the same in Mosport. With its very fast corners, the track is a real challenge. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Source: Porsche AG Media Database – Bob Chapman, Autosport Image

 

Der Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

The most successful GT race car of the last years takes off into the season with a raft of improvements. The output of the four-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine has increased to 455 hp (335 kW). Priority in the further development of the car was given to the newly designed aerodynamics at the front and rear. In 2010, the 911 GT3 RSR again won the environmental “Michelin Green X Challenge” classification as the GT vehicle with the best overall efficiency in the American Le Mans Series.

Porsche successes

Since 1999 Porsche has scored a total of seven class wins in Mosport. Joerg Bergmeister contributed greatly to four of these: In 2005 and 2009 he won with Patrick Long in the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, in 2003 and 2004 he triumphed with his works driver colleague Timo Bernhard.

The schedule

The race in Mosport starts on Sunday, 24 July, at 15.05 hours local time (21.05 hours CEST).

Printable Schedule

Mosport Track Information

The GT qualifying on Saturday will be shown from 21.50 hours CEST on www.porsche.com/alms-live.

The American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created in 1999 for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race. All classes start together but are classified separately:

GT class: This most popular class amongst car manufacturers is traditionally extremely well supported: Slightly modified standard sports cars with 440 to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 – 1,325 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).
GTC class: This class is reserved for vehicles from one-make race series (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 Cup).
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with ca. 440 hp and an 825 kg minimum weight.
LMPC class: Prototype brand trophy series for the ORECA FLM 09.

SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Public Relations and Media
Motor and Sports Press

 

Growth trajectory in Germany – Porsche Consulting is looking for 50 new employees

Porsche Consulting establishes subsidiary in the USA

Stuttgart/Atlanta. Porsche Consulting, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG in Stuttgart, is setting up a subsidiary in the USA.

Porsche Consulting Inc. headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, will commence operations in October with ten consultants. It will be the third foreign subsidiary after Milan in Italy and Sao Paulo in Brazil.

“In the past five years we have generated income of approximately 20 million US dollars with local customers in the USA. That is positively crying out for a local presence. We are pleased to be able to announce this step”, says Norman Firchau, President and CEO of the new subsidiary Porsche Consulting Inc. in the USA.

Porsche Consulting is also growing in Germany. Approximately 50 new consultants are to be taken on in the current year. The recruitment focus is on (industrial) engineers having majored in vehicle and automotive technology, mechanical engineering, manufacturing industry or aerospace but also economists having majored in production, logistics, procurement and purchasing, development or sales.

Porsche Consulting is a leading consulting company in Germany. Working on behalf of their customers – ranging from the global business group to the SME – consultants optimise processes from production to supplier management, in research and development, marketing, in sales and in administration.

Customers hail from the most diverse sectors such as the automotive industry, mechanical and electrical engineering, the construction industry, the aerospace industry, the consumer goods industry, commerce, banking and insurance, the health sector, traffic and transport.

In addition to Lean Management, namely the reduction of activities that do not add value, the elimination of waste and the rise of value creation, the US subsidiary will focus on Supply Chain Management and on optimising research and development processes. In the process, Porsche Consulting Inc. aims to generate 20 per cent of its revenue with Porsche and Volkswagen and 80 per cent with existing and new customers in the USA.

Previously, management consultancy in the USA catered first and foremost for customers from the automotive industry, aviation, electrical engineering and tourism sectors.

Additional information is available from: www.porsche-consulting.com

Source: Porsche AG Media Database

Public Relations and Media
Corporate Press
Dirk Erat

 

American Le Mans Series, round 3 in Lime Rock, USA- Porsche pilots hope for first podium result of the season

Stuttgart. The American Le Mans Series picks up the pace.

After a break for the Le Mans 24 Hours, round three of the race series with the world’s fastest sports cars now takes off on 9th July in Lime Rock in the US state of Connecticut.

Lining up on the grid is the five-time Lime Rock winner Joerg Bergmeister (Germany). At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Bergmeister and his Porsche works driver teammate Patrick Long (USA) are hoping for their first podium result of the season.

The race

The Northeast Grand Prix has been a permanent fixture on the American Le Mans Series calendar since 2004. Many fans are happy to travel the two and a half hours from New York City to witness the often very entertaining race. On one of the hills alongside the track stands a small church in which a service is held on Sundays. For this reason, races are traditionally contested on Saturdays.

The circuit

The 2.478 kilometre circuit in the picturesque countryside of Connecticut is the shortest in the American Le Mans Series.

The lap times are far under a minute. The surrounding grassy hills serve as grandstands, with most of the spectators bringing their own camping chairs and coolers to witness the race action.

The Porsche drivers

Joerg Bergmeister and

Joerg Bergmeister (No. 45, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports)

Patrick Long, the reigning GT champions and Lime Rock winners of the last two years,

Patrick Long (No. 45, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports)

contest the GT class at the wheel of Flying Lizard Motorsports’ Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

Their works driver colleague Wolf Henzler

Wolf Henzler (No. 17, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Faken Tire)

shares the cockpit of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by the Falken Tire team with Bryan Sellers (USA).

Sharing driving duties in the sister Flying Lizard 911 GT3 RSR is Porsche works driver Marco Holzer (Germany)

Marco Holzer (No. 44, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports)

with American Seth Neiman.

The 911 GT3 RSR entered by Paul Miller Racing is manned by Sascha Maassen (Germany) and Bryce Miller (USA).

Quotes before the race

Hartmut Kristen, Porsche Head of Motorsport:

“The season really gets going now in USA. The last race was before the break for the Le Mans 24 Hours in April, so it’s almost like a second season-opener for the teams. If they want to look good for the crucial phase of the season, they’ll need to pull out all stops in Lime Rock.”

Joerg Bergmeister (No. 45, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports):

“Lime Rock seems to really suit our car. I’ve won on this track five times in a row – that’s not such a bad track record. With 30 cars on this narrow circuit you have to concentrate totally over the whole distance, you have to use your head if you want to reach the flag in such heavy traffic without bruises. It’s always worked out well in the past. Still, a little bit of luck is always part of it.”

Patrick Long (No. 45, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports):

“There are normally loads of safety car phases in Lime Rock. And no wonder with all the traffic. This is a huge challenge for our strategists. The pit stops have to be carried out quickly, the right timing can mean the difference between victory or defeat. But our boys at Flying Lizard Motorsports know how to do pit stops – they’ve proven that often enough.”

Wolf Henzler (No. 17, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Faken Tire):

“The track is very short, and hence the traffic is heavy. You’re constantly overtaking slower cars and you being overtaken by the faster sports prototypes. Lime Rock is not exactly a favorite of mine. But I have good memories of last year when we qualified in second in the rain. Hopefully, it’ll rain again this year. We used the Le Mans break well and tested at Road America and in Mid-Ohio. The team has invested a great deal into tyre development. That makes me optimistic for the rest of the season.”

Marco Holzer (No. 44, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports):

“This is my first race in Lime Rock and I’m looking forward to getting to know another race track in the USA. The team sent me a DVD of on board footage and loads of data – so at least I can prepare myself a bit.”

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

The most successful GT race car of the last years takes off into the season with a raft of improvements. The output of the four-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine has increased to 455 hp (335 kW). Priority in the further development of the car was given to the newly designed aerodynamics at the front and rear. In 2010, the 911 GT3 RSR again won the environmental “Michelin Green X Challenge” classification as the GT vehicle with the best overall efficiency in the American Le Mans Series.

Porsche’s successes

In the history of the American Le Mans Series, Joerg Bergmeister is the most successful driver at Lime Rock. At the last five races he claimed victory every time for Porsche in the GT and later the GT2 class.

Patrick Long was his teammate for three of these wins, Wolf Henzler once. With the RS Spyder sports prototype, Porsche celebrated three class wins on this track as well as an overall victory in 2007.

The schedule

The race in Lime Rock starts on Saturday, 9 July, at 14.05 hrs local time (20.05 hrs CEST). The GT qualifying on Friday will be broadcast on the internet on Friday from 21.45 hours CEST on www.porsche.com/alms-live.

The American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created in 1999 for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race. All classes start together but are classified separately:

GT class: This most popular class amongst car manufacturers is traditionally extremely well supported: Slightly modified standard sports cars with 440 to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 – 1,325 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).
GTC class: This class is reserved for vehicles from one-make race series (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 Cup).
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with ca. 440 hp and an 825 kg minimum weight.
LMPC class: Prototype brand trophy series for the ORECA FLM 09.

SOURCE:  Porsche AG Media Database
Public Relations and Media
Motor and Sports Press

 

Porsche to Build New U.S. Headquarters in Atlanta with Test Track by 2013

New headquarters will house nearly all U.S. Porsche colleagues under one roof, including a dramatic customer experience center and test track

Porsche just gave Atlanta’s image a bit of a spit polish.

The decision to build a $100 million complex on the grounds of the former Ford assembly plant in Hapeville is not only a glitzy marketing move for the German carmaker, experts said, it is also a shiny endorsement of the city and state.

“This has marquee value,” said Don McEachern, president of North Star Destination Strategies of Nashville, a company that offers advice on reputations to cities. “It speaks volumes about Atlanta. You get the Porsche name and brand. You get the halo effect. It is nothing but good.”

And with Georgia still shakily emerging from a painful recession, Porsche provides more marketing glow for luring other companies to the area.The project will move Porsche’s North American headquarters from Sandy Springs, Ga., a northern suburb of Atlanta.

ATLANTA – May 12, 2011 – Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) announced it will build a new headquarters in Atlanta, the city it has called home for thirteen years.

The new complex will be located in the Aerotropolis Atlanta development site, near the brand new International Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

It will be comprised of modern office facilities for a workforce that will eventually number 400 employees, including a Technical Service and Training Center, as well as a leading-edge Customer Experience Center that will feature a handling road course to show-off the capabilities of Porsches industry-leading vehicles.

A layout of the test track planned for Porsche’s new headquarters in Atlanta. Click on photo.

Groundbreaking is planned for this fall with the move-in date scheduled for the second half of 2013.

The unparalleled nature of the Porsche ownership experience absolutely deserves an equally unique home. That is what well create with our new headquarters – a concept completely new to the U.S. automotive industry, and one that delivers our brand and product experience to our employees, dealers and customers alike, said Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.

Our new American headquarters will allow us to finally bring together all our major sales, after sales and financial services capacities, thus making us an even stronger organization. It also sends a strong message to our dealers and our customers that we believe in the strength of the U.S. market and its future growth, von Platen explained.

At the same time, this decision demonstrates our commitment to the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta to remain a vital part of this vibrant region.

The decision to stay in Atlanta was the result of a thorough, more than one-year long search and evaluation process that spanned metropolitan Atlanta and several out-of-state sites. The new headquarters will not only be home to PCNA, but also to Porsche Financial Services, Inc., and Porsche Business Services, Inc. which are both currently located in Lisle, Illinois. Other Porsche businesses will also be included, building a solid foundation for further expansion of Porsches largest market worldwide.

We welcome the entire Porsche team to Atlantas newest corporate center, the innovative Aerotropolis complex, said Kasim Reed, the mayor of Atlanta. Porsches decision to reinforce its roots and grow its next-generation U.S. headquarters here is a testament to the vitality and vibrancy of our city and an exciting addition to the many iconic brands that also call Atlanta home.

The Porsche crest will be a perfect welcome sign to greet the hundreds of thousands of visitors and guests that land each day at the worlds busiest airport in Atlanta.

There’s no better place to live, work and play than Georgia, stated Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia. As a 13-year corporate citizen of our great state, Georgia-based Porsche employees already know that once you have Georgia on Your Mind it is impossible to let go. Now we look forward to extending our famous Southern hospitality to the entire Porsche team – and to adding an incredible new destination to Georgia’s list of must-see places.

With over 25,000 cars sold in 2010, PCNA finished last year up 33 percent over the previous year. With its new headquarters, a dedicated, passionate employee and dealer body, and a strong line-up of iconic sports cars, a brand new generation of Cayenne SUVs and the latest addition to the brand, the Panamera Gran Turismo, Porsche is poised for continued success in the United States.

