The Porsche 919 (2015) is Beautiful

"KadeS" (kadesirin) 01/16/2015 at 12:09 • Filed to: Porsche, WEC, LMP1, Prototype, Hybrid

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The brand new, 2015 Porsche 919 has broken cover! This is the first of FOUR different contenders for the 2015 FIA WEC, the others being the Audi R18, Toyota TS040, and Nissan GTR LM NISMO. Its nice to see how the car has evolved; I always think prototypes look good in black.

It shares a similar design to the 2014 car, with the usual changes and updates. This is an evolved vehicle.

Porsche will run in LMP1 with a 4 cylinder petro engine, possibly running with an 8 MJ hybrid system. The 2014 version ran in the 6 MJ class and shares the same 4 cyclinder engine powering the rear and hybrid motor powering the front. Porsche's driver lineup will remain the same for its two full season cars. There will be a third car in Spa and at Le Mans. Drivers for that car include Nico Hulkenberg and two other Porsche Factory GT drivers. Supposedly Alonso was close to getting a drive as well, but was barred due to Honda.

I note that Porsche is making full use of the front-wing and exercises a bodywork similar to the Toyota. The car rolled out last year before Christmas and should be testing at Yas Marina this weekend. Prepare for more pictures and video.

HammerheadFistpunch > KadeS 01/16/2015 at 12:11

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The Porsche 919 is less ugly.

Haimatox > KadeS 01/16/2015 at 12:23

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I'm sure Porsche has done their wind-tunnel testing... But those headlights! How is that aerodynamic?

KadeS > Haimatox 01/16/2015 at 12:25

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Its a trait shared by many LMP1 cars. The high, mostly flat headlights and fenders are used to direct the airflow.

KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > KadeS 01/16/2015 at 12:37

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I think the narrowed cockpit is the biggest aesthetic improvement (because it no longer looks like a cyst ready to burst), but I love how they flattened the flow-through area too. They're keeping ahold of their unique aero concepts but improving them, and making it more pretty in the process. I have high hopes for them this season.

KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > Haimatox 01/16/2015 at 12:39

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It's better to redirect the air to the sides of the fenders, as it allows better extraction of high-pressure wheel-well air. Also, having a high pressure zone on top of the fenders (if they weren't vertical to redirect the air around) leads to really annoying vortices rolling off the sides of the fenders, greatly decreasing efficiency.

DrScientist > Haimatox 01/16/2015 at 12:40

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i dont have any actual data on this, but i remember reading that for racing cars, the angles (for lack of a better descriptor) have less impact than overall cross section on drag coefficients.

so... the cross section of the tire/wheel is going to determine the final "size" of that part of the car, when viewed from the front, and how "streamlined" it is, or what we would imagine to be aerodynamic, is not actually as important.

burntartichoke > KadeS 01/16/2015 at 16:37

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I loved the old 919 but this looks so much better than the old nose.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > KadeS 01/16/2015 at 16:48

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they mean to diver the air to the sides of the tires, half of which is forced over that big front wing, correct?

Wheelerguy > KadeS 01/30/2015 at 01:14

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Still has quad missiles. All is well. Unless Nissan beats it with a 6-launcher. But Audi still wins, because laser.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > KadeS 02/17/2015 at 16:03

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Some Steve Saleen happenin' right here.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > KadeS 02/17/2015 at 16:04

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DADDY!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Haimatox 02/17/2015 at 16:07

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They want the air to flow around the side of the car instead of over the top. They new giant holes mandated above the wheels make terribly ugly boiling air coming out of the tops of the fenders. By directing the air at the front of the car around the side, they don't have a poor interaction at the top of the fender like a pointy-nose car would have. I have an old opposite lock post about this very topic just before Le Mans last year.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Haimatox 02/17/2015 at 16:08

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Found it.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/2014-le-mans-l…