Porsche 2005 Annual Report Download - page 102

100 Motor Sport
Porsche’s new RS Spyder, driven in
the “American Le Mans Series”, caused
a sensation. Even in its first season,
the racing car succeeded in scooping
top prize.
The name of Porsche is synonymous with unparalleled success
on the world’s most famous racing and rally circuits. Porsche
sports cars have broken records in the 24-hour races in Le
Mans and Daytona and in the 12-hour race in Sebring. The 911
won the Monte Carlo Rally and the world’s toughest off-road
marathon from Paris to Dakar. Porsche built the engines for
cars that won three Formula 1 World Championships for dri-
vers and two for constructors.
The brand continued its success story in the review year. The
new RS Spyder won the Prototype class 2 in the most important
American championship, the “American Le Mans Series”. The
Porsche 911 GT3 in various versions was a winner at major
championships in the classes for slightly modified near-series
Gran Turismo sports cars. Manufacturer competitions are
enjoying greater popularity than ever. In order to remain equally
successful in the future, Porsche opened a new motor sport
center in Weissach in the summer of 2006.
The RS Spyder’s Triumph in North America
The RS Spyder is the first Porsche built exclusively for racing
since the Le Mans winner 911GT1 of 1998. Porsche has been
entering the single-seater with an output of some 480 hp and a
weight of 775 kg, in the “American Le Mans Series” (ALMS) since
October 2005 in cooperation with the Penske American team.
Penske Motorsports entered two RS Spyders in the Le Mans
Prototype 2 class in this, the most important of American
championships. By choosing this category, which is only open
to customer teams, Porsche faces competition at a high
technical level and is limiting costs in using the RS Spyder.
The first racing season for the racing prototype entirely
designed and built by Porsche closed with a major triumph.
Porsche and Penske won the drivers’, team and manufacturers’
championship with the RS Spyder. Six class victories lined
the route to ultimate victory. The team landed a spectacular
coup during the third round in Ohio at the end of May. The light,
agile RS Spyders overtook the stronger prototypes in the
higher class 1 on the twisting circuit to score a double overall
victory in a race in which only factory teams took part.
Development of a derivative model of the RS Spyder was con-
cluded by the end of the review year. While the 3.4 -liter, V8 en-
gine, the Porsche-developed sequential six-speed transmission
and the chassis remained largely unchanged, the specialists
redesigned the racing car’s carbon-fiber outer skin and its in-
terior aerodynamics. Experience in the racing business also led
to numerous minor changes to improve ease of service on the
racing track.
The 911: Top in Gran Turismo Sport
The Porsche 911is one of the most successful cars in motor
sport in the shape of closed, two-door Gran Turismo racing
cars based on a production vehicle. The impressive list of this
sports car’s victories and championships grew even longer
during the 2005/06 fiscal year.
A racing version derived from the current 911 has been deve-
loped and will be available to customers in 2007. Distinguish-
ing features of this new 911 GT3 RSR include a racing engine
with an extra 200 cubic centimeters bringing the cubic capa-
city to 3.8 liters, developing an output of 358 kW (485 hp).
Weighing in at 1,225 kg, the vehicle has 14 -inch rear tires,
two inches wider than its predecessor. Overall downforce has
been increased by seven percent without a rise in the drag
coefficient.
The new 911GT3 RSR passed its first endurance test at
the end of July 2006 with a double victory in its class in the
24-hour race at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium. This vehicle
has enabled Porsche to set the course for the continuation
of this successful series. It will be available to customers
from spring 2007 and will be used at the beginning of the
racing year in the 12-hour race in Sebring (Florida).
Victories in Important GT Championships
As in previous years, the company’s cooperation with cus-
tomers in the “American Le Mans Series” (ALMS) again proved
a recipe for success in 2005. Porsche supported selected
customer teams in the further development of the racing car
and the use of factory drivers. The German driver Jörg Berg-
meister and his American colleague Patrick Long drove a 911
GT3 RSR (type 996) to victory in the GT2 drivers’ champions-
hip. Their success marked the Porsche drivers’ sixth overall
victory in the seven-year history of the championship, with
Porsche drivers occupying all top ten places in 2005.
A customer team, “Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning
Racing”, once again reached champion status in the review
year. Since 1999, Porsche teams have taken the award
every year except 2001. Due to the high level of commit-
ment of US customers, Porsche beat the competition for
the GT2 manufacturers’ title hands down, as in the previous
six years.