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA, is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsches proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

SOURCE: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. – Porsche Press USA  

Related articles

• Porsche Unveils Design Plans for Corporate H.Q. in Atlanta and Experience Center in L.A. (wheels.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Porsche to Build in Atlanta and California (nytimes.com)
• Porsche shows future North American Atlanta headquarters (inautonews.com)
• Porsche American Headquarters Has Green Roof, Natural Ventilation (treehugger.com)

 

Porsche Names Brian Redman Official Ambassador to Rennsport Reunion IV

Brian Redman winning the 1970 Targa Florio, with Jo Siffert in a 908/3 – Porsche won the grueling mountain race in Sicily 11 times, more than any other manufacture

British Racing Legend Will Add His Expertise and Energy to the Much Anticipated October Event

ATLANTA, April 13, 2011 – Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) announced the appointment of Brian Redman as Official Ambassador to Rennsport Reunion IV. In his new role Redman will serve as an advisor to PCNA’s organizing team in the months leading up to the October 14 to 16 event and represent the company vis-à-vis race fans and participants in all Rennsport related matters.

“I can’t think of a more qualified person than Brian to help us realize another successful Rennsport Reunion”, said Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.

“Not only was he instrumental in designing and organizing the previous venues, but with his own colorful racing history, not the least with some of our most famous race cars, Brian Redman personifies the spirit and fascination that we want to encourage with this next gathering of Porsche race cars and their designers and drivers”, von Platen added.

Starting in 1959, Redman’s career has spun more than four decades of racing sports cars as well as Formula 5000 and Formula One. Although making a name for himself as an all-round talent, his biggest triumphs came in racing sport prototypes in the world’s most famous and notorious venues.

Brian Redman/Porsche 908.3/Nürburgring 1000 Km/1970

From Nürburgring, Spa, Monza, Imola, the Targa Florio, Brands Hatch, Zeltweg, Watkins Glen to Daytona and Sebring, Redman won them all. As a member of 1969 factory team he helped Porsche win the World Manufacturers Championship for the first time in the 908LH and 908/2. He then repeated this feat in 1970 with the 908/3 and awesome 917K.

Redman still drives vintage race cars, organizes and promotes historic automotive events and provides individual and group driving instructions.

Even now, at age 74, Redman still competes approximately a half-dozen times a year in various Vintage Series events. After more than 50 years of racing, the sport continues to pull him in.[Picture Source: International Motorsports Hall of Fame; Autosports Marketing Assoc.]

A member of the Detroit and Sebring halls of Fame, was inducted into the Talladega Hall of Fame  earlier this year.

Brian Redman 1971 Porsche 908/3

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be the world’s greatest gathering of Porsche race cars and the drivers that drove them to victory, held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 14 to 16, 2011. Hosted by Porsche Cars North America, it will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade.

Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car.

Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be published on Porsche’s press web site (press.porsche.com), and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s web site (www.mazdaraceway.com), as they become available. Ticket information is available by contacting 800-327-7322 or online at www.mazdaraceway.com.

Follow Porsche:

facebook.com/Porsche twitter.com/Porsche

Source: Photos and Press News at Porsche Press Database at http://press.porsche.com/.

 

Entry and Event Schedule – PORSCHE RENNSPORT REUNION IV 2011

More than 60 years of Porsche racing history will be on display at Rennsport Reunion IV at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in October.

Like in the previous reunions, Rennsport Reunion IV will bring together over 60 years of Porsche racing history from the tiny but nimble Porsche 550 Spyder through the groundbreaking 906 and 908 with their plastic bodies to the mighty 917 with over 1,000 horsepower.

Classic Porsche 550s will take on 550As, 356 GTs and RSKs at the fourth Rennsport Reunion on Oct. 14-16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif.–and that’s just one class of Porsches.

PRESS RELEASE: PORSCHE RENNSPORT REUNION IV STARTS ITS ENGINE

Groupings, Schedule of Greatest Gathering of Porsche Race Cars Released

More details and a schedule of events are listed below in the press release.

Atlanta, May 13, 2011 – Preparations for Rennsport Reunion IV continue, and Porsche Cars North America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today released the latest race groupings and schedules for the fourth installment of fourth installment of its historic event, to be held Oct. 14-16, 2011.

This rare occasion will reunite the cars and drivers that together have written Porsche’s motorsports history during the last 60 years on all five continents.

When Porsche Cars North America held the first Rennsport Reunion in the summer of 2001 at Lime Rock Park, it didn’t take long for the participants to realize they were sharing in something extraordinary. Subsequent Rennsports, II and III, were both held at Daytona International Speedway in Florida and built upon the original premise, remarkable racecars reunited with their equally remarkable drivers.

As in the past three reunions, cars will be grouped by the period in which they raced so that enthusiasts can fully focus on the different motorsports eras with their ever more ferocious machines and increasingly sophisticated technology.

All fans will have full access to both paddocks and track side to view everything from the tiny but nimble Porsche 550 Spyder through the groundbreaking 906 and 908 with their plastic bodies to the mighty 917 with over 1,000hp.

A majority of the hundreds of racecars expected will be made up by the many racing versions of Porsche’s iconic 911 model. From its rather humble beginnings as 911 TR in the mid-1960s this car was for two decades the platform of motorsports legends. Letters and numbers such as RSR, 934 or 935 to GT3 series have stood for proven winners at that time and contributed heavily to the over 30,000 victories that Porsches collected over the past 60 years.

Eight groups promise a jam-packed, three-day racing program with practice, qualifying and warm-up for each group.

The races will be complemented by an exhibition parade and a Concours on Saturday afternoon.

The weekend will conclude with a guest appearance of the Cayman Interseries and a race of modern 911 Cup cars for the Rennsport Reunion Trophy.

Tentative schedule

Group 1: Gmund Cup
550, 550A, RSK, RS60-61 (4&8 cyl.) 2000 GSGT (Dreikantschaber), Abarth Carrera, 356 GT, and any other 356 with FIA history. Selected 356 history cars.

Group 2: Eifel Trophy
904 (4&6 cyl.), 914/6 GT, 911TR, 911ST, 911 (911 up to 2.5 liter), Lotus/Porsche, Cooper/Porsche (Pooper) etc, Elva/Porsche.
914’s & 911’s must have period racing history

Group 3: Weissach Cup
906, 910, 907, 908, 908/2, 908/3 (8 cyl. & 6 turbo), 909, 917 (normally aspirated and turbocharged)

Group 4: Carrera Trophy
911 (over 2.5 liter), RSR, 3.0 RSR, 2.1 Turbo, 934, 935, 936, 924 GTS, 924 GTR.

Group 5: Stuttgart Cup
956, 962, GT1, WSC, RS Spyder.

Group 6: Cayman Interseries

Group 7: PCA Club Racing
Porsche Club of America race cars

Group 8: Rennsport Reunion Cup – Porsche Cup Cars
911 Feature Race: – 911 Trophy

PORSCHE RENNSPORT REUNION IV 2011 Event Schedule
Subject to change

For PORSCHE RENNSPORT REUNION IV 2011 Event Schedule pdf click here

FRIDAY, October 15, 2011
7:00 AM Gates Open
7:00 AM – 5 :00 PM Registration : Embassy Suites, Seaside
8:00 AM – 8:20 AM Practice Group 1 – Gmund Cup
8:30 AM – 8:50 AM Practice Group 2 – Eifel Trophy
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM Practice Group 3 – Weissach Cup
9:30 AM – 9:50 AM Practice Group 4 – Carrera Trophy
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Practice Group 5 – Stuttgart Cup
10:30 AM – 10:50 AM Practice Group 6 – Cayman Interseries
11:00 AM – 11:20 AM Practice Group 7 – PCA Club Racing
11:30 PM – 11:50 PM Practice Group 8 – Rennsport Reunion Cup – 911 Cup Cars
11:50 PM – 1:00 PM LUNCH -VIP hot laps/Parade Laps
1:00 PM – 1:20 PM Qualifying Group 1 – Gmund Cup
1:30 PM – 1:50 PM Qualifying Group 2 – Eifel Trophy
2:00 PM – 2:20 PM Practice Group 3 – Weissach Cup
2:30 PM – 2:50 PM Practice Group 4 – Carrera Trophy
3:00 PM – 3:20 PM Practice Group 5 – Stuttgart Cup
3:30 PM – 3:50 PM Practice Group 6 – Cayman Interseries
4:00 PM – 4:20 PM Practice Group 7 – PCA Club Racing
4:30 PM – 4:50 PM Practice Group 8 – Rennsport Reunion Cup – 911 Cup Cars

SATURDAY, October 16, 2011
7:00 AM Gates Open
7:00 AM – 5 :00 PM Registration : Embassy Suites, Seaside
8:00 AM -8:15 AM Warm up Group 1 – Gmund Cup
8:25 AM – 8:40 AM Warm up Group 2 – Eifel Trophy
8:50 AM – 9:10 AM Qualifying Group 3 – Weissach Cup
9:20 AM – 9:40 AM Qualifying Group 4 – Carrera Trophy
9:50 AM – 10:10 AM Qualifying Group 5 – Stuttgart Cup
10:20 AM – 10:40 AM Qualifying Group 6 – Cayman Interseries
10:50 AM – 11:10 AM Qualifying Group 7 – PCA Club Racing
11:20 AM – 11:50 AM Practice Group 8 – Rennsport Reunion Cup – 911 Cup Cars
11:50 AM – 1:30 PM LUNCH – VIP hot laps/Parade Laps
1:30 PM – 1:50 PM RACE Group 1 – GMUND CUP
2:00 PM – 2:20 PM RACE Group 2 – EIFEL TROPHY
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Parade/exhibition of Porsche’s racing history to include significant Porsche racing cars
3:30 PM -6:00 PM Concours on Pit Lane

SUNDAY, October 17, 2011
7:00 AM Gates Open
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM Registration : Embassy Suites, Seaside
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM Warm up Group 7 – PCA Club Racing
8:25 AM – 8:40 AM Warm up Group 4 – Carrera Trophy
8:50 AM – 9:05 AM Warm up Group 5– Stuttgart Cup
9:15 AM – 9:30 AM Warm up Group 6 – Cayman Interseries
9:40 AM – 9:55 AM Warm up Group 3 – Weissach Cup
10:05 AM – 10:35 AM Qualifying Group 8 – Rennsport Reunion Cup – 911 Cup Cars
10:45 PM -11:15 PM Race Group 7 – PCA CLUB RACING
11:25 PM – 11:45 AM Race Group 3– WEISSACH CUP
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM LUNCH – VIP hot laps/Parade Laps
1:00 PM – 1:20 PM Race Group 4 – CARRERA TROPHY
1:30 PM – 1:50 PM RACE -911 TROPHY
2:00 PM – 2:20 PM Race Group 5 -STUTTGART CUP
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Race Group 6 – CAYMAN INTERSERIES
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Race Group 8 – RENNSPORT REUNION CUP – 911 CUP CARS

Ticket information is available by contacting (800) 327-7322 or online at Mazda Raceway Porsche_Rennsport_Reunion_IV

Source & Photos: Porsche Press Database  and Mazda Raceway

 

VIDEO: Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid – Nürburgring

Porsche Hybrid GT3 R beim freien Training der VLN auf der Nordschleife 29.04.2011

Stuttgart. The development of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is running at full revs.

This Saturday, April 30th, the further-developed version of the innovative Hybrid race car contests round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship (VLN).

Another test under race conditions is planned at the fourth VLN round on 28 May.

At the race debut of the modified version of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid on 30th April, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany),

Comentario: Joerg Bergmeister/Porsche Hibrido.
Foto: AmigosRacing

Marco Holzer (Germany)

Comentario: Marco Holzer – Johan Koning.

and Patrick Long (USA) share driving duties in the orange and white ‘race lab’.

At the second race meeting in late May, Holzer and Long join forces with Richard Lietz (Austria) to pilot the Hybrid-911.

24h Nürburgring, Nürburgring 24 hour race

Porsche takes up the Nürburgring 24 hour race on 25 June with a further developed version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

So, what’s been done with this latest Porsche 911 Hybrid race car?

Priority of the development was given to the improvement of efficiency through the targeted optimisation of hybrid components, which also resulted in a 20 percent weight reduction. Version 2.0 of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid is intended to achieve the same lap times as its predecessor but with less fuel consumption.

The general layout of the hybrid was adopted from the 2010 model. A portal axle with two electric motors drives the front wheels and supplements the four-litre, depending on the balance of performance classification approximately 470 hp, six-cylinder boxer engine at the rear. The output of both electric motors has increased from 60 to 75 kilowatts each. For seconds at a time, pilots now have almost an additional 200 hp at their disposal with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0.

Depending on the programming, this power is automatically activated through use of the throttle pedal. Moreover, pilots can manually call up this extra power, for instance when overtaking.

The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and stor-ing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon fibre safety cell on the passenger’s side.

At first glance, the new GT3 R Hybrid is clearly distinguishable from the 2010 model. Thanks to the optimisation of the hybrid system’s high voltage components, the large louvres in front of the rear fenders were no longer necessary. This reduces drag and also lowers fuel consumption. All in all, the weight of the vehicle decreased from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms.

