A Powertrain Generating 767 PS

The Porsche 918 RSR is a mid-ship two-seater coupe, a hybrid super sports car that fuses the technology adopted in the 911 GT3 R Hybrid with the design of the 918 Spyder. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid, which served as the technological base, is a racing machine equipped with a flywheel generator. It garnered attention by proving its overwhelming performance in races such as the Nürburgring 24 Hours Endurance Race, and at Road Atlanta in the US, where the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was held, and at Zhuhai in China, the venue for the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC).

The design is shaped in the same vein as the 918 Spyder, which appeared in 2010. While drawing on the tradition established by classic long-distance Porsche racing cars like the 908 long-tail coupe (1969) and the 917 short-tail coupe (1971), Porsche's designers have embodied the modernist principle of 'form follows function.' Powerful wheel arches, dynamic air intakes, and an aerodynamically optimized cockpit shape create elegant lines.

Housed within the lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque body, which boasts excellent torsional rigidity, is a modified V8 direct-injection engine from the RS Spyder prototype racing machine, producing a maximum output of 414 kW (563 PS) at 10,300 rpm. Furthermore, motors installed in each of the front wheels generate 75 kW (102 PS) each, bringing the combined output of the engine and motors to a formidable 564 kW (767 PS). The power generated by the motors is stored not in a battery, but in a flywheel generator located in the passenger seat position, utilizing the regenerative braking system generated during braking.

This flywheel generator is a type of electric motor, with a rotor spinning at up to 36,000 rpm storing regenerative energy. The two motors integrated into the front axle reverse their function during braking, acting as generators to charge the system. This energy can be utilized with a simple switch operation during acceleration or overtaking, providing an additional approximately 8 seconds of power when the system is fully charged.

Notably, these motors also feature a torque-vectoring function that provides variable torque distribution to the front axle, further enhancing agility and steering response. The transmission is based on the unit used in the RS Spyder. This 6-speed constant-mesh transmission employs a longitudinally mounted shaft and spur gears, operated via two shift paddles located behind the racing steering wheel.

Equipment Befitting a Race Lab

Other equipment highlights its 'race lab' character: an air intake integrated into the roof, locks for quick access to the front and rear hoods made of CFRP lids, two roof antennas for pit radio and telemetry, small side front flicks similar to the RS Spyder, an air splitter beneath the front lip, and slick tires mounted on 19-inch wheels with a center-lock system.

The interior is also highly race-oriented and significantly simpler than that of the 918 Spyder. The racing steering wheel features flashing gear indicators, and a display on the steering column in front of the main screen provides information to the driver. While the 918 Spyder featured a futuristic center console with an advanced touch-based user interface for ergonomics, this 918 RSR is equipped with only a minimalist console featuring rocker switches.

Incidentally, the starting number '22' on this show model recalls the number worn by the Porsche 917 short-tail coupe driven by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep when Porsche Motorsport achieved its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971. The record set by that vehicle—a total distance of 5,335.313 km (average speed of 222.304 km/h)—remained unbroken for 39 years until 2010. This 917 also represented a significant leap forward for its era as a 'race lab,' with its magnesium space frame establishing a new standard in lightweight construction. Bearing that '22' suggests that this 918 RSR may also be destined for some form of racing activity.