The Goodwood Festival of Speed, based in Chichester, West Sussex, has become the U.K.’s must-go annual event for everything automotive. This year’s weekend extravaganza, held from June 23-26, provided…
The new Porsche 963 LMDh-spec race car looks incredible, but alas it won’t be available for the street.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed, based in Chichester, West Sussex, has become the U.K.’s must-go annual event for everything automotive. This year’s weekend extravaganza, held from June 23-26, provided the perfect opportunity for Porsche to release its sensational new LMDh class race car as well.
The new LMDh class, which was co-created by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in the U.S., Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in France, and the Paris-based motorsports regulating and sanctioning body Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), will hit the track next year as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (U.S.) and the FIA World Endurance Championship (Europe), with Porsche’s new 963 joining LMDh competitors from Acura, Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, and Lamborghini.
963 project an international affair thanks to American and Canadian ties
The long, low and lean 963 shows how much aerodynamics matter in the LMDh sports car class.
The new 963 will be fielded by Mooresville, N.C.’s Penske Motorsport, one of the best-known names in motorsport. Porsche and Penske previously partnered up from 2005 to 2008, driving the Stuttgart-brand’s RS Spyder in bright yellow DHL colours as part of the LMP2 sports car class. This time, however, the 963 will wear Porsche Motorsport’s traditional red, white, and black livery.
The new 963’s chassis comes from Multimatic in Markham, Ontario, Canada, while the power unit destined to hit top speeds on Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight or around turn 12 and past the finish line of the Daytona International Speedway will be 100-percent pure Porsche, making the new 963 an international project.
That hybrid power unit is an in-house-produced electrified V8, boasting a lineage that goes back to Porsche’s 918 Spyder hybrid supercar, which itself is based on the aforementioned RS Spyder. The 918 saw the internal combustion (ICE) portion of its power unit grow from 3.4 litres (in the RS) to 4.6 litres, which is exactly the same displacement as found in the new 963, although the updated V8 ups the performance ante with twin turbos instead of the street car’s natural aspiration. The end result is 670 horsepower, which makes it slightly less potent than the maximum allowed output in the new LMDh class.
Strong lineup of Porsche works drivers to target victories and championship
The rear end of the new Porsche 963 LMDh-spec race car is all about minimizing drag while maximizing downforce.
Development driver Frédéric Makowiecki has already driven the 963 some 8,000 test kilometres (4,900 miles), and now Penske Motorsport utilize a team of eight Porsche works drivers for sim and track testing, which will include Dane Cameron, Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, Kévin Estre, Mathieu Jaminet, André Lotterer, Felipe Nasr, and Laurens Vanthoor. After testing is complete, Team Penske will see how it holds up in a non-competitive outing at the 8 Hours of Bahrain in November, thanks to the FIA allowing 2023 entries to run non-ranked races at 2022 events.
The Bahrain race will no doubt be critical for real world testing purposes and important for team building too, but Team Penske will need to wait until January 21 to 23 at the 24 Hours of Daytona for the 963’s first opportunity to achieve points, at which time Porsche has also promised to offer 963 customer cars.
To clarify, the customers in question are independent racing teams capable of competing in the same FIA-sanctioned events, not Porsche enthusiasts hoping for a modified 963 road car.
Story credits: Trevor Hofmann
Photo credits: Porsche
Just in case you missed it, racing legend Jeff Zwart, already with 16 Pikes Peak hill climbs to his credit, blasted up the steep 20 km road course in a 700 horsepower, rear-wheel drive 935 remake worth…
Driving legend Jeff Zwart piloted this ultra-rare Porsche 935 reissue up the 20-km Pikes Peak hillclimb in just 09:43.92 minutes.
Just in case you missed it, racing legend Jeff Zwart, already with 16 Pikes Peak hill climbs to his credit, blasted up the steep 20 km road course in a 700 horsepower, rear-wheel drive 935 remake worth some $780,000 USD when introduced in 2018 (which equals $1,032,696 CAD at the time of writing).
Despite achieving a time of 09:43.92 minutes for fifth overall and second in the car’s Time Attack 1 class, the latter specifically for track and race cars based on production models, Zwart admitted taking it a bit easier than he might have otherwise driven due to the 935 in question being someone else’s car and not having driven the course for five years. He nevertheless praised the 935 for ease of use.