“We’ve collected a great deal of information from our races on the Nürburgring, at the ALMS race at Road Atlanta in the USA, as well as from the ILMC race on China’s Zhuhai circuit, which was an invaluable help for the further development of our racing laboratory,” says Hartmut Kristen, head of Porsche motorsport.

“The emphasis of our work was on improving efficiency. That means we want to keep the lap times consis-tent with 2010 but use less energy, hence less fuel. In this way, we support future developments of road-going, sporting hybrid vehicles.”

The cockpit of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid has also been completely revised. Most of the displays and controls have moved to the steering wheel. Drivers can operate the rest of the functions via backlit buttons now situated on the centre console.

Priority was placed on the ergonomics and the clear layout for pilots – particularly in darkness.

The new 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the ‘Porsche Intelligent Performance’ philosophy, a principle found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the race track and on the road.

Source: Porsche

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

PORSCHE: 80 years of Porsche Designs – Porsche Engineering – Pioneering Technology and Trailblazing Innovations

Porsche Museum special exhibition
“Porsche Engineering – 80 years of Porsche design” Webspecial

For the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the 80th anniversary of the Porsche engineering office founded in 1931 is one of the central themes of 2011.

From 7 July to 28 August 2011, the special exhibition “Porsche Engineering – 80 years of Porsche design” will be paying tribute to the most important and interesting third-party client developments of the past eight decades.

On display will be approximately 20 special exhibits extending from the development of entire vehicles via engines and gearboxes to remarkable industrial projects of the present day.

The ten third-party client vehicle developments include a 1931 vintage Wanderer saloon, the legendary Auto Union Grand Prix racing car and the Audi Sport Quattro S1 with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) driven by Walter Röhrl.

         The Porsche Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m.

For further information please visit www.porsche.com/museum

On 25 April 1931 Ferdinand Porsche founded an engineering office called “Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Limited, construction and consulting for engine and automobile manufacturing” (Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau). Porsche Engineering, contract development by Porsche, thus dates back to the oldest predecessor company of today’s Porsche AG and for more than 80 years has developed customised solutions on behalf of automotive manufacturers and suppliers from the automotive industry, but also for other industrial companies from around the world.

Discover the milestones of Porsche history and join Porsche in taking on the challenges of the future.

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has been the leading manufacturer of premium sports cars for more than six decades. However, the historic roots of the Porsche brand go back much further than that. When Ferry Porsche built the legendary Type 356 in 1948, he and his engineers were able to look back on a wealth of comprehensive technological experience.

Back on 25th April 1931, Ferdinand Porsche founded and registered a design bureau named “Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau” in Stuttgart.

Since then, the Porsche company has experienced many highs and lows and has grown from a small design bureau to a world famous manufacturer of sports and racing cars. This success story is based on decades of development experience, stretching far beyond just building sports cars. Over an 80 year period, Porsche has built up a reputation as one of the best known and multi-faceted engineering service providers in the world. The tradition of customer development started by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 is still successfully continued today by Porsche Engineering Group GmbH, based in Weissach.

Porsche Engineering carries out development work on behalf of car manufacturers and suppliers, as well as companies from other sectors, combining the skills of Porsche as a series manufacturer, technology company and engineering service provider and making these available to third parties.

The 80th anniversary of the founding of the Porsche design bureau in 1931 is one of this year’s central themes for the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. From 21st June to 11th September 2011 the special exhibition entitled “Porsche Engineering – 80 Years of Porsche Designs” will honour the most important and interesting customer developments from the last eight decades. It will display around 20 special examples ranging from whole vehicle developments, through engines and gearboxes to extraordinary industrial projects in the present. The ten vehicle customer developments on display include a Wanderer Limousine from 1931, the legendary Auto Union Grand Prix racing car and the Audi Sport Quattro S1 with Porsche dual clutch gearbox (PDK). The Porsche Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm. Further information is available on the internet from www.porsche.com/museum.

80 years of Porsche designs

Discover the history of Porsche customer growth in the Webspecial.

For more than six decades, Dr. Ing. h.c. V. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has enjoyed a reputation as a leading manufacturer of sporty premium cars. But the Porsche brand has much deeper historical roots. When Ferry Porsche built the legendary Type 356 in 1948, he and his engineers were able to draw on a comprehensive trove of technical experience.As long ago as 25 April 1931, Ferdinand Porsche had established an engineering office in Stuttgart under the name “Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau“, (“Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Ltd., Design and Consultancy Company for Engine and Vehicle Production”) and had it entered in the trade register.

Since then, the Porsche company has experienced many ups and downs and grown from a small engineering office into a manufacturer of sports and racing cars that is known throughout the world. This success story is based also on decades of development experience extending far beyond sports car construction. Over an eighty-year period, Porsche has acquired the reputation as one of the world’s most illustrious and versatile engineering service providers. The tradition begun by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 of third-party client development has been successfully carried on to this very day by the Porsche Engineering Group GmbH with its headquarters in Weissach. Porsche Engineering develops on behalf of automotive manufacturers and suppliers but also for companies from other sectors, bundling the know-how of the manufacturer, technology company and engineering service provider that is Porsche and making this available to third parties.

Ferdinand Porsche the automotive designer

The name Porsche has been associated with pioneering innovations in automotive engineering since the beginning of the last century. Ferdinand Porsche had been busy designing and developing his first cars as far back as 1896. The first fruit of this endeavour was an electric vehicle known as the “Lohner-Porsche” driven by steered wheel hub motors that caused a sensation at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. This was soon followed by ever more impressive proof of just how innovative Ferdinand Porsche was. A racing car boasting four wheel hub electric motors became the world’s first all-wheel drive passenger car, brilliant also for having four-wheel brakes. No less visionary was Ferdinand Porsche’s next idea: Again in 1900 he combined his battery-powered wheel hub drive with a petrol engine – the principle of the serial hybrid drive had been born.

With this first functional, full-hybrid car in the world, the “Semper Vivus” (“always alive”), Ferdinand Porsche had entered uncharted territory. In this vehicle, two generators twinned with petrol engines formed a single charging unit, simultaneously supplying electricity to wheel hub motors and batteries. As a full hybrid concept, the “Semper Vivus” was also able to cover longer distances purely on battery power until the combustion engine had to be engaged as a charging station. To save weight and create space for a petrol engine, Ferdinand Porsche used a comparatively small battery in the “Semper Vivus” with a mere 44 cells. In the middle of the vehicle he installed two water cooled 3.5 hp (2.6 kW) DeDion Bouton petrol engines for generating electricity, driving two generators, each producing 2.5 hp (1.84 kW). Both engines operated independently of one another, each delivering 20 amps with a voltage of 90 volts. The electricity generated by the dynamos initially flowed to the wheel hub motors, with the surplus power being forwarded to the batteries. An additional special side effect was that it was possible to use the generators as electric starter motors for the petrol engines by reversing the direction of rotation. Starting as far back as 1901 as the Lohner-Porsche “Mixte” and from 1906 onward as the “Mercedes Electrique”, Ferdinand Porsche brought his hybrid drive to the start of volume production.

 Ferdinand Porsche in the Lohner-Porsche

This was followed in 1906 by the next step in Ferdinand Porsche’s career. At the tender age of only 31 he landed the position of Technical Director at Austro Daimler in Wiener Neustadt, giving him product responsibility for one of Europe’s leading automotive companies. One of the greatest successes of this era was the so-called “Prinz-Heinrich Car”, in which the Austro-Daimler works team won the first three places in the 1910 running of the highly regarded Prinz-Heinrich Race. In the guise of the Austro-Daimler “Sascha”, he developed a small car which, thanks to its excellent power-to-weight ratio prevailed against its larger displacement competitors in the 1922 Targa Florio, notching up no fewer than 43 racing victories in total.

In 1923 Ferdinand Porsche moved to the Daimler engine company in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim as Technical Director. There, in addition to the Type 8/38 midsized model and the first eight cylinder engine Mercedes-Benz, the “Nürburg” Type 460, it was first and foremost the supercharged sports and racing cars that further consolidated his worldwide reputation as an automotive designer. The sports and racing cars developed under his guidance with the abbreviations “S” (Sport), “SS” (Super Sport) and “SSK” (Super Sport Kurz, or short) ranked among the most coveted cars of their time. In January 1929 he left Daimler-Benz AG. Following a short interlude at the Austrian Steyr works, at the end of 1930 he returned to Stuttgart and opened an engineering office.

Ferdinand Porsche at the office

The founding of the Porsche engineering office

The “Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau“ was entered in the Stuttgart trade register on 25 April 1921, at the height of the world economic crisis. In addition to Ferdinand Porsche, who contributed 24,000 Reichsmarks to the limited company’s share capital, his son-in-law Anton Piëch and Adolf Rosenberger also invested 3,000 Reichsmarks each as executive partners. From the outset, the work undertaken by the initial twelve strong team around Ferdinand Porsche spanned the entire gamut of motor vehicle technology. Legendary cars such as the Auto Union Grand Prix racing car or the Volkswagen “Beetle” were to emerge from this Stuttgart engineering office in the years that followed. Porsche’s workplace progressed to be one of the most important seedbeds of automotive technology, at the same time preparing the ground for mass car ownership in Germany.

As early as 1931, Porsche designed a six cylinder average mid-size saloon for the Chemnitz car manufacturer Wanderer as well as a new in-line eight cylinder engine. This was followed by a swing axle for the Horch-Werke in Zwickau and an air-cooled five-cylinder radial engine designed for the Phänomen-Werke in Zittau, intended for use in trucks. In addition, the engineering office developed a small car for Zündapp GmbH, which with its rear-engine, rigid tubular backbone chassis and transmission mounted forward of the rear axle was to prove to be decisive for the Volkswagen that came later. The torsion bar suspension patented on 10 August 1931 and used in international automotive manufacturing over many decades is also held to be a milestone in automotive history.

In the spring of 1933, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned by Auto Union in Saxony to develop the Grand Prix racing car. The moment the contract was signed, the Porsche team led by senior engineer Karl Rabe began work on the Auto Union P racing car (P for Porsche), configured as a mid-engined vehicle. The first test drives took place as early as November 1933 and in the very first racing season in 1934 this vehicle set three world records and won three international Grand Prix races in addition to several hill climb races. Between 1934 and 1939, with drivers such as Bernd Rosemeyer, Hans Stuck or Tazio Nuvolari, the constantly refined Auto Union racing car became one of the most successful pre-war era racing cars . Its technical mid-engine concept proved to be a trendsetter for all modern racing cars and is used to this very day in Formula One.

In addition to developing racing cars, the engineering office had been equally hard at work since 1933 on the design of a low-cost small car commissioned by the NSU works – an idea that was also exercising other car designers such as Belá Barényi or Hans Ledwinka against the backdrop of the world economic crisis. When Ferdinand Porsche began work on designing the Type 32 compact car, this was already the seventh small car design of his career. A number of prototypes of this vehicle type were built, which with the air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine and Porsche torsion bar suspension exhibited distinct similarities with the later Volkswagen Beetle. The “Memorandum on the construction of a German people’s car” (Volkswagen) that he presented to the Reich Transport Ministry on 17 January 1943 was to prove critical to the breakthrough of the small car concept. Shortly thereafter, on 22 June 1934, he received the official order from the RDA, the “Reichsverband der Deutschen Automobilindustrie” (German Reich Automobile Industry Association) to design and build Volkswagen prototypes that were assembled in the garage of his Porsche villa in the north of Stuttgart in 1935.

Ferdinand Porsche and Auto Union GP

Contrary to the initial idea of having the Volkswagen built jointly by Germany’s car manufacturers, the Reich government decided in 1936 to build an independent Volkswagen plant, the planning of which was entrusted to Dr Ferdinand Porsche. Since the incorporation of the “Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH” (Gezuvor) in May 1937, a company established to pave the way for the construction of the German “people’s car”, Porsche, as one of three Managing Directors, was officially responsible for technology and the planning of the future Volkswagen plant and, accompanied by his son Ferry, travelled to the United States of America to find out about modern production methods.

In addition to the Volkswagen project, the Porsche engineering office, located in the Zuffenhausen district of Stuttgart since 1938, was working on numerous other development contracts from the automotive industry. For Daimler-Benz AG work included the development of technical engine components for the Mercedes “silver arrows” between 1937 and 1939 as well as the design of the Type 80 high-speed car for an attempt on the land speed record. The Type 110 compact agricultural tractor with an air-cooled two cylinder engine, developed for the “Deutsche Arbeitsfront” (German Labour Front) (DAF), was the model for the later “People’s Tractor” and the Porsche diesel tractor produced after the Second World War.

