LMP1 king 919 Hybrid wows mallgoers

Back-to-back Le Mans champ at Porsche Festival 

The pioneering technological masterpiece that is the Porsche 919 Hybrid, which over the weekend repeated as LMP1 winner in the most prestigious endurance race in the world, made an appearance at the SM Megamall’s Fashion Hall.

Mall goers were able to get up close to the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015 champion car #19 of Nick Tandy, Earl Bamber, and Niko Hülkenberg. Only the second year after Porsche returned to the  top-tier Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) category following 16 years, the Stuttgart supercar maker had made it a one-two that year as runner-up honors were secured by another Porsche team composed of Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley, and Timo Bernhard. Porsche Center Philippines livestreamed this year’s edition of the Le Mans competition onto a large screen at the open area of the Fashion Hall, to the delight of race fans.

Le Mans is particularly challenging because the top finisher is typically expected to log some 5,000 kilometers. The German carmaker’s Car #2, piloted by the team of Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, and Marc Lieb, snatched the lead from the erstwhile leader Toyota right before the final lap – which stopped on the 13.629-kilometer Circuit de la Sarthe, hobbled by power problems. The Porsche went on to take the checkered flag and its 18th overall win in the hallowed race – the first happening in 1970, achieved by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood in a 917 KH Coupé. With the win, Porsche again solidifies its dominance of the world’s toughest endurance race.

Porsche Center Philippines executives were at hand for the mall showcase, led by PGA Cars chairman Robert Coyiuto  Jr. and Porsche Center Philippines managing director Roberto Coyiuto III. Also on display aside from the 919 Hybrid was a powerful 911 GT3 RS, along with other other cars in the Porsche portfolio.

Dubbed “Porsche Festival,” the event was a chance to show off the beautiful vehicles of the German carmaker with an excellent heritage in motorsports. As the world’s largest racecar manufacturer, Porsche has notched over 30,000 victories over the course of its illustrious six-decade presence in motorsports.

According to a release, the 919 Hybrid “is the result of a carefully balanced overall concept. From the combustion engine to the energy recovery systems, chassis and running gear, aerodynamics and driver ergonomics, the sum of all individual components forms an exceptionally effective unit. It all serves one goal: a maximum of sporty performance within tight fuel economy constraints.”

From a seemingly pedestrian turbocharged 2.0-liter V4, engineers squeeze out an astounding 900hp (500hp from its combustion engine, and 400hp from an electric engine), powering the composite fiber monocoque-fitted vehicle from zero to about 100 kph in 2.2 seconds, and to approximately 200 kph in 4.8 ticks.

This sort of learning, performance, and technology tested in the world’s toughest proving grounds undoubtedly trickles down to every vehicle that comes out of Porsche’s Stuttgart stable. For instance, the new turbocharged 911 Carrera (or 991.2), on display at the festival, delivers more power and torque despite a lower-displacement 3.0-liter engine compared to the 3.4-liter and 3.8-liter engines of the outgoing model. The Carrera musters 370hp and 450Nm; the Carrera S puts out 420hp and 500Nm.

In races such as Le Mans, Porsche realizes “research (platforms) for fundamental technology to be used in future production models,” so ultimately, every Porsche customer benefits from the company’s deep involvement in racing – a winning one at that.