Zwart claimed the 935 is “… the most comfortable race car I’ve ever driven,” attested to in the video below.
“It’s the most comfortable race car I’ve ever driven,” commented Zwart. “The combination of the turbo, the bodywork and the motorsport chassis is wonderful.”
The 935, which weighs in at just 1,380 kilos (3,042 lbs), is one of just 77 produced since introduced during the historic “Rennsport Reunion” motorsport event at California’s Laguna Seca Raceway on September 27, 2018. It’s a race-prepared single-seater that rides on Porsche’s 991-generation 911 GT2 RS platform (that sold for a lofty $334,000 on its own in 2018), but gets completely unique 935-like bodywork from front to rear, the latter featuring an elongated tail section (like the original) designed specifically to increase downforce.
The unique white, grey and red “Pegasus” livery is attributed to main sponsor Mobil 1.
This specific 935 reissue is owned by Porsche collector Bob Ingram, and ran in support of his son Cam’s Porsche restoration shop. It was painted in a white, grey and red livery with a stylized Pegasus on each rear fender due to Mobil 1 sponsorship.
The fastest time belonged to Clint Vahsholt who drove a Formula Ford in the Open Wheel category, with a time of 09:35.490, while the quickest Porsche was a GT2 RS Clubsport driven by David Donn, who, also in the Time Attack 1 class, managed a time of just 9:36.559.
The 935 arguably looks even better in its exposed carbon fibre bodywork.
Colorado’s Pikes Peak road course is officially 19.99 kilometres (12.42 miles) long and includes 156 turns, climbs an elevation of 1,440 metres (4,720 ft) that average 7.2-percent grades. It starts at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway and ends at an elevation of 4,302 metres (14,115 ft). Multiple classes of vehicles compete yearly in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, making it a must-see event for motorsport fans.
To learn more about 911s that we mere mortals can potentially buy (935s like the one Jeff Zwart used to scale Pikes Peak now fetch upwards of $1.5m USD on the used market), check out CarCostCanada’s 2021 Porsche 911 Canada Prices page and 2020 Porsche 911 Canada Prices page, where you’ll find important information about factory leasing and financing rates from zero-percent, as well as all the latest rebate info and dealer invoice pricing that could save you thousands. Remember to download the free CarCostCanada app too, so you can have all their money-saving info with you when you need it most.
Now, be sure to check out the video of Jeff Zwart piloting the 935 at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb below:
Jeff Zwart | Full Run Onboard + Driver Interview | 2020 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (11:00):
Story credits: Trevor Hofmann
Photo credits: Porsche
A significant coup for last month’s Canadian International Auto Show was the introduction of the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, a car rooted in the legendary brand’s racing heritage. The track-only…
The new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is lighter, nimbler and faster than the outgoing version. (Photo: Porsche)
A significant coup for last month’s Canadian International Auto Show was the introduction of the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, a car rooted in the legendary brand’s racing heritage. The track-only Cayman, which was revealed in January at the Daytona International Speedway, made its first official motor show appearance at the Toronto event.
The updated 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is now in its second generation, the first arriving on the motorsport scene in 2016 sans “718” script on the rear deck lid. Unlike the previous version, the new GT4 Clubsport can be had in two forms: first as a “Trackday” car set up for “ambitious amateur racing drivers,” and second as “a ‘Competition’ variant for national and international motor racing,” the latter to notably be used for this year’s GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series.
Styling has changed thanks to the 718 update, but teams and drivers will only care about performance improvements. (Photo: Porsche)
Ahead of pointing out differences, both 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport models receive an updated version of the old 3.8-litre flat-six “boxer” engine, now good for 425 horsepower at 7,800 rpm, a 40-horsepower improvement over the previous 2016 car, while torque is now 4 lb-ft greater, to 313 lb-ft at 6,600 rpm.
Of note, this is the first six-cylinder 718 Cayman application since the car’s 2017 model year debut, due to the current 982-generation only using a turbocharged four-cylinder in various states of tune, causing some pundits to question whether a road-worthy Cayman with a horizontally opposed six-cylinder positioned just ahead of its rear axle will bolster the 718 Cayman ranks.
