Autoblog

Porsche's next supercar, as envisioned by an Iranian designer

Noah Joseph — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Middle East, Design/Style

Porsche supercar design by Emil Baddal - Click above for high-res image gallery

With the 911 looking largely the same for the past 46 years, the Cayenne looking the way that it does, and the new Panamera greeted with mixed reviews (at best), it should come as no surprise that there are others interested in taking a crack at designing the next Porsche. Especially since the next one down the wind tunnel could very well be a roadgoing supercar based on the RS Spyder prototype racer to succeed the Carrera GT... one of the best Porsche design in decades.

What you see here is the vision of Iranian designer Emil Baddal, who appears to have blended some unmistakable Zuffenhausen DNA with a sort of Veyron-esque profile. Which isn't so far fetched when you consider that Porsche and Bugatti now fall under the same umbrella. Baddal hasn't issued any theoretical powertrain specifications to go with his design, so we'll just have to imagine them on our own. Have a look in the gallery, follow the link to Baddal's other designs, and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Gallery: Porsche supercar design by Emil Baddal

[Source: Emil Baddal on Designerspace via CarScoop]

Porsche's next supercar, as envisioned by an Iranian designer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Porsche planning road-going RS Spyder?

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Porsche, Rumormill

2007 Porsche RS Spyder - Click above for a high-res image gallery

L'Automobile, our new favorite purveyors of outlandish stories and Photoshopped speculation, is reporting that Porsche is considering building a road-going version of the RS Spyder to fill the vacuum created by the dearly departed Carrera GT.

According to the French rumormongers, the RS Spyder's road-legal progeny will measure in at 183 inches (about eight inches longer than a 911) and will consist of a carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight to a minimum. A version of the Spyder's 3.4-liter V8 would be mounted amidships, but will be de-tuned from its current 503 hp (at 10,000 rpm) to around 400 hp.

Naturally, we're suitable skeptical about the report, particularly since it's lacking some basic information about the powerplant (is this the new direct-injected engine?) and there's no word on the transmission, running gear or even a possible debut date. Regardless, we can dream, and as far as fantasies go, an LMP2 car for the road is good starting point.

Gallery: 2007 Porsche RS Spyder

[Source: L'Automobile]

Rumormill: Porsche planning road-going RS Spyder? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:50:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Audi, Porsche

With Porsche now reigning over the Volkswagen auto empire, we can expect to see synergies between the small sportscar maker and all its new subsidiaries over the years to come. One of the first such opportunities has actually emerged in reverse out on the race track, as Audi Sport has ported over two of Porsche's most successful drivers to its Le Mans team.

Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas have scored nine victories - including at Sebring, Daytona and the Nürburgring - along with two consecutive LMP2 titles behind the wheel of the Porsche RS Spyder in the American Le Mans Series, not to mention both contesting the main event in France several times with other teams to considerable effect. The two will be joining Audi's roster of endurance racers in the new R15 TDI at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the words of Audi motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (which you can read in full in the press release after the jump) the team is "pleased that withing the Group the opportunity now presents itself to have [Bernhard and Dumas] race for us at Le Mans."

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans

Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche following Audi, pulls factory team out of ALMS

Drew Phillips — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Porsche

Click above for a high-res gallery of the ALMS race at Laguna Seca

The American Le Mans Series took another blow this past weekend with announcement that Porsche is pulling out of the P2 category, although it will continue to support the 911 GT3 RSR in GT2. This follows Audi's announcement that they will not compete in the series after the 12 Hours of Sebring in March. The possibility of private entries for both Audi and Porsche still remains, although it now looks as though Acura will be the favorite in the prototype categories with both P1 and P2 entries. Mazda has also stepped up its efforts for 2009, joining forces with Dyson Racing for a two-car P2 program. More on Porsche's announcement and the status of the ALMS series following the jump.