In 1938 the Volkswagen works awarded the Porsche engineering office the contract to develop a racing car based on the Volkswagen Type 60, which was to take its place on the grid for a planned long distance race from Berlin to Rome as a promotional stunt for the “KdF car” (“Strength through Joy” car). By the spring of 1939, the Porsche engineers had developed three sports car coupés under the in-house designation Type 64, for the “Non-stop speed endurance test” scheduled for September. As much of the more than 1500 kilometre long race was to be on the new motorways, particular attention was lavished on the vehicle’s aerodynamics. With a sleek streamlined aluminium body, shrouded wheel wells and a modified VW horizontally opposed engine, the would-be record-breaking car, weighing a mere 600 kg, topped 140 km/h (87 mph). When the outbreak of the Second World War prevented the race from being held, the Porsche engineering office used the completed sports cars as fast touring cars, achieving average speeds in excess of 130 km/h (81 mph) on long business trips.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, other types of vehicle were spun off from the Volkswagen for military use. In addition to the Type 81 “VW Kastenwagen” the company, trading as Porsche KG since the end of 1937, developed the Type 62 “KdF off-road vehicle”, the Type 82, known as the “VW Kübelwagen” and the all-wheel drive Type 87 and Type 166 “VW Schwimmwagen” amphibious vehicle, among others. At the end of 1939, the Army’s Armaments Office also awarded the Porsche engineering office the development contract for a medium tank, the design of which however was temporarily shelved owing to the need for heavier types of tank. Initially employed by the Armaments Ministry as a consultant, Ferdinand Porsche headed the Tank Commission from 1941 to 1943. In 1942 Ferdinand Porsche received the contract to design a super heavy tank, the Type 205 “Maus” (Mouse), of which only two prototypes were ever built, however, and never saw action. During the war, development of the military derivatives of the Volkswagen as well as various tank prototypes – including the involvement of prisoners of war employed as forced labourers – took place predominantly in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. With the intensification in bombing raids, the Porsche KG engineering office, classified as important to the war effort, was relocated in autumn 1944 from Stuttgart to Gmünd in Carinthia, Austria.

New beginning with third-party client development and sports car construction

With the war over, the Porsche engineering office in its new home in Austria strove to attract new contracts from the automotive sector. But initially it was water turbines, cable winches, ski lifts, mowing bars and various types of tractor based on the “People’s Tractor” that were developed and for the first time also sold under the Porsche name. The most important customer in the early post-war years was the Italian company Cisitalia, whose car enthusiast owner Piero Dusio awarded numerous design contracts at the end of 1946. In addition to a tractor and water turbine, Dusio ordered a mid-engine sports car with hydraulic torque converter and a Grand Prix racing car. The upshot was the Type 360 “Cisitalia” completed in 1948, which technically was far ahead of its time on many counts. Unlike the front-engine Formula One racing cars of the post war year, which for the most part still featured rigid axles, the Type 360 was designed with a mid-engine layout. The suspension featured double trailing arms on the front axle, the rear axle being configured as a double-joint swing axle with torsion bar suspension. In terms of drive train, the single-seater featured a 385 hp (283 kW) 12-cylinder engine with compressor, achieving a maximum engine speed of 10,600 rpm. The 1.5 litre boxer engine’s four camshafts were driven by bevel shafts. The synchronised five-speed transmission – as with the gear change on a motorbike – could be operated with just two gearshift levels via a dog clutch. Thanks to the experience with the Auto Union P-racing car, there was an awareness of the traction problems with the narrow racing tyres that were customary at the time. Power transmission was therefore by means of all-wheel drive that could be activated by the driver if required. But financial difficulties affecting the client Cisitalia prevented the Type 360 from taking part in Grand Prix races.

In July 1947, independent design work began on the Type 356 “VW sports car”. The design concepts became reality in the first half of 1948 under the in-house design number 356 based on earlier designs such as the Volkswagen or Type 64 “Berlin-Rome car”. Once the chassis had completed its maiden drive in February, the finished prototype with the chassis number 356-001 received one-off approval by the State Government of Carinthia. The Porsche sports car brand had been born. Production of the rear-engined coupé and convertible versions of the Porsche Type 356/2 started in the second half of 1948. Series production of this sports car began after the return to Stuttgart in 1950, approximately 78,000 vehicles being built by 1965. The successor model, the Porsche 911, finally helped the company to make the breakthrough as one of the technically and stylistically leading sports car manufacturers in the world.

From the Weissach Engineering Office to the Weissach Development Centre

Despite the successful entry into vehicle manufacturing, third-party client development commissions remained a firm fixture in the then Porsche KG’s service portfolio. The most important client right into the 1970s was Volkswagen AG, with whom there had been an extensive cooperation agreement. Numerous detailed improvements were devised for the VW “Beetle”, which was produced in Wolfsburg in exchange for payment to Porsche of a licence fee of approximately DM 5 per vehicle. Porsche was also involved in developing the successor models for the successful Beetle. The Stuttgart-based company developed numerous prototypes on behalf of the Volkswagen Group, which were to prove groundbreaking for the Wolfsburg Group’s passenger vehicle programme. The best-known contract developments were the VW Porsche 914 unveiled in the autumn of 1969 and the Porsche 924 built in response to Volkswagen development contract EA 425.

In addition to the numerous orders for the Volkswagen Group, Porsche’s third party client development engineers developed numerous other innovations for domestic and foreign clients in the 1950s and 1960s. Porsche developed the amphibious all-wheel-drive Type 597 Jagdwagen vehicle in response to a Bundeswehr invitation to tender. Although the Jagdwagen proved to be technically superior, the contract was awarded to car and motorcycle manufacturer DKW for labour market reasons. Overseas customers as well, such as the Studebaker Corporation, put their faith in Porsche KG’s experience. Between 1952 and 1954, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer developed a four-door saloon with self-supporting body and modern ponton design for the American carmaker.

In 1971, Porsche’s Development Division with its Construction, Testing and Design Departments relocated to the newly constructed Development Centre in Weissach, 25 kilometres to the north-west of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Ferry Porsche had already had a so-called “skid pad” built there 10 years earlier, which had been used ever since for conducting suspension tests. In addition to a large test track, the 1970s and 1980s saw the building of high-spec installations such as wind tunnel, crash facility, emissions testing centre and a wealth of engine test rigs that are available for third-party contracts and in-house developments alike. The Development Centre spanned virtually all areas of civil and military engine technology. Large orders from the German Army were also handled as were future automotive studies for the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology. The client portfolio was recruited from virtually the whole of the world’s automotive industry, which drew on Porsche’s know-how for its own vehicle programmes, from detailed technical solutions to entire vehicles.

Industrial projects and series development

Breaking new ground is a tradition with Porsche’s third-party client development. For example, in the early 80s, Weissach engineers and aircraft manufacturer Airbus joined forces to design a cockpit layout for wide-bodied aircraft, setting a trend by using displays in place of the conventional analog instruments. The project sought to achieve discernible improvements for the pilots’ working environment through optimised styling.

Another major project was the “TAG Turbo made by Porsche” engine developed for the British McLaren International racing team, with the aim of causing a sensation at the very pinnacle of motor sport. Unveiled in the summer of 1983, the 1.5 litre, six-cylinder turbocharged engine dominated Formula One, with 25 Grand Prix victories and three world championship titles between 1984 and 1986. The secret of the Formula One high-performance engine’s success lay in marrying the turbocharger technology with an electronic engine management system. As a consequence, the racing car’s fuel consumption was particularly economical, which critically influenced the racing strategy

A milestone in the development of vehicles for industry was the beginning of the tie-in with Linde Material Handling, which continues successfully to this very day. Having already designed slewing gears and chain drives for Linde, in the 1980s the sports car manufacturer Porsche was retained to design a new generation of forklift trucks. In addition to the functional design of the machine, the Porsche engineers paid particular attention to developing a new ergonomically designed driver workstation concept. The symbiosis of technology and aesthetics also proved beneficial to sales: Sales of the stylistically distinctive Linde forklift trucks increased by approximately 15 per cent in the mid-1980s. In addition to steering axles and lifting masts for every conceivable forklift truck weight class, an electric forklift truck model line was also jointly developed with Porsche to the point of market launch. The Porsche styling of Linde’s conveyor systems has since become an award-winning trademark. For example, the Linde T20 pallet truck received the coveted “Red Dot Award for Product Design” from the prestigious North Rhine Westphalia design centre.

Linde forklift truck

But Porsche Engineering also regularly worked for other carmakers. From 1990 onwards, Porsche’s third-party client development team worked for Daimler-Benz AG on the design and test aspects of a W 124 production saloon fitted with the 5 litre, V8 four-valve M 119 engine. The result was impressive performance. With the four-speed automatic transmission fitted as standard, the Mercedes-Benz 500 E reached the 100 km/h mark (62 mph) in only 5.9 seconds with the top speed electronically limited to 250 km/h (156 mph). In the process, the contract far exceeded the usual development activities. Series production together with the assembly of the body shell and final assembly took place at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen works. The Daimler-Benz works in Sindelfingen were responsible for the paint finish and delivery. Production of the Mercedes-Benz 500 E kicked off in the spring of 1990. The sales success of the speedy GT saloon testified to the successful outcome of the collaboration: 10,479 units had been built by April 1995.

In the early 1990s, Porsche’s third-party client development department entered into a joint venture with Audi to develop a high-performance sport estate car, which caused a sensation. The Audi Avant RS2 unveiled in the autumn of 1993 came into being in Weissach based on the 315 hp (232 kW) variant of the all-wheel drive Audi Avant S2. This borrowed numerous Porsche components, such as for example wheel hubs, high-performance brakes and rims. Exterior parts such as fog lights and indicators as well as the exterior mirrors also came from the Porsche 911 of the then current 993 model series. The Audi Avant RS2 was built at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen works between October 1993 and July 1994. The “Porsche estate car in Audi clothing” – as “Auto Bild” magazine put it – enjoyed keen customer interest. The planned production run of 2000 vehicles was exceeded by 895 units.

In 2001, under the development name “Revolution Engine”, Porsche Engineering started work as a development partner on developing a new V2 engine for the American motorbike manufacturer Harley-Davidson’s “V-Rod” model. Against the backdrop of a collaborative relationship stretching back to the 1970s, Porsche engineers designed a water-cooled, 1131 cc power unit based on a racing engine which delighted discerning Harley-Davidson customers with its performance and engine sound in equal measure.

Harley Davidson V Rod

Into the future with tradition and innovation

Today, as in the past, Porsche Engineering is grappling with the engineering challenges of the future. Be it the conspicuous expertise in the electromobility arena that Porsche Engineering displayed in the Boxster E research project in 2011 or in the development of the Seabob production water sport sled, experience in the lightweight construction and downsizing arenas but also thinking outside the box with the development of a premium outdoor grill in 2008 – Porsche Engineering’s engineers dedicate themselves to each project with the same commitment to ultimate quality, innovative concepts and customised solutions.

Nowadays, all development projects for clients worldwide are controlled by the Porsche Engineering Group GmbH (PEG) founded in 2001 and headquartered in Weissach. Thanks to Porsche’s own distinctive development network, PEG is able to call on the services of its subsidiaries Porsche Engineering Services GmbH in Bietigheim and Porsche Engineering Services s.r.o. in Prague. By networking all its locations and sharing information closely between project teams, PEG offers interface competency and lateral thinking, ensuring that client projects are delivered consistently and productively and without a hitch.

The combined expertise of Porsche Engineering’s engineers and the comprehensive resources at the Weissach Development Centre’s disposal are behind innovative services to the highest quality standards.But the public only gets to see the tip of the iceberg. Thanks to draconian confidentiality, Porsche Engineering protects its clients’ product strategies and brand identities with the greatest care at all times. Only very few projects are known of, and only with the clients’ explicit consent. Because Porsche’s third-party client development will only succeed if a customer returns. This maxim prevails to this day – as it has for more than 80 years.

Credits: Porsche AG and Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

 

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0: Biggest 911 Engine Ever Offered

Power, efficiency, performance. Porsche has risen in every discipline. Porsche ambition is high, but the result clearly illustrates why they build sports cars – because there is only one direction: forwards.

ATLANTA – April 28, 2011 — The 911 GT3 RS, one of Porsche’s most popular, coveted and successful track-inspired production cars, has been given a final, thrilling injection of thoroughbred motorsport technology resulting in the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. Limited to 600 vehicles worldwide, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 brings together in a sports car the attributes that have made the Porsche 911 GT3 a consistent winner on the race track.