No doubt the race-spec brakes with 380-mm discs and six-piston front, four-piston rear calipers can manage high-speed vertical challenges. (Photo: Porsche)
That new GT4 Clubsport flat-six, which feeds on 98 octane Super Plus unleaded gasoline, packs a 12.5:1 compression ratio, integrated dry sump lubrication, racing-optimized engine and transmission water cooling with thermal management, four-valve technology with adjustable camshaft phasing and VarioCam Plus variable valve timing, a racing-optimized Continental SDI 9 electronic engine management system, plus more.
Where the previous GT4 Clubsport shifted gears through a short-throw six-speed manual transmission, the new 718 version will solely utilize Porsche’s dual-clutch PDK automated gearbox, albeit with only six forward gears instead of the usual seven. The new model also features a reinforced dual mass flywheel, a racing-optimized electronic control unit, a racing-optimized mechanical rear axle differential lock, plus an internal pressure oil lubrication system boasting active oil cooling.
The GT4 Clubsport utilizes 911 GT3-inspired aerodynamics to keep its nose and tail glued to the ground. (Photo: Porsche)
Additional modifications over road-going 718 Caymans include implementation of the 911 GT3 Cup car’s lightweight spring-strut front suspension; front and rear height, camber and track adjustable dampers; fixed shock absorbers with the Trackday car, or three-way racing shocks with rebound and two-stage high- and low-speed compression adjustment for the Competition; front and rear forged suspension links with optimized stiffness, double shear mountings, and high-performance spherical bearings; a three-hole design anti-roll bar up front; an adjustable blade-type anti-roll bar in the back; and five-bolt wheel hubs.
The new rims are single-piece forged light alloy wheels wearing a new “weight-optimized” design, and rolling on 25/64 front and 27/68 rear Michelin transportation rubber, while Michelin also supplies the slick/wet tires that measure 25/64-18 and 27/68-18 front and rear, too.
You’ll need a trailer to get the GT4 Clubsport to events, as it’s not street-legal. (Photo: Porsche)
What’s more, behind those wheels and tires are racing-spec brakes that feature four multi-piece, ventilated and grooved steel discs measuring 380 millimetres in diameter, plus racing brake pads, aluminum mono-bloc six-piston front and four-piston rear racing calipers with “Anti Knock Back” piston springs, plus a brake booster with the Trackday version or brake balance adjustment via a balance bar system with the Competition model.
Despite the GT4 Clubsport’s factory-installed (FIA Art. 277 certified) safety cage, plus its 911 GT3-inspired front spoiler and sizeable fixed rear wing, which appear mostly carryover from the previous Clubsport, the race-spec Cayman weighs in at just 1,320 kilos, making it lighter than the outgoing model.
Shown here at its Daytona unveiling on January 3, 2019, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport presents itself as the ultimate track day beast. (Photo: Juergen Tap, Porsche)
Mass in mind, the GT4 Clubsport’s body structure is comprised of aluminum-steel composite and therefore light in weight; while additional features include a hood and rear deck lid fastened in place via quick-release latches; an (FIA Art. 275a certified) escape hatch in the roof; an FT3 fuel safety cell that measures 80 litres with the Trackday or 115 litres with the Competition model, both featuring an FIA-compliant “Fuel Cut Off” safety valve; pre-installed mounting points for a three-piston air jack system for the Trackday, or a factory-installed three-piston air jack system with the Competition; and FIA-certified towing loops front and rear.
Also, a motorsport centre console with “enhanced functionality and adapted usability” gets added to the instrument panel, a six-point safety harness is included with its single Recaro race bucket driver’s seat, which also includes two-way fore and aft adjustments as well as an adjustable padding system, and lastly provisions are made for a safety net.
The new GT4 Clubsport’s door skins and rear wing are made from an organic fibre mix that’s sourced from agricultural by-products. (Photo: Porsche)
While safety is critical, and improving performance paramount for any new racing car, with Porsche having clearly claimed that its new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport improves overall drivability and therefore should provide faster lap times than its predecessor, it’s surprising that Porsche also put time and effort into its environmental initiatives, not normally a key issue in this class of sports car. The end result is a production-first racecar technology that could potentially find more widespread use: natural-fibre composite body parts.