Gallery: 2008 ALMS at Laguna Seca

[Source: ALMS]

Continue reading Porsche following Audi, pulls factory team out of ALMS

Porsche following Audi, pulls factory team out of ALMS originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche RS Spyder center lock wheels now available for the street

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Porsche

Click above for a gallery of Porsche's new center lock wheel

One of the ways that Porsche became the most profitable automaker in the world is by learning how to offer customers a wide range of customization options for their cars... for a premium prices. The latest in its line of performance-oriented parts is a new wheel available for the 911 Turbo. The new 19" forged aluminum roller has a design based on the RS Spyder LMP2 race car. Porsche has apparently devised a new center locking mechanism that uses a bolt rather than a locking nut. The wheels are certainly attractive, but they won't come cheap. Starting in January, European 911 Turbo owners will be able to get the new wheels from a price starting at €2,950 ($3,700). There's no word on whether Americans will be offered these wheels officially, but there's no doubt that anyone willing to drop enough coin at the counter at their local Porsche store will be able to get them somehow.

Gallery: Porsche RS Spyder design wheels

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche RS Spyder center lock wheels now available for the street

Porsche RS Spyder center lock wheels now available for the street originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Road to Race: Porsche RS Spyder gets direct injection

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Porsche

Click above for a high-res gallery.

Porsche has already introduced direct injection on the Cayenne and 911 Carrera, and the Turbo, GT2 and GT3 all stand to benefit from the technology next year. While it's normal for most automakers to take the lessons learned from motorsports and apply them to their road cars, Porsche is doing it the other way around.

The 3.4-liter V8 in the Porsche RS Spyder campaigning in the ALMS LMP2 class will be fitted with direct injection, bringing power levels up while reducing fuel consumption. While the old mill put out 476 hp at 10,000 RPM and 273 lb.-ft. of torque beginning at 7,500 RPM, the new engine gets a 27 hp bump, to bring levels up to 503 hp at 10k RPM and 284 lb.-ft. of twist at 8,500 rpm. That, combined with the decreased in fuel consumption should make the Spyder even more competitive in a class it's continuing to dominate.

Full details are posted in the press release below the fold.

Gallery: Porsche RS Spyder with DI

Continue reading Road to Race: Porsche RS Spyder gets direct injection

Road to Race: Porsche RS Spyder gets direct injection originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sibling Rivalry: Porsche and Audi fight over 'RS' name

Michael Harley — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen

Click the image above for a high-res gallery.

We've all watched the ALMS Porsche RS Spyder in racing, read the reviews about Porsche's track-ready 997 GT3 RS, and checked out the new Boxster RS 60 Spyder. Maybe some of us (Porschephiles?) have even dreamed about someday owning a classic 1973 911 Carrera RS (pictured above). Porsche's "RS" designation stands for "Renn Sport," or racing, and it is reserved for the highest performing models in the company's lineup.

Wait a second. Doesn't Audi also offer a slew of "RS" models too? They have their hot RS4, RS6, and the lightweight RS8. Now they have plans to bring out a high-performance version of the TT to be called the TT RS...

Not so fast, the team at Porsche is saying. Naming it the "TT RS" is stepping over that thin line drawn in the sand. Furthermore, the "RS" suffix is Porsche's, and it won't be slapped on an Audi anytime soon (especially as Porsche continues to increase its ownership in the Volkswagen Group). Audi may continue to use "RS" as a prefix, but that's about it. Well, that was easy, don't you think?

Gallery: 2007 Porsche RS Spyder

[Source: Winding Road]

Sibling Rivalry: Porsche and Audi fight over 'RS' name originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche RS Spyder set for European LeMans debut

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Porsche

Porsche is finally set to race the RS Spyder in Europe. Making its debut next season in Europe's Le Mans Series, this LMP2 dominator will be further restricted to help it stay behind the P1 cars. While P1 was intended to be for factory teams with professional drivers, and P2 was envisioned as a class for customer cars and amateur pilots, the Porsche P2 team has been more like a P1 effort in ALMS races.

In order to keep things closer to the ideal, the Dutch Equipe Verschuur team will only use one professional driver in 2008. Well, at Le Mans they will use two pros, but for the rest of the season they have entered a "gentleman's agreement" to run only one. Additionally, the LMP2 cars, including the Verschuur Porsche, will also have their minimum weight raised by 50kg to 825kg. Similar restrictions in ALMS racing haven't had the desired effect, but this should help them stay off the top step. Or, you know, not.

