Porsche 9R3 LMP1 2000

[Panoz]

After winning the 1998 Le Mans 24 hours, Porsche begin work on a new open-top Le Mans Prototype that was to be raced in 2000 after a 1 year sabbatical. But that never happened.

Many of the 9R3's details have never been officially released from Porsche but from leaks. A major point is regarding the car's engine. Instead of Porsche's fabled turbocharged flat-sixes being used, the 9R3 is powered by a naturally aspirated V10.

The V10 was originally designed as a 3.5 liter Formula 1 unit for the Footwork team in the early 90s but enlarged to 5.5 liters for endurance racing. Both the tub and body panels was produced by Lola Composites for Porsche.

The project was cancelled in the middle of 1999, shortly before the car was completed. But near the end of the year, Porsche completed the 9R3 for a private test at Weissach where test drivers Allan McNish and Bob Wollek gave positive remarks for the car.

 

[CORRUPTEDDISC]

So this is the fabled engine that was ultimately reworked into the Carrera GT...

 

[RACECAR]

Now admittingly I'm gonna sound crazy saying this but if you actually look, you kinda can see abit of this car in the RS Spyder:

 

[matherto]

Yes, it's black and it has four wheels.

 

[RACECAR]

Yes, it's black and it has four wheels.

That's carbon Fiber

I meant you can see similar general shape (which is interesting considering they are many years apart), I only posted the RS Spyder in its bare carbon fiber to make the comparison easier.

 

[matherto]

That's carbon Fiber

I meant you can see similar general shape (which is interesting considering they are many years apart), I only posted the RS Spyder in its bare carbon fiber to make the comparison easier.

I couldn't resist to be fair.

 

[Scuderia Paul]

This is an interesting project as for many years Porsche refused to acknowledge it's existence despite there being a few photographs.

I may be confused with another LMP1 but I feel I heard that it no longer exists and was stripped down years ago.

 

[Panoz]

I may be confused with another LMP1 but I feel I heard that it no longer exists and was stripped down years ago.

You might be thinking of the Toyota/TOM's "Lumpy" test car that was indeed dismantled.

The mystery Porsche has reappeared recently in a company calendar showing the car still intact.

 

[Scuderia Paul]

You might be thinking of the Toyota/TOM's "Lumpy" test car that was indeed dismantled.

The mystery Porsche has reappeared recently in a company calendar showing the car still intact.

It wasn't the Toyota I was thinking of. I knew about poor aul Lumpy as I live for Toyota LMPs. It's nice to know the Porsche 9R3 is still around.

 

[kayto101]

I remember reading about this in an issue of racecar engineering.

 

[Cristobal1234]

In July 2018, the car was seen in public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

 

[FireauGT]

i wish this car was in assetto corsa but no one knows what it is so they wont make it