The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport’s door skins and rear wing (specifically the wing flap, sideblades, and “swan neck” mounts) are actually formed from an organic fibre mix that’s sourced from agricultural by-products such as hemp or flax fibres. Porsche says the new age components weigh approximately the same as if made from carbon-fibre, while their strength is also similar.
Available with your next 718 Cayman? Only if it’s a GT4 Clubsport. (Photo: Juergen Tap, Porsche)
Specific to each model, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trackday gets fixed shock absorbers, plus ABS, ESC, and traction control assistance systems for easier control at high speeds, the latter of which can all be deactivated. Improving comfort and safety respectively, the Trackday also includes air-conditioning and a handheld fire extinguisher, while it can be serviced at Porsche Centres throughout Canada.
You’ll need your own team of mechanics for the Competition model, however, and one of them will need to be well versed in three-stage shock adjustment, while you’ll need to figure out how to adjust the front/rear bias of the brake balance system yourself. Additionally, your pit stop team will be able to change the tires quickly thanks to its aforementioned integrated air jacks, and the larger safety fuel cell will make sure time off the track will be kept to a minimum.
This is what a motorsport centre console with “enhanced functionality and adapted usability” looks like. (Photo: Juergen Tap, Porsche)
Safety features not yet mentioned include an automated fire extinguishing system, and a quick release race steering wheel pulled from the 911 GT3 R.
Priced considerably higher than a street legal 718 Cayman, which starts at just $63,700, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trackday model can be had for $216,500, whereas the same car with the Competition package starts at $242,000.
Interested parties should contact Porsche Motorsport North America in Carson, California, or alternatively your local Porsche retailer, which no doubt would be happy to put you in touch.
For those who’d rather watch than take part, or simply don’t have a spare $200k and change available, enjoy the complete photo gallery above and two videos below:
Perfectly Addicting: The new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (2:02):
Setting a New Standard with the New Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (1:23):
Ask those in the know to name the best of the best in the super-luxury SUV market segment, and the Bentley Bentayga will quickly rise to the top of the list. When it arrived on the scene in 2016, nothing…
A mostly stock Bentley Bentayga, pictured here crossing the 4,300-metre high Pikes Peak finish line, broke the Production SUV record with a time of just 10:49.9. (Photo: Bentley)
Ask those in the know to name the best of the best in the super-luxury SUV market segment, and the Bentley Bentayga will quickly rise to the top of the list.
When it arrived on the scene in 2016, nothing could match it for premium accoutrements or performance, the former because it’s a Bentley, and the latter thanks to a 600 horsepower twin-turbocharged W12 engine featuring 663 lb-ft of torque, a quick-shifting eight-speed ZF-sourced automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, and performance-tuned full-time all-wheel drive, allowing it to catapult from zero to 100km/h in just 4.0 seconds flat, before topping out at a stratospheric 301 km/h (187 mph).
Renowned drift champion, Global Rallycross racer, and U.S. rally driver Rhys Millen never attempted to achieve top-speed in his most recent Bentayga outing, but he nevertheless managed to smash the Production SUV record at the famed Pikes Peak hill climb.
The Pikes Peak course scales 1,440 metres of paved mountainside roadway, with more than 156 turns on grades averaging 7.2 percent. (Photo: Bentley)
Millen completed the 19.99-km (12.42-mile) course in just 10:49.9, chopping nearly two minutes off the previous record by averaging 107 km/h (66.5 mph).
“What an incredible machine,” said Millen immediately after his run. “To take a luxury SUV with minimal modifications and be able to drive up this course in under 11 minutes is a huge testament to the performance and level of engineering in the Bentayga. I had a great run – the car was planted all the way up and gave me the confidence I needed to push hard. I’m delighted to take the SUV record for Bentley and for everyone that’s been involved in this project.”