[Source: Autoweek]

Porsche RS Spyder set for European LeMans debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gauntlet thrown: Audi wants to end LMP2 win streak at Road America

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:04:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

click image for high-res version suitable as desktop wallpaper

The "1" in "LMP1" is supposed to signify that this is the top class in the ALMS. But for a good stretch of this season, the top of the podium has featured LMP2 cars, instead. For Audi, long the top P1 team, it is particularly troublesome that German rival Porsche is the team ahead of them during this P1 slump. And as they head to Road America for the next round of the series, they are saying "enough is enough." Audi is telling anyone who will listen that the Porsches are going down. If that sounds cocky, it shouldn't. Audi should be confident here as they've never lost a race at this familiar course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The fast track should allow that big diesel to run free and show off all of its torque once again.

Since an LMP2 car has outright won the last five races in a row, the governing body of the ALMS has decided to slow the class down for the 2008 season by adding mandatory weight to each car. Now, if that sounds like the ALMS is helping Audi win, it is. But the rules should favor the LMP1 class to win, and five losses in a row for the class means something is amiss, so a little tweaking is understandable.

Full press release with weekend schedule after the jump.

[Source: Audi Motorsport]

Continue reading Gauntlet thrown: Audi wants to end LMP2 win streak at Road America

Gauntlet thrown: Audi wants to end LMP2 win streak at Road America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago Auto Show: Porsche shows off new RS Spyder

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 19:08:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Motorsports, Porsche

Huge gallery of high-res photos available by clicking image

Considering SPEED's Bob Varsha was on hand to emcee the event, the Porsche presentation was a slight letdown. Surrounded by two Porsche racers fresh from the Rolex 24 at Daytona, center stage was reserved for a car that's already known to ALMS followers. Bob Carlson, Porsche's Manager of Automotive & Motorsport Press, along with Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport, unveiled the freshened 2007 RS Spyder in Chicago today.

After a successful 2006 debut season in LMP2, the new version of the sports endurance racer promises to build on that success with refined bodywork that should even more expertly handle airflow. Kristen added that the car is basically the same in all the areas you can't see, and completely new in what you CAN see. When asked about plans to move up to LMP1, Kristen mentioned that the whole idea behind Porsche's success in racing is that the cars are accessible to customers. In some cases the race versions are even built alongside the street cars. And with that in mind, P1 would be too much of a jump for most customers so Porsche will hold off for the foreseeable future. Talking to Bob Carlson after the presentation, he said no new models are about to be announced anytime soon, but said that the new Panamera is expected to account for as much as 40% of overall sales. He also mentioned that the 911 reclaimed Porsche's sales crown last year after being bumped by the Cayenne the year before. Full release about the new RS, and the Targa and updated Cayenne we've already seen, after the jump.

[Source: Porsche]

Gallery: Porsche RS Spyder

Continue reading Chicago Auto Show: Porsche shows off new RS Spyder

Chicago Auto Show: Porsche shows off new RS Spyder originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Feb 2007 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyson Racing jumps to LMP2, will race Porsche RS Spyders

Alex Nunez — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Porsche

Dyson Racing is moving to the LMP2 class for 2007's American Le Mans Series season, and they'll do so in style as they become the first customer team to run Porsche's RS Spyder racing prototype. You'll recall that Porsche's official development partner, Penske Racing, ran a pair of the DHL-liveried Spyders for the 2006 season.

The cars Rob Dyson's team will run are the new 2007 models, which are more aerodynamic (and dare we say better looking) than last year's 1st gen cars. They will be identical to the cars Penske runs, and they are sure to add even more juice to a very energized LMP2 class that's also welcoming Acura into the fold next year. In fact, LMP2 appears to be the class to watch, as Dyson's departure from the LMP1 class leaves reigning champion Audi Sport and Autocon Motorsport alone to duke it out for the P1 crown. (Danbury, CT-based Highcroft racing left P1 as well and is one of the teams that will field the new Acura racer.)

When you consider that the R10 TDIs went undefeated in P1 last season, it doesn't look like that division will be a source of much drama. Most people will wait for the utter steel cage match that will be Audi vs. Peugeot in a diesel-fueled France vs. Germany duel at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

It should be great fun to watch Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the #20 car and Butch Leitzinger and Andy Wallace in the #16 car as they do battle in in what has become a substantial LMP2 team roster. The 12 Hours of Sebring can't arrive soon enough.

(Press releases, #20 car livery after the jump)

[Sources: Dyson Racing, American Le Mans Series, Porsche]

Continue reading Dyson Racing jumps to LMP2, will race Porsche RS Spyders

Dyson Racing jumps to LMP2, will race Porsche RS Spyders originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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