Porsche has taken off the covers to the all-new 911
RSR GTE racer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new Porsche 911 RSR GTE will
compete in the 2019-2020 FIA World Endurance Championship set to kick off at
Silverstone on September 1st and will then become available to customer teams
for the 2020-2021 season. It may look similar to the outgoing RSR GTE, but 95
per cent of its parts are brand new.
The most significant change is the fitment of a
bespoke 4.2-liter naturally aspirated flat-six that pumps out 507 HP. This is
the largest capacity engine fitted to a 911 racer ever and replaces the
outgoing 4.0-liter unit. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed
sequential transmission with a three-disc carbon race clutch. The new RSR even
features side-exiting exhausts, which allowed for the design of a more
effective rear diffuser, thus generating greater downforce.
Like its predecessor, the new RSR GTE features an
aluminum-steel composite body shell and carbon fiber reinforced plastic panels,
and it tips the scales at a mere 1,245 kg.
The launch of the new 911 RSR GTE shows that Porsche
is continuing to find ways to develop and improve its signature flat-six. Both
the current GT3 and GT3 RS use 4.0-liter engines with over 500 HP, and if the
new 4.2-liter proves successful on the racetrack, a development might
eventually find its way into a road-going Porsche GT model.
