Creating a vehicle that annihilated the outright Nurburgring record by 51 seconds wasn’t an easy task for Porsche. In fact, it involved creating an overhauled variant of its Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid dubbed the Evo.
The video below details the Top 5 features of the 919 Hybrid Evo that make it so fast.
First up is suspension. Virtually every race car out there features suspension drastically different than what you’d find on a typical road car. The 919 Hybrid Evo is no exception. Compared to the ‘regular’ 919, Porsche installed bespoke wishbones to the Evo, increased the roll stiffness, and implemented an updated version of the company’s Pitch Link Suspension that helps to keep the ride height as low as possible.
Alongside the suspension comes the tires, which were developed by Porsche and Michelin to provide the best levels of performance at the Nurburgring. The record-breaking run was performed on a hot day, and if it was cooler, an even faster time may have been possible.
Coming at number three are the new hydraulics. These include an advanced Drag Reduction System (DRS) on the rear wing and a moveable trailing edge on the front diffuser. Porsche also fitted a four-wheel brake-by-wire system that mimics the effects of torque vectoring under braking. Aerodynamics were also a key change. There’s new bodywork, extended side skirts, a larger diffuser and of course, that massive rear wing and shark fin.
Last, but not least, is the powertrain. Porsche upgraded the racer’s V4 engine, lifting power from 500 hp in race trim to approximately 720 hp. There’s also 440 hp of additional grunt from an electric motor at the front. The comspany estimates that the 919 Hybrid Evo can accelerate from 0-300 km/h (186 mph) in roughly 8 seconds. No wonder it demolished the ‘Ring record, then.