The motorsport-derived 4.0-liter engine, already the highest displacement 911 engine ever, also features the highest per-liter output — 125 horsepower (hp) per liter — from a naturally aspirated Porsche flat-six engine.

The engine uses forged pistons, the connecting rods are fashioned from titanium, and the crankshaft has been lifted unchanged from the 911 GT3 RSR race car. It achieves its maximum power of 500 hp at 8,250 rpm. Maximum torque of 339 ft/lbs is reached at 5,750 rpm.

The 911 GT3 RS 4.0 offers truly impressive performance, lapping the famed Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 27 seconds.

Available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 sprints from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.8 seconds, and with its gearing designed for the race circuit it reaches the 124 mph mark on the race track in under 12 seconds. The 911 GT3 RS 4.0’s outstanding driving dynamics come from numerous, meticulously coordinated details. In addition to using suspension components typically encountered in motor racing, weight reduction is also of supreme importance.

Equipped as standard with lightweight components such as light but strong carbon fiber sport bucket seats, …………………..

…………….carbon fiber front fenders and luggage compartment lid, and weight-optimized carpets, the two-seater’s ready-for-action weight is just 2,998 lbs with a full fuel tank.

The 911 GT3 RS 4.0’s power-to-weight ratio is 5.99 lbs/hp. This limited edition 911 is painted Carrara White as standard and emphasizes its proximity to motor racing by its dynamic appearance.

Signature characteristics are the wide track, the low vehicle position, the large rear wing with side plates, central twin tailpipe, and the aerodynamically optimized body. Air deflection vanes mounted on either side of the front bumper – called ‘flics’ or dive planes – make their first appearance on a production Porsche. They create increased downforce on the front axle, and together with the steeply inclined rear wing, provide aerodynamics on par with its performance capabilities.

As a result, at the 193 mph top track speed, aerodynamic forces exert an additional 426 lbs of downforce, thus pushing the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 onto the road. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price starting at $185,000 (excluding destination), the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 goes on sale in the United States in late 2011.

Chris Harris has an exclusive interview with Andreas Preuninger about the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. Read the full story at www.evo.co.uk

The UK list price is yet to be confirmed, but Porsche has advised that £128,000 is likely to be the figure. There are only 600 cars being built, and fewer than 50 will come to the UK.

____________________________________________________________________________________

About Porsche Cars North America Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

(PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date. Note:

Photos by Porsche Press Database

For more information please visit http://www.porsche.com/rs

 

Porsche Race Car Classic Announces 2012 Porsche Turbo Raffle

April 24, 2011 — Porsche Race Car Classic organizers announced today that they will raffle a 2012 Porsche Turbo Cabriolet to help raise funds to support lung cancer research. This is one fast car with 500hp, a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of 194 mph.

A maximum of 3,000 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each with no limit to the number that may be purchased per person. “We deeply appreciate Porsche Cars North America for providing this opportunity for people to show their support of Lung Cancer Research as proceeds from the raffle will go directly to the *Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation,” said event organizer Steve Heinrichs. “And a chance to win the best open-top sports car in the world is enticing to say the least,” he added.

The drawing will be held at the Porsche Race Car Classic event on October 16, 2011 at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California.  The winner will be announced the same day. The winner will get a choice of color and certain options and need not be present to win.  Go to www.porscheracecarclassic.com for details and to download a raffle ticket form.

About the Porsche Race Car Classic

The Porsche Race Car Classic will be a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of race cars from Porsche’s break-out era of 1950-1965 — the cars that made Porsche the most revered name in racing. Rarely-seen cars from the stables of the Porsche AG Museum, Ingram Collection, Collier Collection, Ranson Webster Collection, Dr. Julio Palmaz Collection, and Seinfeld Collection will join scores of purpose-built and production race cars with significant race history on the grassy fields of the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel, California on October 16, 2011.

More than 3,500 people are expected including special guests and celebrities. Attendees will enjoy gourmet specialties and wine from leading vintners while they celebrate Porsche’s iconic race cars and the pilots who drove them into history. All net proceeds will go directly to UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program and the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation to aid their in fight to Drive Lung Cancer off the Planet.

* The 2012 Porsche Turbo Cabriolet Raffle is solely for the benefit of the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation.

* * *

Official Rules:

1.  Raffle ticket entries (“entries”) will be sold only using the official “Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (“BJALCF”) Raffle Form” for a 2012 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. Entries may not be assigned, transferred or sold either before or after the drawing. The odds of winning will depend upon the total number of entries sold.

2.  The price of each entry is US$100.00. No raffle ticket entries will be mailed to purchasers, however, entries will be confirmed via email.  There is no limit to the number of entries a member may purchase, but a maximum of 3,000 entries will be sold.

3.  No person under the age of 18 may purchase an entry or receive any prize.

4.  An entry purchaser does not have to be present at the drawing to be eligible to win a prize.

5.  Entry purchases may be made by Paypal, cash, check , Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. All payments for entries must be made in US funds.

6.  The winner will be notified by certified mail, and the winner’s name will be announced at the Porsche Race Car Classic on October 16, 2011. The winner’s name will also be posted on the BJALCF website at www.LungCancerFoundation.org and at the PRCC website at www.PorscheRaceCarClassic.com.

7.  No entries will be sold after October 1, 2011. Requests for entries received after October 1, 2011, or after 3,000 entries have been sold, will not be included in the drawing and will be returned. Entry requests will be subject to acceptance by BJALCF.

8.  The raffle is subject to the sale of a minimum of 1,500 entries. If fewer than 1,500 entries are sold, the raffle will be cancelled and all purchases of entries will be refunded. Subject to the foregoing, all purchases of entries are final upon acceptance by BJALCF and there will be no refunds except as noted above.

9.  The name of the winner will be posted on the BJALCF website at www.LungCancerFoundation.org and at the PRCC website at www.PorscheRaceCarClassic.com. For the name of the winner, you may also send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, 1100 Industrial Road, #1, San Carlos, CA after October 31, 2011.

10.  The car being offered as a prize will be a US specification car and will be available for pick-up at a US located authorized Porsche Dealership after it has been ordered and built. The winner will be responsible for all licensing, registration, taxes, fees, duties, insurance and other costs as well as transportation to and from the dealership. BJALCF and PRCC specifically disclaim any and all express or implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, regarding the raffle car.

11.  Unless prohibited by law, the winner may substitute a cash prize in the amount of US$75,000 in lieu of taking possession of the car. Any election to take the cash prize must be made within ninety (90) days after the drawing by delivering written notice of such election to BJALCF.

12.  The winner is responsible for all applicable local, state and federal taxes including all sales, use, luxury, income and other applicable taxes. All prizes will be subject to applicable Federal and other applicable tax withholding at the then applicable rate in accordance with the requirements of Federal and any other applicable law. Our understanding is that entries are not considered contributions to BJALCF and therefore are not tax deductable by entry purchasers.

13.  All requests for entries must be submitted on an official entry form which is available on the BJALCF website at www.LungCancerFoundation.org, the PRCC website at www.PorscheRaceCarClassic.com, and contained in BJALCF promotional materials. Entry forms may be reproduced. All entry forms must be submitted by hand to a BJALCF representative or by mail or other delivery method to Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, 1100 Industrial Road, #1, San Carlos, CA 94070.

14.  The winner will be selected at a random drawing from all eligible entries to be conducted at the Porsche Race Car Classic on October 16, 2011. The winning entry will be drawn from a container in which all eligible raffle ticket entry stubs purchased for the drawing will be mixed. Each entry will have an equal chance of being drawn.

15.  This offer is void where prohibited by law.

16.  BJALCF employees and Board members and PRCC organizers as well as persons living in the same households as such employees, Board members and organizers and, immediate family members (spouses, children, siblings and parents) of such employees, Board Members and organizers are not eligible to enter or to win prizes.

17.  Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for BJALCF and PRCC to use the winner’s name, regional affiliation, likeness and photograph in any BJALCF and PRCC publicity worldwide in all media including the Internet without additional compensation unless prohibited by law.

18.  By participating in the raffle, participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules.

19.  This raffle is sponsored by the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, 1100 Industrial Road, #1, San Carlos, CA 94070. The entire net proceeds (at least 90% of the gross proceeds) of the raffle shall be devoted exclusively to benefit of or provide support for the beneficial or charitable purposes of the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation.

Contacts:

Erin Simon
Event Planner / Sponsorship Opportunities
415-999-9123
erin@simonevents.com
http://www.PorscheRaceCarClassic.com

Steve Heinrichs
Event Producer
775-691-2217
rstephen356@aol.com

Bruce Sweetman
Media Coordinator
615-579-4508
sweetmanb@juno.com

Carolyn Clary-Macy
Car Coordinator / Sponsorship Opportunities
415-885-7278
carolyn.clary-macy@ucsfmedctr.org

Event Website/Tickets:    http://www.PorscheRaceCarClassic.com
Facebook:  Porsche Race Car Classic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DriveLungCancer
Linked In:  Porsche Race Car Classic

               

 

Porsche Reveals New Panamera Models at New York International Auto Show

NEW YORK — April 20, 2011 – Marking a North American premiere at the New York International Auto Show, Porsche today showed two new versions of its highly acclaimed Panamera four-door sports sedan, including the company’s most fuel-efficient car ever — the 2012 Panamera S Hybrid — and its highest-performance Panamera ever, the 2012 Panamera Turbo S.

“Today we are unveiling two new, dynamic and high-performance Panamera models,” said Detlev von Platen, Porsche Cars North America’s President and CEO. “One is a highly advanced hybrid and the other is a car that raises the bar higher than ever in the premium sports sedan segment.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Powerful New Panamera Turbo S is Revealed

With its new four-door Panamera Turbo S, Porsche is establishing a new benchmark for its competitors by delivering ultra high performance and efficiency, sports-car-like driving dynamics, and first-class comfort in a purely Porsche package.

The power under the hood of the new top-of-the-line Panamera is based on the proven twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 engine in the Panamera Turbo. In the Turbo S this powerplant generates 550 horsepower, 50 more than that of the Panamera Turbo. The torque is also increased significantly over the Turbo from 516 lb-ft to 553 lb-ft. Even more torque — 590 lb-ft — is generated temporarily by the “Sport” and “Sport Plus” overboost mode of the standard Sport Chrono Package Turbo.

The increase in power in the Panamera Turbo S is the result of a quicker, more responsive turbo response and modified engine control unit. With the help of Launch Control, the newest Panamera can reach 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. The top-track speed is 190 mph. And despite this increased performance, fuel consumption is expected to remain comparable to the Panamera Turbo that delivers an EPA estimated rating of 15 mpg city/23 mpg highway.  Official EPA fuel economy estimates for the Panamera Turbo S will become available prior to the car’s on-sale date later this spring.

Even for a world-class luxury car, the Panamera Turbo S offers an extraordinarily high level of features. In keeping with its sporty concept, it comes equipped with the most important driving-dynamic control systems. For example, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) is an active anti-roll system that significantly reduces lateral body movement during corning, which enhances stability, handling and overall occupant comfort.  Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) is also standard and works to help ensure superior traction and higher-performance cornering by applying a variable torque split to the rear wheels in combination with an electronically controlled rear differential lock. Also standard is Porsche’s advanced speed-sensitive Servotronic® steering system, a sports exhaust system, and the Sport Chrono Package Turbo that further tunes the engine and suspension at the touch of the “Sport Plus” button.

While the sporting character of the new Panamera Turbo S is most apparent behind the wheel, the car’s exterior tastefully exudes its high-performance ambitions. The new 20-inch Turbo II wheels with increased rear axle track width, side skirts from the Porsche Exclusive range, and the adaptive four-way extending rear spoiler express the car’s elite performance abilities. Inside, the fusion of exclusivity and sportiness is conveyed in the interior by the standard bi-color leather finish. A new combination of black/cream is offered exclusively for the new Panamera Turbo S with Agate Grey/cream also being added as an exclusive option later this year. Agate Gray Metallic will also be an exclusive exterior color.

The new Porsche Panamera Turbo S will have a base MSRP of $173,200 (excluding destination).

Porsche Expands its Hybrid Lineup with the Panamera S Hybrid

The debut of the Panamera S Hybrid adds another important chapter to the Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy of committing to build new cars that strive to deliver sportier performance with more fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Without sacrificing high-performance or luxury and comfort, this new Panamera model produces 380 horsepower with fuel consumption of only 6.8 L/100 km on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), making it the most fuel efficient Porsche of all time.

Official EPA fuel economy estimates for the U.S. will be available closer to the car’s on-sale date late this year.

