Porsche has a long history at Le Mans—16 overall victories in the 24 hour race, more than any other manufacturer. And with the revamped-for-2015 919 Hybrid racer, Porsche draped its latest racing technologies in three meaningful liveries—including a red-and-white number 17 that harks back to the brand's first Le Mans winner.
Number 17's color scheme evokes the appearance of the original number 23 Porsche 917 Kurzheck ("short tail"), the first Porsche prototype to take victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood, the 917 took the checkered flag in 1970, the second year the car appeared at the Circuit de la Sarthe, and it was the first of many victories for Porsche. While the new livery isn't an exact replica, the Guards Red scheme sure looks fast.
-The other two 919 Hybrids that will start on the Le Mans grid this year have equally meaningful liveries. Number 18, in black, commemorates the black Porsche 918 Spyder production car that rocked the Nürburgring with a world-record 6:57 lap time. Mark Lieb, the wheelman who set that record, will co-drive number 18 at Le Mans this year.
-The third 919 Hybrid wears white, Germany's traditional motorsports color. It's the hue Porsche chose for its return to Le Mans in 2014 after a 16-year absence, with the debut of the first-generation 919 Hybrid racer.
- Welcome to the brand new @PorscheRaces, ready to take up the @24hoursoflemans challenge again! #LM24 https://t.co/f6SDgNcDMU
-— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) March 26, 2015
--This year, Porsche has upped the ante. Like Audi did with its LMP1 R18 E-Tron Quattro, Porsche turned up the output of the 919 Hybrid's energy-capturing system—now 8 megajoules per lap at Le Mans. Last year's 2.0-liter turbo V-4 sends 500 horsepower to the rear, with the regeneration system zapping more than 400 horsepower through the front-axle motor. Energy generated by the front-axle braking-regeneration system and a scavenging system that absorbs exhaust heat is stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, and the whole racer is lighter, stronger, and more rigid than last year's.
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With the World Endurance Championship rules favoring energy-efficient performance in the LMP1 class, this year's Le Mans grid is a veritable buffet of sci-fi racers. Between Porsche's updated 919 Hybrid, Audi's tweaked R18, and Nissan's bonkers GT-R LM NISMO, the 24 hour race is sure to be a thriller.
-from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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