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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ The Newest Porsche Mid Engine Car

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 26 2007, 09:10 PM

My wife and I happened to visit the Penske compound at RennSport III while they were getting the RS Spyder ready for its track laps. First off, the crew checks all four tires by rolling the car back and forth.

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The engine bay looks more like the satellites I have seen close up than a car. There is lots of gold heat shield foil, high tech connectors, and everything is neatly labeled and perfectly clean.

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 26 2007, 09:20 PM

Notice the muffler??? at the end of the exhaust and how short the whole exhaust run is. Until recently, Porsche did not want anyone photographing this engine. Penske crew is not allowed to service the engine, but they can change clutches if needed. Penske guys were great about answering our questions.

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Suspension arms are highly polished metal, maybe titanium, instead of carbon fiber. Must need reliability rather than weight savings.

Each connection is labeled.

I asked what race was their favorite and the crew guys said, "the ones we win".

More next post...

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 26 2007, 09:27 PM

How do you warm up the engine of an RS Spyder? You take off an access panel and press down on the gas pedal with your hand while your teammate keeps an eye on the laptop.

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Putting the rear cover back on.

Helping Timo Bernard get into the car and get strapped in.

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 26 2007, 09:35 PM

All ready to go.

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Pushing the Spyder out of the Penske tent.

The car fires up instantly with no smoke, no drama. I am standing 10 feet away and it is not at all loud even without ear plugs. Just a very Porsche like growl as Timo eases the car through the paddock.

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 26 2007, 09:43 PM

Cruising through the paddock on the way to the track and I am thinking, "You are one lucky dude to be driving this car." None of the crew guys had ever gotten to drive the car, only the test drivers and race drivers. The RS Spyder is for sale if you have around $2,000,000 handy. The crew guys said they expect there to be between 5 and 9 racing next year.

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On track for some demonstration/parade laps. While they could not do full speed laps due to all the other cars, they did some fast blasts down the straights. At one point it looked like he was setting up a drag race with a 962 but they never really went full out.

At the concours the next day.

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Hope you enjoyed the pictures...go to RennSport IV in three years if there is any way you can for pure Porsche overload...

John

Posted by: Krieger914 Dec 26 2007, 09:50 PM

Lucky dog!!!!!!! Beautiful car! I like those pics better than the ones in Excellence/Pano the last few months...Thanks

Posted by: plymouth37 Dec 26 2007, 10:34 PM

Wow great pictures! Thanks for posting!

Posted by: championgt1 Dec 26 2007, 10:47 PM

Thanks for sharing the pictures. Awesome car and awesome pictures. I always wanted to see that car driven in anger, hope to some day very soon.

Posted by: lotus_65 Dec 27 2007, 04:37 PM

what, no audio file for us when they fired it up?

oh well, nice outing.

Posted by: FourBlades Dec 28 2007, 10:55 AM

I'm glad people enjoyed the pictures. Next time I will shoot a short video for the engine sound, good idea.

I am collecting the racing 914 pictures I took that day...

Posted by: McMark Dec 28 2007, 12:56 PM

Pictures =

Thanks for sharing.