Mission 400 Plus – under this project name H&R
presents an especially spectacular world premiere at the Essen Motor Show 2006.
Jurgen Alzen Motorsport, long-time partner of H&R in the long-distance championship
on the Nurburgring, engine tuner RS Tuning and H&R have jointly developed a
sports car based on the Porsche 997. It is destined to win the Blue Ribbon for
the world’s fastest street-legal sports car next year, with a top speed of more
than 250 mph (400 km/h).
The idea to tackle the world record was born in
August 2006 at the Six-Hour Race on the Nurburgring. After the
H&R-sponsored Alzen Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 fell victim to an accident
in only the second lap, team boss Jurgen Alzen and H&R marketing director
Hardy von der Brake had time to discuss means to better demonstrate the
technology transfer from motorsports to the development of sporty suspension
components.
The experienced team of technicians from Jurgen
Alzen Motorsport in Betzdorf is responsible for the technical design and for
building the car. The engine is based on that of the latest 997-series Porsche
911 Turbo, and comes from RS Tuning. H&R contributes its immense know-how in
the field of suspension design and setup.
Favorable aerodynamic properties are essential for a
car that is designed to break the 400-km/h barrier. Minimizing frontal surface
area is absolutely elementary, which is why Jurgen Alzen decided to lower the
roof by 3 inches. At the same time the A-pillars were tilted back further by
5.5 degrees. To give the coupe a homogenous overall appearance the tilt of B-
and C-pillars was adjusted accordingly. Special flush-mounted polycarbonate
windows all around complete the roof conversion.
Also part of the Mission 400 Plus aerodynamics
concept are numerous other modifications that were developed and tested in the
wind tunnel. Among them are a long rear with pronounced separation edge and the
absence of rain channels. Streamlined cowlings for the 18-inch BBS light-alloy
wheels will reduce air turbulence on the vehicle’s sides during the record run.
The Mission 400 Plus engine is built by RS Tuning in
Kirchhaslach, where the racing engines for Jurgen Alzen Motorsport have been
created for many years. The displacement of the six-cylinder flat engine is
increased from 3.6 to 3.8 liters and the engine is reworked entirely. Company
owner Reinhold Schmirler’s power cocktail also includes special combustion
chamber shapes as well as precision-machined cylinder heads with larger valves,
and high-performance camshafts.
The stock turbos with variable turbine geometry are
replaced by larger conventional ones, which are supplied with optimal amounts
of exhaust gas by the custom-tailored stainless-steel exhaust manifolds. Higher
capacity intercoolers provide cooler charge air for maximum power output, aided
on the exhaust side by a stainless-steel sport exhaust with metal catalysts.
RS Tuning’s stationary test bench is used to
fine-tune the perfect interaction of all individual components with special
100-octane fuel mapping for the Bosch-developed engine electronics. With a
boost pressure of 1.5 bar the engine develops 1,054 bhp at 7,700 rpm
and a peak torque of 760 lb-ft at 5,800 rpm. And yet, the speed-record hunter
meets stringent EURO IV emission limits. Power is transferred to the rear
wheels via a high-performance clutch and a modified high-geared six-speed
transmission.
The high-speed track in Nardo, where the world
record is supposed to be set next year, places extreme demands on the Mission
400 Plus suspension, due to its undulated surface. H&R has custom-developed
a special version of its H&R HIGH-END suspension specifically for this
purpose.
The overall lightweight design is completed with
Carbon-made doors and hoods and a Spartan interior with Recaro carbon-fiber
racing seats and a roll cage. Mission 400 Plus will hunt for the record in
Nardo in the first half of 2007. Creator and race driver Jurgen Alzen will
pilot the ultra-low-profile coupe.