Porsche 918 RSR - Lab Rat

Prototypes, it seems, are so pass. The latest one-off motorsport machine from Porsche, the 918 RSR, is described as a racing laboratory. Then again, there is quite a bit of science involved, because this is a hybrid. As well as a 3.4-liter V8 (making 563 hp), there are two electric motors (bringing the power up to 767 hp) that drive the front wheels, a lithium-ion battery pack and a kind of KERS system whereby energy recovered while braking can be used in 8-second bursts of power. We could think of the 918 RSR as a coupe version of the 918 Spyder, soon to go into limited production at something like $603,000 a copy. That car can zip to 60 mph in just 3 seconds and hit a top speed of 198 mph. This similarly lightweight car, with a one-piece body made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic, should be capable of performance along those same lines. There are no plans to produce the 918 RSR, but there’s a good chance some of its juicy technology will make it into something us mortals can drive.