As you would expect from Porsche, the Panamera S Hybrid sets new standards in terms of performance as well as hybrid efficiencies. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds and has a top track speed of 167 mph (270 km/h). Its range in purely electric mode is approximately one mile, with electric-only acceleration possible up to just over 50 mph (85 km/h).

The Porsche parallel full hybrid system also reduces consumption at high speeds thanks to its ‘sailing’ or coasting mode. When the driver lifts off the accelerator at normal highway cruising speeds, the gasoline engine is completely switched off and disengaged from the drivetrain by a decoupling clutch. This eliminates the combustion engine’s drag forces and braking effect in the interest of lower resistance, fuel consumption and emissions. As soon as the driver presses the accelerator, to pass another vehicle for example, the gasoline engine smoothly starts within fractions of a second and engine rpms are increased to match the current vehicle speed. It does this seamlessly thanks to the Hybrid Manager, which also helps the Panamera S Hybrid accelerate dynamically in gears at higher speeds.

The Panamera S Hybrid employs a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that delivers 333 horsepower. It is supported by a 47-horsepower (34 kW) electric motor. Depending on driving conditions, either drive unit can operate independently or together to drive the rear wheels. The electric motor, which also serves as the car’s generator and starter, combines with the decoupling clutch to form the compact hybrid module located between the combustion engine and the transmission. The electric motor is connected to a nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery that stores electric energy recovered from braking and other driving situations. The transmission is the same eight-speed Tiptronic S fitted in the Cayenne models, with a wide range of gear ratios.

The Panamera S Hybrid has an even higher level of standard equipment than the V8 Panamera S that includes Adaptive Air Suspension with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive shock absorber system, Servotronic® variable-assist power steering and a host of other features. This new model also features an innovative display that provides the driver with relevant information about the status of the vehicle’s hybrid drive systems.

The Panamera S Hybrid will go on sale in the United States later in 2011 at a base suggested retail price of $95,000 (excluding destination).

World’s First Hybrid is Incredibly Recreated

In 1900, history came to life when Professor Ferdinand Porsche built the first functional hybrid car. Aptly called Semper Vivus, which means “Always Alive” this historic car has been resurrected 111 years later by Porsche as a tribute to this acclaimed engineer’s visionary thinking.

The fully functional Semper Vivus replica, based on original drawings and exhaustive research, is a collaborative effort between Porsche Engineering and Karosseriebau Drescher, a coachbuilding company based in Hinterzarten in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its masterful design impresses onlookers to this very day, and for the first time in the United States it is on display at the New York Auto Show press day on April 20.

In November 2007 the Porsche Museum embarked on one of the most interesting and challenging projects in its history: the construction of a faithful replica of the 1900 Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus. Even 111 years after its invention, building the world’s first functioning hybrid car was a great challenge for all. Ultimately it was not just about an extreme attention to visual details but also achieving the same driving performance as the original.

The Porsche Museum entrusted the workmanship to a team of experts led by coachbuilder Hubert Drescher, who had already proven his competence in numerous difficult restoration projects. As with a number of racing car projects, the aluminum body of the Porsche Type 64 museum exhibit originates from the Hinterzarten coachbuilder workshop, as well.

Exhaustive research in various archives the across Europe was the first step. The outcome was a handful of black-and-white photos and an original technical drawing serving as the project’s foundation. As with Prof. Porsche, the Semper Vivus replica initially began as a blank sheet of paper.

This meant that in addition to a good deal of imagination, the project required extensive research and calculations in order to be faithfully recreate an accurate and working likeness of the electric wheel-hub motor. Since no specifications or other helpful records had survived, experts initially created ready reckoners and design drawings on graph paper in the time-honored fashion. This involved the painstaking study and laborious measurement of photos and drawings. As there was no functioning wheel hub motor in existence, technical details such as performance and range had to be resurrected and calculated from scratch.

The replica car’s genius rivals what it took to build the original. What can be seen now took three years to build and ingenious engineering and craftsmanship, as well as a treasure hunt for original parts, including some for the combustion engine.

Today, Prof. Porsche’s innovative spirit lives on at Porsche, as a priceless historical creation and as an inspiration for the company’s commitment to developing new and ever-more advanced hybrid systems.

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

SOURCE: Porsche AG / Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Follow Porsche:  facebook.com/Porsche  twitter.com/Porsche

 

PORSCHE: Prof. Ferdinand Porsche Created The First Functional Hybrid Car

The name Porsche has been associated with pioneering innovations in automotive engineering since the beginning of the last century. In 1900 Ferdinand Porsche, founding father of the present-day Dr. Ing. h.c. F.Porsche AG, Stuttgart, entered uncharted territory. With the first functional, full-hybrid car in the world, the ‘Semper Vivus’ (‘always alive’), the principle of the serial hybrid drive had been born. In a four year project the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart had the Semper Vivus recreated. 111 years after this ground breaking innovation by Ferdinand Porsche the Semper Vivus will again drive into the limelight of future appearances as part of the Porsche Museum collection in Stuttgart.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Source: Porsche AG

He developed the world’s first hybrid car, advanced electric car, and all-wheel drive car a century ago, and now Porsche brings a recreation of his Semper Vivus to New York

NEW YORK – April 20, 2011 – The name Porsche has been associated with pioneering automotive engineering innovations since the beginning of the last century. In 1900 Prof. Ferdinand Porsche unveiled his Lohner Porsche, an electric car with wheel-hub motors driving the front wheels. Soon after, this car featured all-wheel drive and four-wheel brakes, another world first. A highlight of his early years as an automotive designer was the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus that went down in history 111 years ago as the first functional hybrid car.

Video: Fox Car Report @ New York

Porsche’s Semper Vivus (Always Alive) recreation is a tribute to Prof. Porsche’s visionary invention. The fully functional Semper Vivus replica, based on original drawings and exhaustive research, is a collaborative effort between Porsche Engineering and Karosseriebau Drescher, a coachbuilding company based in Hinterzarten in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.  This faithful replica, whose visionary design impresses to this very day, is on display at the New York Auto Show press day on April 20.

 

Source & Credits: Porsche

The history of the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus

Prof. Ferdinand Porsche was busy designing and developing his cars as early as 1896. The first fruit of his endeavors was an electric vehicle known as the Lohner-Porsche. It was driven by steered wheel-hub motors, and it caused a sensation at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. This was soon followed by an even more impressive example of Prof. Porsche innovative spirit. A racing car boasting four wheel-hub electric motors became the world’s first all-wheel drive passenger car and marked the automotive engineering debut of four-wheel brakes. No less visionary was Prof. Porsche’s next idea; in 1900 he combined his battery-powered wheel hub drive with a petrol engine, thus creating the serial hybrid drive principle.

Prof. Porsche had entered uncharted territory with the Semper Vivus, the world’s first functional, full-hybrid car. In this vehicle, two generators paired with petrol engines formed a single charging unit, simultaneously supplying electricity to wheel-hub motors and batteries. In autumn 1900, Prof. Porsche set to work on a first prototype with petrol-electric hybrid drive. Presumably he based the world’s full hybrid car on a conversion of his electric racing vehicle from the Semmering-Bergrennen race. To this end he combined his electrical wheel-hub motors with two combustion engines and no mechanical connection whatsoever to a drive axle. Instead, they each drove an electric generator supplying both the wheel-hub motors and accumulators with electricity. This was the birth of serial hybrid drive. As a full hybrid concept, the Semper Vivus was also able to cover longer distances purely on battery power until the combustion engine had to be engaged to recharge the batteries.

To save weight and create room for a petrol engine, Prof. Porsche swapped the original 74-cell accumulator in his electromobiles for a smaller battery with only 44 cells. In the middle of the vehicle he installed two water-cooled 3.5 PS (2.6 kW) DeDion Bouton petrol engines — driving two generators to create electricity — each producing 2.5 hp (1.84 kW). Both engines operated independently, each delivering 20 amperes with a voltage of 90 volts. The electricity generated by the dynamos initially flowed to the wheel-hub motors, with the surplus power being sent on to the batteries. An added bonus was that it was also possible to use the generators as electric starter motors for the petrol engines by reversing the direction of rotation.

In practice, Prof. Porsche still had to contend with the principal problem of his wheel-hub cars – the vehicle’s heavy weight. Although the Semper Vivus hybrid car’s total weight was only 70 kg more than the original version, the 1,200 kg prototype was a challenge for the pneumatic tires’ soft rubber mix. In other respects as well the hybrid concept was still a long way away from being ready for series production. With its bodiless chassis, exposed petrol engines and unsprung rear axle, the Semper Vivus may have impressed visitors to the Paris Motor Show in 1901 but potential car buyers must have felt the bare-bones prototype was not for them. The interaction of engine, batteries and control system also still needed a lot of development and in addition to the ambitious control technology, a constant problem was dirt being thrown up and fouling of the accumulators. Yet the hybrid concept pointed to new possibilities that Prof. Porsche resolutely set about turning into reality.

The road to the Lohner-Porsche Mixte

In 1901 Prof. Porsche developed the revised concept of his ‘petrol-electric hybrid car’ into a variant that was ready for series production under the Lohner-Porsche Mixte name (borrowing the French term ‘voitures mixtes’). With a four-cylinder, front-mounted engine, this model mirrored the Mercedes vehicle concept just recently designed by Wilhelm Maybach but with its two wheel-hub motors still conforming to the concept of a serial hybrid car. Prof. Porsche was now using a powerful 5.5-liter, 25-hp (18 kW) four-cylinder engine from the Austrian Daimler engine company as an electrical generator. The engine was connected by a driveshaft to the electric generator located under the seat, with control handled by a primary controller next to the steering wheel.

To solve his vehicles’ weight problems, Prof. Porsche was constantly reducing battery size while also attempting to design a dust-proof battery housing. While the Lohner-Porsche Mixte was only able to drive a few kilometers on electric power alone because of the reduced battery capacity, the unladen weight of the four-seat touring car including body fell to around 1,200 kg. In normal driving mode the petrol engine and generator ran at a constant speed, feeding the wheel-hub motors and battery with electricity at a constant voltage. In addition to his drive concept’s high-level of efficiency, the car offered other advantages as well. By reversing the polarity, the generator could be used as an electric starter motor, eliminating the need for the strenuous and hazardous hand cranking of the engine.

Before the end of 1901, Ludwig Lohner and Prof. Ferdinand Porsche had pulled off a respectable result by selling five Lohner-Porsche Mixte cars. With a selling price of approximately 14,000 Krone each, this made the cars very exclusive commodities. The purchaser of this initial series was Emil Jellinek, the well-known general agent of the Daimler engine company in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim and the inspiration behind the first Mercedes (named after his daughter) only the year before. Despite this contact, a cooperation agreement to supply Mercedes engines failed to materialize and only seven Lohner-Porsches with Daimler engines were built. From 1903 onwards, petrol engines from Panhard & Levassor were used because the large French automotive manufacturer had acquired the license rights for France, Great Britain and Italy from Ludwig Lohner.

At about the same time, Prof. Porsche again significantly modified his cars’ drive concepts. For the weight reasons and to reduce production costs he dispensed with the purely electric driving capability and shrunk the battery to a minimum for initiating the starter motor. He replaced the missing energy storage unit with another innovation. The generator, designed as a stationary armature machine, was fitted with an electro-mechanical speed regulator patented as a “device for automatically regulating electric generators.” Prof. Porsche also ushered in a further development in wheel-hub motor technology. A redesigned hub casing allowed the kingpins to be relocated closer to the center of the wheel. This steering geometry, patented in May 1902, significantly reduced the effect of road impacts and the effort needed to turn the steering wheel. To reduce the unsprung mass of the wheels, Prof. Porsche also reduced the diameter of his wheel-hub motors, which he compensated for by using wider windings.

In April 1902, having incorporated these improvements, Prof. Porsche took his place on the starting grid for the Exelberg race. His two-seat Mixte racing car was not only visually impressive due to its modern proportions but impressive on the track, as well. His Lohner-Porsche seemed to cope effortlessly with even the steepest gradients of the 4.2-km gravel road leading up to the Exelberg, and it emerged as the victor in the large car class. Porsche received additional high-profile publicity in the autumn of 1902 when he chauffeured Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the Lohner-Porsche during a military maneuver. The aristocratic passenger seems to have liked the vehicle with its elegant touring body. Soon after, Prof. Porsche received a thank you letter testifying “just how satisfied in every respect his Imperial Majesty” was after the ride.

