Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid

The Porsche news prior to Geneva is coming thick and fast at the moment. A new 911 Turbo S will be worthy of many column inches in the automotive press, but the most interest to us is the PIP (Porsche Intelligent Performance) Hybrid Power. And where will we see this new power unit – in Cayenne maybe? Nope. In a new 911 GT3 R, that’s where.

The hybrid technology has been specifically developed for racing. It has electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60kW each – supplementing the 480bhp four-litre flat-six engine in the rear.

A further significant point is that instead of using traditional batteries, an electrical flywheel power generator is fitted in the interior next to the driver, which is what powers the electric motors. The flywheel itself is an electric motor with its rotor spinning at speeds of up to 40,000 rpm, storing energy mechanically as rotation energy. The flywheel generator is charged every time you brake, with the two electric motors reversing their function on the front axle and acting themselves as generators. Then, when accelerating out of a bend or when overtaking, the driver is able to call on that power reserve for a boost (similar to the failed KERS system in F1). This extra power lasts for between 6 and 8 seconds – enough to nail that overtaking move. The Porsche energy storage system was originally developed for use in Formula One by the AT&T Williams F1 team, but Williams Hybrid Power is now focused on applications in road vehicles.

The use of the hybrid also improves fuel efficiency, thus allowing the fuel take to be smaller and therefore reducing weight.

The first real outing for this fabulous piece of new technology will be at the 24 hour Nürburgring race in May. The GT3 R Hybrid will be running alongside a totally standard road spec GT3 RS, driven by Walter Röhrl. Porsche are quite clearly using the event as a ‘racing laboratory’ which doubles up as a perfect PR exercise!