Rhys Millen after breaking the Production SUV record in a Bentley Bentayga at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. (Photo: James Lipman, Bentley)
The Pikes Peak track, in Colorado, USA, scales 1,440 metres (4,720 feet) of paved mountainside roadway (prior to August 2011 gravel sections were also included), from its starting point at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway, to the finish line at 4,300 metres (14,110 feet). The course includes more than 156 turns on grades averaging 7.2 percent, and has hosted sanctioned racing events since 1916.
The record-setting Bentayga featured Bentley’s top-line W12 engine (a 542 horsepower V8 with 569 foot-pounds of torque is also available), plus an adaptive air suspension, active electric 48-volt anti-roll control, and carbon ceramic brakes, all of which are available on the stock Bentayga, and each contributing to the SUV’s shockingly fast record pace.
Rhys Millen showing the look of total concentration that’s needed to take on one of the world’s most renowned hill climbs in the world’s most prestigious SUV. (Photo: Bentley)
“This record proves the outstanding dynamic ability of the Bentayga – demonstrating again how Bentley Motors is the only automotive company in the world that can combine pinnacle luxury and breath-taking performance,” said Chris Craft, Bentley’s Member of the Board for Sales and Marketing. “Congratulations to all at Bentley Motorsport and to Rhys Millen and his team.”
Congratulations at the top, the Production SUV record crushed by nearly two minutes. (Photo: Bentley)
Due to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb rules compliance, Bentley modified the standard production Bentayga with front racing seats featuring four-point harnesses, while the rear seats were removed to make way for a roll cage. A fire suppression system was also installed, while Bentley Motorsport chose a set of Pirelli DOT-marked performance tires for extra grip, plus a production-specification Akrapovic sports exhaust system. Other than these small changes, the Bentayga that conquered Pikes Peak was standard from the factory, including its stunning Radium Satin paintwork, all-black chrome exterior accenting, and carbon fibre body kit that came as part of its Bentley Black Specification.
Knowing that its ardent racing enthusiast clientele would want to own a commemorative example of this record-breaking Bentayga, Bentley has created a Limited Edition model handcrafted by its in-house Mulliner bespoke and coachbuilding division. The Pikes Peak Bentayga is now available as “an homage to the achievements of the Bentayga W12 on the mountain,” said Bentley in a press release.
The special paint job given to the one-off Bentayga used for the hill climb event. (Photo: James Lipman, Bentley)
Of course, the same Radium Satin paint is available, but Beluga black can also be had as an alternative for those wanting a darker, more menacing look. Additionally, an eye-catching set of totally unique 22-inch alloys feature two-tone Beluga coated spokes with Radium painted pockets, while Bentley’s Black Specification is once again part of the package, with all components normally finished in chrome done out in gloss black, plus the splitter, side skirts, diffuser and rear spoiler made from visible carbon fibre weave. The exterior is capped off by a tastefully penned Pikes Peak nomenclature below a subtle mountain outline on the front fenders.
Bentley’s Mulliner Division has created a Limited Edition Pikes Peak Bentayga featuring the same stunning Radium Satin paintwork as the record-setting model. (Photo: Bentley)
Inside, the Pikes Peak Bentayga features a Mulliner Design Colour Split that combines Beluga black leather with Key Lime accents, while the seat and door inserts are covered in grippy suede-like Alcantara for a rich look and feel. The headliner is made from a “technical Eliade cloth,” says Bentley, while a lime green outline of the Pikes Peak track, along with elevation increments and the specific example’s number plaque, gets applied to the carbon fibre dash inlay ahead of the front passenger. Lastly, Mulliner adds a set of numbered Pikes Peak treadplates to the doorsills, reminding the special SUV’s owner of the celebratory event each time they cross the threshold.
Beluga black leather with Key Lime accents make the Special Edition really stand out. (Photo: Bentley)
Just like the Pikes Peak Bentayga that took to the track, the production version includes Bentley’s 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 under the hood, while the adaptive air suspension and 48-volt electric active anti-roll control system, a world’s first that gets named Bentley Dynamic Ride, comes as part of the package too. Finally, Mulliner adds a Bentayga Sports Exhaust system and a Touring Specification pack, making this special edition almost as formidable as the record-winning race-spec version.
To find out more about the Pikes Peak Bentayga, or a more readily available Bentayga SUV, contact your local Bentley retailer.