Despite these impressive demonstrations, sales of the Mixte production variants remained far lower than expectations. With only 11 hybrid cars sold, the return on investment was not on par with the enormous technical development costs between 1900 and 1905. The main problem was undoubtedly the high sales price. Depending on design and equipment, a Lohner-Porsche Mixte cost between 14,400 and 34,028 Krone, in some cases making it almost twice as expensive as comparable, conventionally powered motor vehicles. This was compounded by the high maintenance cost of the complex drive system that was unable to keep pace with the ever increasing reliability of normal petrol cars. Pure electric vehicles, however, were economically more successful. Approximately 65 Lohner-Porsche electric cars were sold during the first five years of series production to the end of 1905.

The reincarnation of the Semper Vivus

In November 2007 the Porsche Museum embarked on one of the most interesting and challenging projects in its history: the construction of a faithful replica of the 1900 Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus. Even 111 years after its invention, building the world’s first functioning hybrid car was a great challenge for all. Ultimately it was not just about an extreme attention to visual details but also achieving the same performance as the original. The Porsche Museum entrusted the workmanship to a team of experts led by coachbuilder Hubert Drescher, who had already proven his competence in numerous difficult restoration projects. As with a number of racing car projects, the aluminum body of the Porsche Type 64 museum exhibit originates from the Hinterzarten coachbuilder workshop, as well.

Exhaustive research in various archives the across Europe was the first step. The outcome was a handful of black-and-white photos and an original technical drawing serving as the project’s foundation. As with Prof. Porsche, the Semper Vivus replica initially began as a blank sheet of paper. This meant that in addition to a good deal of imagination, the project required extensive research and calculations in order to be faithfully recreate an accurate and working likeness of the electric wheel-hub motor. Since no specifications or other helpful records had survived, experts initially created ready reckoners and design drawings on graph paper in the time-honored fashion. This involved the painstaking study and laborious measurement of photos and drawings. As there was no functioning wheel hub motor in existence, technical details such as performance and range had to be resurrected and calculated from scratch.

When it came to selecting materials, coachbuilder Drescher took his inspiration, among other sources, from coaches and carriages from the dawn of the 20th Century. This required the assistance of experienced suppliers who were entrusted with the manufacturing of the special materials. The fully functioning Semper Vivus replica, which took approximately three years to build, does not solely include replica components. For example, it was possible to fit some original components including combustion engines.

Today, Prof. Ferdinand Porsche’s innovative spirit lives on at Porsche AG’s Research and Development Center in Weissach, Germany where the company is applying its engineering strength to develop various hybrid systems. Porsche’s first production hybrid, the 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid SUV, is on sale in many markets including the United States. Its parallel full hybrid system will be adapted for use in the Panamera S Hybrid that goes on sale later this year with a U.S. MSRP of $95,000 (excluding destination). Porsche engineers are busy developing its 911 GT3 R Hybrid racecar for further competition while continuing work on the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid super sports car the company first showed at the Geneva Auto Show in 2010.

Semper Vivus Facts and Figures

Year	Units
Engine:	2x Single cylinder De-Dion-Bouton combustion engine
Output:	2.5 hp (1.85 kW) per cylinder
Electric motor output:	2.7 hp (2 kW) per wheel
Top speed:	35 km/h (22 mph)
Range:	200 km (124 miles)
Overall width:	1,880 mm
Overall length:	3,390 mm
Overall height:	1,850 mm
Total weight:	1.7 tons
Front wheel weight (single):	272 kg (with wheel hub motor)
Track width front:	1,350 mm
Track width rear:	1,540 mm
Wheelbase:	2,310 mm
Ground clearance:	250 mm

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

Source & Credits: Porsche Press Database

Contact: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

 

Porsche Factory Driver Patrick Long @ New York – Gearing up, cooking up for New York Int’l Auto show

Tonight–Race car driver Patrick Long and  Top Chef Angelo Sosa will cook up a storm

in New York City

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos by Porsche Cars North America

Watch as Porsche Factory Driver Patrick Long and Chef Sosa take the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid through New York City to Union Square Market to prepare for an evening of Healthy Intelligent Performance.

Livestream
Poggenpohl Event
Healthy Intelligent Performance w/Top Chef Angelo Sosa and Porsche Race
Car Driver/Les Mans Champion Patrick Long

Wednesday, April 20th 2011
7:30 – 9 PM EST

Join in on a live-streamed demonstration and Q&A with Chef Angelo Sosa and Patrick Long. They’ll be talking performance foods and how race car drivers train their bodies to perform as well as their cars.

• Patrick Long Biography
• Fitness routine from champion Porsche race car driver, Patrick Long.

To submit questions in advance, email pr@porsche.us.

Check below for documents related to the demonstration and Q&A including

Chef Sosa’s recipes  Chef Sosa Recipes and details on Patrick’s training regimen

The original recipes below were developed by Chef Angelo Sosa exclusively for Porsche Cars North America and the Porsche Healthy Intelligent Performance event.
BREAKFAST
HIGH-PERFORMER’S MILKSHAKE
5 OZ. WHEATIES
3 PC. CARDAMOM
1 PC. STAR ANISE
16 OZ. SOY MILK
2 T. AGAVE NECTAR
METHOD: INFUSE WITH SOME SPICES STAR ANISE, CARDAMOM AND WHEATIES
WITH THE SOY MILK. BRING THE MILK TO A SIMMER, ADD ALL THE INGREDIENTS
AND LET IT STEEP AS IF IT WAS A TEA. REMOVE THE SPICES AND BLEND THE
LIQUID MIXTURE, AND CHILL AND SERVE.
“MODERN BAGEL”
½ LB. CREAM CHEESE
½ LB. SMOKED SALMON
4 OZ. MILK
1 TSP. SALT
GARNISH: CAPERS, DILL
METHOD: BLEND ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN VITA PREP AND PLACE INTO SIS
WHIP CREAM GUN—AERATE SALMON MOUSSE ONTO MINI BAGELS, GARNISH WITH
CAPER AND DILL PLUCHES
PICKLED BEETS WITH CURRIED HONEY
1 LB. BEETS, BABY
1 OZ. EVOO
½ OZ. THYME
1 T. SALT
2 OZ. WATER

more recipes here…Chef Sosa Recipes

 Angelo Sosa Bio

Angelo Sosa Bio
“As a chef, I’m loyal to my classic training, but with a passion for innovation. I love extracting and blending flavors and taking the ordinary to new heights.”

 Poggenpohl presents first Porsche Design kitchen

A new kitchen especially designed for men – Miele exclusive supplier of
appliances Poggenpohl presents first Porsche Design kitchen

 

Porsche Race Car Classic Shows Off Official Poster for Oct 16th, 2011

The ground-breaking 550, Porsche’s first purpose-built race car, will figure prominently among the scores of 1950-1965 Porsche race cars to be celebrated this fall at the Porsche Race Car Classic at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California. Here, it is shown at speed on California Highway 1 near Big Sur.

The painting is the work of renowned automotive and nautical artist Roy E. Dryer III (www.roydryer.com). A four-color poster of the artwork will be printed in limited quantities and presented to car-owner participants, ticket buyers, and special guests on the day of the event. The original painting is planned for auction prior to the event.

When:    Sunday, October 16, 2011
Where:   Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club – Carmel, California
What:    The world’s finest Porsche race cars from 1950-1965 will gather in unprecedented numbers: Gmünds, Glöcklers, 550s, 550As, 718s, 718/2s, 804s, 904s, 356 Coupes, Speedsters, Elva Porsches, More…

Source: Porsche Race Car Classic

 

Porsche Everyday: Promotes its Sports Cars From An Entirely New Perspective

New Campaign will Rely Heavily on Owners’ Everyday Stories

Atlanta, March 24, 2011  – For the first time, Porsche is challenging many Americans’ perception of Porsche sports cars and in particular the 911 in a new campaign launching today.

The Engineered for Magic. Everyday campaign, via agency Cramer-Krasselt/Chicago, seeks to show the many dimensions of the iconic Porsche 911 and the brands other storied sports cars through the lens of daily driving.

The magic of Porsche is how thoroughly the cars transform your everyday, routine driving,said David Pryor, vice president of marketing, Porsche Cars North America. It’s not only about the weekend joyride. It’s the only car in the world that combines true sports car exhilaration and the drivability for daily use. This campaign brings this fact to life, painting a bigger picture of the real Porsche value proposition, in some cases through the words and images of owners themselves.

Spanning TV, print, online, mobile, direct mail and a cinema promotion, the campaign drives home the engineering genius that allows these coveted sports cars to be everyday drivers.

When most people think of Porsche, they think magic and the cars certainly are, said Marshall Ross, chief creative officer, Cramer-Krasselt. What is markedly different about this campaign is were not selling the dream-car mystique of Porsche — that’s already a given. The creative challenge here was to tell the truth of the drivability of the car and still make it feel as special as it really is.

Debuting in selected markets tonight during the NCAA Tournament, the TV spot features vignettes of Porsche sports car owners in a number of seemingly everyday scenes: a parent picking up kids at school, a man running a home-improvement-store errand and a mom clearing away snow from the windshield each with titles re-characterizing the car as a school bus, a pickup truck and a snowmobile. In another vignette, as a man fires up the engine after a long day at the office, we see how the car’s incredible, mood-shifting virtues as his getaway car complement the everyday ones.

The closing voiceover says: Engineered for Magic. Everyday.

At the hub of the integrated campaign is a consumer-generated website PorscheEveryday.com where owners can share their own everyday stories.

With a combination of professionally produced videos and images along with owner-submitted content, the site builds a mosaic showcasing the many ways a Porsche is engineered for everyday magic.

For this effort, Porsche has once again reached out to its passionate and active loyalists and enthusiasts to participate and contribute to the story.

Last month, to start things off, Porsche sent 200 Flip video cameras to select owners asking them to contribute videos. The brand has also invited input from all its owners, the Porsche Club of America, dealers and their customers, and the million-plus Facebook fans for everyday stories, photos and videos.

In partnership with the Reelz channel, Porsche will also invite amateur film-makers to submit films that demonstrate daily magic.

Ten filmmakers will be selected to experience daily magic in a Porsche and then make a film about the experience. The winning submission will be shown in cinemas across the country …a first for Porsche and on the Reelz channel.

TV will run on national cable and print will appear in April issues of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Fast Company and Condé Nast Traveler with headlines such as Turns small errands into short adventures and Passion should never take a snow day...all ending with Engineered for Magic. Everyday.

Source: Porsche

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsches proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

About Cramer-Krasselt

Cramer-Krasselt is the second-largest independent marketing and communications agency in the U.S., with billings nearing $1 billion. An Advertising Age Agency to Watch three of the last four years, C-K has grown by more than 50 percent since 2005. C-K is frequently recognized for its insight-driven creativity spanning advertising, digital, engagement strategies and public relations that helps clients change their category conversation. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, Milwaukee and Phoenix, it represents major brands across virtually every industry, including: Benjamin Moore, Benihana, BRP (Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Evinrude), Burlington Coat Factory, Corona Extra, Crocs, Edward Jones,  Heinz (Ketchup, Smart Ones, Classico, Ore-Ida, Steam Mash), Hilton Hotels Worldwide, Johnsonville Sausage, Porsche, World Kitchen (Pyrex, Corelle) and Zicam. For more information, visit Cramer-Krasselt at www.c-k.com.

Visit the campaign’s new site at: www.PorscheEveryday.com

Contact:

Tony Fouladpour
Porsche Cars North America
770-290-3667
tony.fouladpour@porsche.us

Kristin Fletcher
Cramer-Krasselt
312-616-2371
Kfletcher@c-k.com

 

Porsche puts on sale the 918 Spyder super sports car with its innovative plug-in hybrid drive

Starting gun for sales of the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid super sports car 918 units of exclusive future technology

The latest rendering of Porsche’s plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder super sports car.

Now available for ordering, the 918 Spyder will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology and stunning performance, forever changing the future of the super sports car

ATLANTA – March 21, 2011 — After outstanding customer response to the concept car first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche today announced that dealers around the world will begin taking 918 Spyder customer orders. This is a significant step toward actual production of the company’s next super sports car, a Porsche that marries unique plug-in hybrid technology and outstanding performance in a visually stunning and purely Porsche package. Porsche Press Release

Stuttgart. Today is the day that Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, puts on sale the 918 Spyder super sports car with its innovative plug-in hybrid drive. Production development is proceeding apace in the wake of the outstanding customer response to the concept car unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show 2010. Thanks to its unique hybrid technology, the 918 Spyder is estimated to consume a mere three litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (94 mpg imp.) based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Its V8 engine delivers more than 368 kW (500 hp), assisted by two electric motors with a total of at least 160 kW (218 hp). The 918 Spyder is available for immediate order priced from 645,000 Euro – subject to VAT and country-specific charges.

