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The next evolution in the game of going fast while getting good MPG is the hybrid paired with a downsized turbocharged engine. Porsche proved out this concept with the 919 race car which essentially dominated prototype car racing last season. It won the all-important 24 Hours of Le Mans and also won the overall World Endurance Championship. You may recall we had a quick look at the hybrid powertrain paired with the V4, 2.0L gasoline engine with a Honeywell/Garrett Motorsports Dual Boost gasoline turbo.
Not a lot to see of the underbody aero as this is a show car. It does appear the car is sitting on four jack stands to keep the weight off the tires. It also looks like the car has four wheels on casters to roll the car around for easy placement in displays at auto shows. Well, one thing of interest are the head lights which appear to be LEDs. Yup, LED headlights are making their way down into our pedestrian everyday cars.
The airflow flowing through the front openings is carefully managed as it exits the side body work. Check out the vent behind the front wheel on the upper body surface. The side mirror support has an aero profile and likely helps manage the direction of airflow as part of the overall aero package.
Check out how quickly the rear body work narrows down behind the cockpit. A short V4 engine will allow for that.
Here is another view showing how the upper body work converges with the lower diffuser. Another important aero characteristic is the completely clean underside of the rear wing allowing for maximum efficiency; the wing is supported by the single swan neck mount in the middle and the end plates integrating to into the lower body work.Porsche has been busy updating their technology to go faster and further integrating their Le Mans technology into their street cars. If you want to go wheel-to-wheel racing (and are appropriately well-heeled), you can buy a Cayman GT4 Clubsport. If you are the weekend track day warrior, there’s the Cayman GT4. If you want a great handling performance car for the everyday drive or weekend cruise, there’s the base Cayman. This heirchy exists in the 911 line too. With the introduction of the new 911 Carrera with a turbocharged engine, I expect the Porsche tuning scene to exponentially grow. There are many fast times ahead with Porsche showing the future is bright for those of us who love speed.
