The Executive Board at Porsche AG has given the green light to the development of an LMDh prototype. After a lengthy evaluation phase, Porsche Motorsport received the order to build a vehicle based on future regulations. From 2023, the LMDh cars will make up a new top class in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Both championships are hugely significant for the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer. Porsche very much welcomed the introduction of the new class for hybrid prototypes when it was jointly announced by the organizers at ACO/WEC and IMSA.
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The racing cars, which tip the scales at around 1,000 kilograms, are powered by a hybrid system with an output of 500 kW (680 hp). “The new LMDh category allows us to fight for overall victories with a hybrid system at the Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring classics – without breaking the bank. The project is extremely attractive for Porsche. Endurance racing is part of our brand’s DNA,” explains Oliver Blume, CEO at Porsche AG. For the first time in more than 20 years, it will be possible to fight for overall victories with identical vehicles at endurance races around the world. Moreover, the new LMDh category focuses on high cost-efficiency. The cars are based on an upgraded LMP2 chassis, and the spec for the hybrid system including the control electronics is standardized. Chassis from four different manufacturers are available. Each brand is free to select the concept for the combustion engine and the body design within the framework of the regulations.
Michael Steiner, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG, adds: “In the medium term, Porsche focuses on three different drive concepts: fully electric vehicles, efficient plug-in hybrids and emotional combustion engines. We want to represent this trilogy in both the development of our cutting-edge road cars and in motorsport. We use the all-electric drive to contest the FIA Formula E as part of our works commitment, and the highly efficient and emotional combustion unit in GT racing. Now, the LMDh class closes the gap for us. There, powerful hybrid drives – like the ones that are mounted in many of our brand’s models – go up against each other. If the regulations eventually allowed the use of synthetic fuels, then that would be an even greater incentive for me in terms of sustainability.”
“I’d like to thank our board of directors for the immense confidence they have in the motorsport strategy we’ve developed,” explains Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Motorsport. “We hold a record with our 19 outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and we’ve climbed to the top podium step many times at major races in the USA. We can continue this tradition with an LMDh vehicle while at the same time keeping costs reasonable. There has been huge interest from other manufacturers. I hope we can pick up where we left off with the famous clashes against many other marques in the eighties and nineties. That would give the entire motor racing scene a huge boost.”
High-performance hybrid drives have enjoyed a long and extremely successful tradition at Porsche Motorsport. In 2010 and 2011, the revolutionary Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid set new benchmarks at races on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. At that time, there was no other comparable vehicle with a hybrid drive. Between 2014 and 2017, the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart underlined its expertise in the field of highly efficient, high-performance hybrid drives with the 919 Hybrid. In the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the LMP1 class prototype achieved a hat trick, winning three times in a row at the Le Mans 24-hour classic. Porsche also clinched the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championship titles three times straight.
The Porsche Museum will remain closed until further notice to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. However, Porsche is connecting with visitors virtually in a couple of interactive ways. Over the next three days, Porsche fans can refresh their knowledge about the different racing and series production cars and go behind-the-scenes to see another side of the museum which is usually closed to the public.
Starting April 4th, former racing drivers who have recorded a wealth of successes for Porsche will answer questions from followers on the Instagram page of the Porsche Museum for the first time. Stéphane Ortelli, who drove to one of the total of 19 overall Porsche victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998, will kick off the question-and-answer sessions. Over the next two weeks, he will be followed by other motorsport legends who achieved successes in the famous long-distance race at the Sarthe circuit and broke records for Porsche: Hans-Joachim Stuck, Marc Lieb, Kurt Ahrens and Mark Webber. The former Le Mans drivers will take questions from their own homes, and hope to provide a distraction and sporting entertainment in these difficult times.
Official Porsche Kids Activity Site Opens April 8th The Porsche Museum would also like to offer families a welcome distraction free of charge. At the start of the Easter holidays, there will be a selection of games and activities available on the website www.porsche4kids.com The children will be supported by the Porsche mascots Tom Targa and Tina Turbo. Girls and boys can choose their favorite activity from coloring pictures, a large number of craft activities as well as puzzles.