To ensure a 918 Spyder’s exclusivity, the two-seater is limited to no more than 918 units. The earlier a customer orders his vehicle, the earlier it will be delivered, as production is initialized in the same sequence in which orders are received. Production of the 918 Spyder is scheduled to commence on 18 September 2013 – 9/18 in US date convention – in a quasi manufacturing operation at Porsche’s main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Delivery of the initial vehicles will commence in November 2013.

The design’s DNA is derived from the Carrera GT and Porsche 917 sports car as well as the RS Spyder and is very closely modeled on the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, however, the production version of the two-seater, based on a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic monocoque, features a manual roof system with removable roof panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment.

The 918 Spyder is driven by a unique type of plug-in hybrid system. It comprises a high-revving V8 engine with a displacement exceeding four litres and output of more than 368 kW (500 hp). The mid-engine power unit is based on the racing engine of the successful Porsche RS Spyder, which provided impressive proof of its efficiency with its multiple victories in the Michelin Green X Challenge in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power transmission to the rear wheels is by means of a compact, seven gear Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). This is complemented by two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axle – with a joint mechanical output of at least 160 kW (218 hp). This configuration offers an innovative, variable all-wheel drive with independent control of the propulsion force on both axles. The energy storage unit is a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket, delivering a range in excess of 25 km (16 miles) in the NEDC on purely electric power. The charging time depends on the country-specific mains network, being approximately three hours in Germany, for example. A quick charging option is planned to reduce charging time yet further.

The 918 Spyder’s combined total fuel consumption in the NEDC (ECE-R 101) is anticipated to be 3.0 l/100 km (94 mpg imp.), equating to CO2 emissions of 70 g/km (112 g/mile). Despite that, the super sports car offers performance of the highest order. It accelerates from a standing start to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a maximum of 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of more than 320 km/h (199 mph). That means the Spyder will be able to manage a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes and 30 seconds – trumping the Porsche Carrera GT, which needs seven minutes and 32 seconds. The top speed on purely electric power is 150 km/h (94 mph).

To shorten the time the customer has to wait for the 918 Spyder, Porsche is offering everyone placing an order the exclusive opportunity to acquire a 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder”, also limited to no more than 918 units. Visually, both inside and out, the special edition is inspired by the 918 Spyder’s characteristic individual features. That includes the distinctive acid green features such as the specific and part-embroidered model logos and seams, the instrument cluster needles, the specific PCM screen and illuminated door entry guards. The limited edition badge on the glove compartment lid bears the same number as the 918 Spyder the customer has ordered. The 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” can also be ordered in the same colour.

Both the technology and basic equipment of the new 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” are based on the 530 hp (295 kW) 911 Turbo S. In the case of the special edition, the already comprehensive standard equipment is complemented in particular by an enhanced leather interior, a special instrumentation version and additional carbon elements both inside and out.

The 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” is being offered to coincide with the commencement of sales of the 918 Spyder with deliveries starting in June 2011. The Coupé version of the special edition costs 173,241 Euro in Germany and 184,546 Euro as a Cabriolet – including VAT and country-specific equipment items respectively.

Note: Images of the 918 RSR and the 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” from the Porsche press database

Photo Gallery: Hybrid 918 Spyder

Photo Gallery: 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder

PDF download of this press release

Microsoft Word download of this press release

How Porsche dealers will order the 918 Spyder – Autoblog

According to Porsche, you can buy a 918 Spyder from any Porsche dealer anywhere in the world, provided they’ve signed a participation agreement with Porsche. Details are few and far between on what that agreement entails. What Porsche is saying, though, is how dealers who sign the agreement will order their cars.

Dealers who want to place an order for a 918 will have to submit an “Allocation Request Form.” Porsche will reply with an “Allocation Response Form,” which tells the dealer whether there’s a car available for them. Once that’s done, the dealer submits an order form, along with a $200,000 down payment. Porsche will respond with a confirmation and an estimated month for production.

The next step is another $200,000 deposit 12 months before the production date. The balance – $445,000 plus shipping, if you’re counting – is due when Porsche says the car is done. Porsche says the car will not be shipped until it has been paid for in full. The reason, apparently, is that it won’t be building any of the hyper-expensive 918s on speculation, and that each car needs to have an owner before it is built.

918 Spyder Program

Porsche 918 Hybrid dealer information

Frequently asked questions

 

PORSCHE ANNOUNCES: “Rennsport Reunion IV” along with “Porsche Race Car Classic” concours to be held Oct. 14-16th, 2011

Legendary automotive artist Dennis Simon has once again been chosen to create the event posters for Porsche’s Rennsport Reunion, a not-quite-annual gathering of historic Porsche racecars.Simon has created the posters for two of the previous three Rennsport Reunions. His 2004 poster featured three 908s crossing the finish line at the 1970 Daytona endurance race, and the 2007 version included a 917 in Gulf livery and a 962 in Lowenbrau colors.

For Porsche-philes, these posters have become instant collectibles.
The 2011 Rennsport Reunion IV will be held at

Laguna Seca from October 14-16.

it’s official…..Here’s the press release:

Quote: PORSCHE ANNOUNCES RENNSPORT REUNION IV TO BE HELD IN OCTOBER ~ World’s Largest Gathering of Porsche Race Cars and Drivers Seeks New Frontiers, Moves West

ATLANTA, GA – March 8, 2011 — Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today announced Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will take place at the famed California racetrack the weekend of October 14 – 16, 2011.Sponsored by PCNA, Rennsport Reunion IV brings together an unprecedented gathering of significant Porsche vintage and current race cars, as well those who have driven them to victory in the world’s most famous sports car races. The three-day program of on-track competition is complemented by a concours d’elegance, which is open to invited race participants, and special activities celebrating the decade-long, illustrious history of the legendary 911 race cars.

This is from the archives and from the 2007 Rennsport Reunion III. A bunch of 917s, 908s, 906s, etc

After the highly successful staging of three venues in the East, held every three years, with the first one held in Lime Rock in 2001, Rennsport Reunion IV will now be moving west, tapping a vast array of car aficionados and Porsche enthusiasts.

Porsche 917 and 956/962 racecars during Rennsport III, held at Daytona International Speedway in 2007. The 917 debuted in the late 1960s and the 956 in the early 1980s with the 962 shortly thereafter. It was the largest gathering of the legendary machines with Coupes, Spyders and Longtails both racing and on display.

(Photo Source by PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA )

“While the Rennsport name has become a staple fixture for international collectors and racers over the past ten years, choosing the Monterey Peninsula will open up this one-of-a-kind gathering to the many Porsche fans in California and beyond who were previously unable to attend,” said Detlev von Platen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Cars North America. “Now they’ll have the opportunity to see, feel and hear from up close hundreds of famous Porsche race cars and dozens of their drivers from past and present during a truly memorable weekend dedicated to Porsche’s motorsport heritage.”

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will assemble the wide variety of Porsche’s most historic racing models from the nimble 550 Spyder of the mid-Fifties through the mighty 917 and 956/962 of the Seventies and Eighties to the highly successful RS Spyder of the last decade. Special tribute will be paid to the numerous racing versions of the Porsche 911 and their countless victories on the dawn of what will become another milestone of this iconic sports car from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

911 CARRERA Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbos lined up during Rennsport III, held at Daytona International Speedway in 2007. The 911 RSR was the first turbocharged 911 racecars, starting in 1974. Rennsport Reunions are an extraordinary gathering of significant Porsche vintage racecars and those who have driven them to victory in the world’s most famous sports car races.

(Photo Source by PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA )

“This will truly be a rare gathering of significant Porsche race cars on the West Coast,” commented Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Porsche has a long racing tradition in Monterey and we look forward to celebrating its heritage in a befitting manner for everyone to enjoy.”

Laguna Seca tickets for Rennsport… look here!
Additional details of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV will be published on Porsche’s press web site (press.porsche.com), and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s web site (www.mazdaraceway.com), as they become available.

(Rennsport IV Release.pdf…More !!.)

Ticket information is available by contacting 800-327-7322 or online at www.mazdaraceway.com.

For more information on the Porsche Race Car Classic or to purchase tickets visit www.porscheracecarclassic.com.

Porsche and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca are working in association with the Porsche Race Car Classic to combine efforts to raise awareness for the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program.

Complementing the Rennsport Reunion IV venue is the Porsche Race Car Classic, an exclusive concours held at nearby Quail Lodge in Carmel on Sunday, October 16. Steve Heinrichs, producer of the Porsche Race Car Classic, explained, “this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of vintage Porsche race cars solely from Porsche’s break-out era of 1950-1965 will raise critical funding to directly support lung cancer research. We’ll have Gmünds, Glöcklers, 550s, 718s, 804s, 904s, 356s, Abarths and more – in numbers and provenance never before seen.”

(Photo Source by PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA )

A feature on the 2007 Porsche Rennsport Reunion III held at Daytona International Speedway.
Courtesy of Porsche Cars North America / GrandTouringPrototype.com

Pelican Parts is to be a sponsor of Rennsport Reunion IV at Laguna Seca!

Link to 3000+ photos from Rennsport Reunion 3: Pelican Parts Photos – Porsche Rennsport Reunion III at Daytona Speedway – November 2007 – Rennsport 3

Link to 3000+ photos from Rennsport Reunion 2: Pelican Parts Photos – Rennsport Reunion – Daytona 2004

[Source: PCNA, Pelican Part, 6Speed, Early 911S Registry]

Come October the world’s finest examples of 1950-1965 Porsche race cars will roll onto the Monterey Peninsula. Cars from the Porsche AG Museum, Ingram Collection, Ranson Webster Collection, Dr. Julio Palmaz Collection, and Seinfeld Collection will all be represented on the grassy fields at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California on October 16, 2011 for the Porsche Race Car Classic.

[Source: Porsche Race Car Classic]

 

VIDEO:Top of the list – Porsche To Unveil New Model at 2011 Detroit Auto Show

“We’ll have something spectacular to show there,” Hans- Gerd Bode, a spokesman at the Stuttgart-based carmaker, said in an interview today. “You’ll have to wait and be surprised.”

At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Porsche will debut a new model.This video might give you a glimpse at what you can expect to see.  Watch the unveiling live, in the webcast from 6:30 AM EST (11:30 AM GMT) at http://www.porsche.com/detroit

Just the Facts:

• Porsche will roll out a new model in Detroit on January 10, 2011.
• Other models will make their U.S. debuts at the Detroit show.
• A live Webcast will enable the public to watch the premieres.

STUTTGART, Germany — Porsche has announced it will unveil an all-new model in a world premiere at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show January 10th. Porsche has an official presence at the Detroit show this year for the first time since 2007.

Porsche has been hinting for some time that its return to the Detroit show would include an impressive debut.

Speculation is that it will be a supercar that could be a version of the 918 Spyder concept that made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show and was recently green-lighted for production a few months later. The German magazine Auto Zeitung reported earlier this month that the car could be the 929, a “no-compromise two-seat supercar” based on the 918 that would slot in above the 911.

First Press Conference at Detroit Auto Show Is World Premiere of New Porsche Concept

SOURCE Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

German Car Company Returns to Motor City with Highly Anticipated Concept Vehicle

ATLANTA, Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —

WHAT:	In a world premiere, Porsche will take the wraps off a new car that promises to be one of the most intriguing and talked-about debuts at the show.  This marks the automaker’s first appearance at the Detroit Auto Show in four years.
WHO:	Matthias Muller, President and CEO, Porsche AG,
	Wolfgang Durheimer, Board Member, Research and Development, Porsche AG
	Bernhard Maier, Board Member in Charge of Sales & Marketing, Porsche AG
	Michael Mauer, Head of Design, Porsche AG
	Detlev von Platen, President and CEO, Porsche Cars North America
WHEN:	6:30 a.m., Monday, January 10, 2011  USA/Canada – live feed 06.20 – 07.05 A.M. EST (= 11.20 – 12.05 UTC/GMT) Live event to start appx 06.30 EST (= 11.30 UTC/GMT) To be followed by footage at the end of the live part
WHERE:	Porsche Stand,
	Cobo Hall
	1 Washington Boulevard
	Detroit, Michigan

Satellite broadcast of Porsche Press Conference at North American International Auto Show 2011 from Detroit.

Webcast Link: The press conference will be broadcast live 6:30 a.m., Monday, January 10, 2011 on the Porsche website www.porsche.com/detroit.

Inside Line says: Porsche isn’t saying anything — except to remind the faithful to keep watching.