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The 24 Hours of Le Mans is still eight months away, but that hasn't stopped Porsche from producing another video to get us excited about it. Or rather, Porsche is working to get us excited for the 2014 Le Mans race, when it will return to the 16.75-kilometer circuit with a new LMP1 car.

Porsche hasn't won Le Mans' top category since 1998, when the 911 GT1 was the overall winner. With Aston and Toyota entered in the LMP1 club, Jaguar and Bentley considering, and the years-long battle between Audi and Peugeot still going strong, even if it is 2.5 years before Porsche's return, the wait is looking very, very worthwhile. For now, you'll find the new video after the jump.

Continue reading Porsche primes us for Le Mans return with look back

Porsche primes us for Le Mans return with look back originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche RS Spyder at Le Mans
Porsche RS Spyder at Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

No automaker has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans as many times as Porsche. Not Audi, with its ten wins to Porsche's sixteen, or Ferrari's nine. But those were all a long time ago. In fact, Porsche's most recent was with the 911 GT1 back in 1998.

Since then, Porsche has been pussyfooting around at the iconic round-the-clock race. The successor to the GT1 was aborted and turned into the Carrera GT road car. Sure, the RS Spyder (pictured above) has performed admirably in the LMP2 class, and 911s fielded by privateers have dominated the GT classes for years. But it's been over a decade since Porsche has competed for an overall win.

That's about to change, however, as Porsche has announced, through the video and press release after the jump, its intent to return to Le Mans to challenge for the win in 2014. To get there, Porsche plans a new LMP1 car, although it has released little in the way of details on what form that car will take.

If you're wondering where this leaves Audi, which falls under the same corporate umbrella as Porsche, the Ingolstadt-based automaker's team posted on Facebook that the decision was made independently by its Stuttgart-based sister company and that it looks forward to the competition. So we won't expect Audi to be dropping out any time soon for lack of anything to prove, even after ten victories out of twelve years, nor supporting the Porsche entry like it did with Bentley's in 2003.

Watching Porsche take on the likes of Audi, Peugeot, Aston Martin and the other automakers anticipated to be joining the field in the coming years ought to produce some nail-biting race action. But in the meantime, you can scope out the video and press release after the jump and the gallery of high-resolution images showcasing Porsche's rich Le Mans heritage.

Continue reading Porsche gearing up for 2014 return to Le Mans [w/video]

Porsche gearing up for 2014 return to Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche 918 RSR
Porsche 918 RSR - Click above for high-res image gallery

Sorry Formula One fans, it looks like Porsche won't be throwing its hat into your ring anytime soon. Instead, the German manufacturer is more likely to back a factory team at Le Mans, at least according to ESPN. CEO Matthias Mueller said that while F1 has some attractive aspects, it's also very expensive. Throw in the fact that success is a good sight less predictable than in other racing theaters and you can begin to understand why Porsche is a little skittish about diving into the deep end of the motorsports pool.

Instead, Mueller says that there's a stronger possibility that we could see Porsche return to Le Mans. If you're thinking that Audi just might have a thing or two to say about having to go fender-to-fender with its corporate cousin, you're probably right. Still, the minds at Porsche seem to think that having two teams parented by Volkswagen gunning for the checkered flag is better than just one. For now, this is all just speculation. Mueller said that he wants all Volkwagen Group companies to come together to discuss a cohesive motorsports plan in the near future.


Gallery: Porsche 918 RSR


[Source: ESPN]

Report: Porsche looking to LeMans, not F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You might think now that Porsche is firmly ensconced in the Volkswagen Group family, challenging Audi for overall victory at Le Mans isn't on the to-do list. Apparently, you would wrong. With 16 overall victories, Porsche has more wins at Le Mans than any other manufacturer. However, while Porsches have continued to do well in GT, the marque's last overall victory came in 1998. Plans to build a prototype early this decade were abandoned, although the V10 engine developed for it eventually found its way into the Carrera GT.

New Porsche CEO Michael Macht evidently wants more overall victories, and while Volkswagen will soon control Porsche, family member Ferdinand Piech is chairman of VW's supervisory board. With the resources of the group available, Porsche could develop a new car to go for number one. No timetable has been given, but this actually wouldn't be the first time that there has been an internal battle at Le Mans. Earlier in the decade, Bentley also ran a prototype coupe based on the Audi R8.

With the interest in promoting alternatives like diesel at Le Mans and Porsche soon to debut a hybrid, a prototype with a similar system is not beyond the realm of possibility.

[Source: AutoCar]

Report: Porsche could again challenge for overall Le Mans victory originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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