School children from class eight onwards can also explore the “Electromobility” team spirit activity in comfort on their own screens at home. This team spirit activity allows girls and boys learn about a new mobility and drive concept which all began 100 years ago when Ferdinand Porsche built his first electric car. Accompanied by a guide, children can find out about the fundamentals and history of electromobility from the first electric vehicle through to the Porsche Taycan.
Porsche just released this great short that features some of their most iconic machines racing through historic German landscapes. The Heist takes you on a heart-pounding chase with an all-star cast of cars from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
The new all-electric Taycan escapes the museum and is chased down by the storied 917K, Carrera GT, 918 Spyder, 911 RSR, 718 Cayman GT4, 911 Carrera 4S, 930 Turbo, and 911 GT2 RS. The story gives a visual history of iconic Porsche cars that share a common sports car soul, and the story features an unexpected plot twist.
Peer-to-peer carsharing companies allow private car owners to rent out their vehicles via online and mobile interfaces. It sounds intriguing, and so I popped onto one of these sites to see what was available in my area. I was surprised to find all kinds of neat machines.
Below were a few of the Porsches available in my neighborhood
(NorCal – photos are of these actual cars)
Replica 1957 Porsche Speedster – $259 Per Day: No one, and I mean no one, comes back without a giant smile on their face. This car draws so much attention I can guarantee you can’t go two miles downtown without a wave, thumbs up, a shout, or a question. And if you park it, be prepared to laugh as passing crowds will take pictures all day long.
2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet – $290 Per Day: This car is a dream to drive with awe-inspiring power and handling. It is surprisingly practical with four seats, good gas mileage, and an easy driving temperament when you just want to cruise.
2013 Porsche Boxster – $149 Per Day: Could have, should have, would have. Life’s too short for ‘what ifs’. Too short for unfulfilled daydreams. This 981S makes a clear statement: let’s go! This is a custom built Porsche Boxster S with – Sports Tuned Exhaust! – PDK automatic with paddle shifters – Convertible – Navigation, – Parking sensors, – Dark red hand stitched sports interior, – Premium Bose sound system, – 14 way power sports seat with lumbar support. Enjoy this stylish ride, that never fails to turn heads!!
Vehicles produced by the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer are more popular than ever: in 2019 Porsche delivered 280,800 vehicles to its customers – ten percent more than in the previous year.
“We are delighted about this great result, which shows the worldwide customer excitement for our sports cars and we are also proud that we have further strengthened the appeal of our brand and the customer experience with new approaches,” says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “We are optimistic that we can maintain the high levels of demand in 2020 – also thanks to a host of new models and full order books for the Taycan.”
Porsche Sales Breakdown by Region:
PORSCHE AG Deliveries
Full years
2018
2019
Difference
Worldwide
256,255
280,800
10%
Europe
77,216
88,975
15%
Germany
27,541
31,618
15%
America
70,461
75,367
7%
United States
57,202
61,568
8%
Asia-Pacfic, Africa, Middle East
108,578
116,458
7%
China
80,108
86,752
8%
Overall global passenger car sales dropped by 3-5% in 2018 and 2019, and so Porsche is way ahead of the industry going into 2020. You can help them keep up the momentum by placing your order here: www.Porsche.com
The Lego Speed Champions Porsche 911 RSR and Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0 Building Kit is really fun to build. When the cars come alive inside the Stuttgart Porsche Museum it gets even better. There are a ton of great vintage and racing Porsches to see when you take the video tour of the museum at night with these adventurous mini-figures…just keep an eye out for the law…
Peer-to-peer carsharing companies allow private car owners to rent out their vehicles via online and mobile interfaces. It sounds intriguing, and so I popped onto one of these sites to see what was available in my area. I was surprised to find all kinds of neat machines. 
