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26 times 0–200: Porsche Taycan staying power is tested

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Numerous hot laps around a circuit seem to be a breeze for the first fully electric sports car from Zuffenhausen.

In an initial test, a pre-series version of the 440 kW (600 PS) all-wheel drive car accelerated from 0–200 km/h 26 times in succession. The Sprint Challenge was held at an airfield in Lahr in southern Baden. Average acceleration times documented on the “Fully Charged” YouTube channel were just under ten seconds. The difference between the fastest and the slowest attempts was just 0.8 seconds. The test runs were carried out in both directions on the airport’s taxiway. The entire strip, about 2.3 kilometres long, was used during the tests. The outside temperature was 28 degrees Celsius.

2019 porsche taycan conducts tests at lahr airfield
Full Electric Porsche Taycan conducts tests at Lahr Airfield. Credit: Porsche

The Taycan is the first all-electric sports car from Porsche.

A full range of technical innovations in the Taycan guarantees breathtaking acceleration figures, traction power typical of a sports car and a superior, permanently-available power output.

  • The two powerful electric motors at the front and rear axles are the so-called permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM). They feature a rotor with high-grade permanent magnets that generate a natural magnetic field. As a result, the rotor moves in sync with the magnetic rotating field of the stator, hence the name PSM. A pulse inverter specifies the frequency of the rotating field in the stator, therefore determining rotor speed. The design, function and excellent thermal behaviour of permanently excited synchronous motors allow them to deliver the high performance typical of Porsche.
  • A special feature of the Taycan’s electric motors is the so-called hairpin winding, in which the solenoid coils of the stator consist of rectangular rather than round wires. The wires are bent, and before they are inserted into the stator’s laminated core their shape looks like a hairpin – hence the name “hairpin”. The open ends are welded together using a laser beam. Hairpin technology makes it possible to pack wires in a more condensed way and therefore integrate more copper into the stator. This increases power output and torque at the same level of volume. Another important advantage for a high-performance car like the Taycan is that a hairpin stator can be cooled considerably more efficiently.
  • The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800 voltsrather than the normal 400 volts for electric cars. Among other things, this delivers continuous high power and charging capacities to enable both fast driving and fast loading,  while also reducing the weight of the high-voltage cabling.
  • In combination with the drive train concept (PSM and 800-volt technology), thermal management ensures a high reproducibility for when power is demanded. The cooling system is tailored to the needs of the individual vehicle and enables the performance, which is typical of a sports car, to be achieved multiple times in succession when required. Porsche has achieved a wide spread between performance and range. In winter, intelligent thermal management also enables efficient and demand-oriented heating functions.
2019 porsche taycan conducts tests at lahr airfield
Full Electric Porsche Taycan conducts tests at Lahr Airfield. Credit: Porsche

The Taycan has a top speed of over 250 km/h. It accelerates from 0–100 km/h in significantly less than 3.5 seconds and its lithium-ion battery has a gross capacity of around 90 kWh. The Taycan will be presented in September and launched onto the market at the end of the year.

The test track: Lahr airport

Opened in 1913 and intended as a Zeppelin airfield, Lahr was used after the Second World War as a military airfield, initially by French troops and from 1967 by Canadian NATO troops. ADAC Südbaden (a regional division of a German automotive association) has been using the facility for motorsports events ever since the latter withdrew in 1994. The Regio-Ring, as it is known, held Formula and touring car races between 1996 and 1998, sometimes drawing crowds of over 30,000 spectators.

Today the airport is situated directly off the A5 motorway from Karlsruhe to Basel and used for business and freight flights, as well as by the automotive industry for test drives and measuring runs.

Full Electric Porsche Taycan conducts tests at Lahr Airfield.
Full Electric Porsche Taycan conducts tests at Lahr Airfield. Credit: Porsche

Luxury Cars

Lamborghini Reveals Countach LPI 800-4 Revival

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Lamborghini is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Countach with a special edition LPI 800-4 model debuting at this year’s Monterey Car Week.
Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Aerial
The new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. Credit: Lamborghini

In celebration of the Countach’s 50th anniversary, Lamborghini has unveiled a special limited edition Countach LPI 800-4 as a futuristic tribute to the poster car of the 1980s.

While sharing the same name and drawing on the visual legacy of its predecessor, the new Countach LPI 800-4 is powered by Lamborghini’s aspirated V12 engine combined with new hybrid supercapacitor technology initially developed for the Sian.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Side 1
Powered by Lamborghini’s V12 engine with hybrid supercapacitor. Credit: Lamborghini

Delivering 802hp maximum combined power (rounded to 800 for the sake of its model name), the LPI 800-4 can reach 0-62mph acceleration in just 2.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 220mph.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Front Side
The Lamborghini Countach has a top speed of 220mph. Credit: Lamborghini

“The Countach LPI 800-4 is a visionary car of the moment, just as its forerunner was,” says Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. “One of the most important automotive icons, the Countach not only embodies the design and engineering tenet of Lamborghini but represents our philosophy of reinventing boundaries, achieving the unexpected and extraordinary and, most importantly, being the ‘stuff of dreams.

“The Countach LPI 800-4 pays homage to this Lamborghini legacy, but it is not retrospective: it imagines how the iconic Countach of the 70s and 80s might have evolved into an elite super sports model of this decade. It upholds the Lamborghini tradition of looking forward, of exploring new design and technology avenues while celebrating the DNA of our brand. It is a Lamborghini that innately expresses the marque’s enduring and emotive power: always inspirational and thrilling to see, hear and most of all drive.”

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Front
Inspired by the Quattrovalvole edition with low rectangular headlights. Credit: Lamborghini

Inspired by the Countach’s distinctive silhouette, sharp angles, and wedge shape, the Countach LPI 800-4’s exterior inspiration was taken specifically from the Quattrovalvole edition in the bold lines of the front bonnet with long, low rectangular grille and headlights, as well as in the wheel arches with their hexagonal theme.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Rear Side
Futuristic hexagonal rear lights like those of the Sián. Credit: Lamborghini

Unfortunately for fans of the Wolf of Wall Street Countach, there’s no fixed rear wing on the latest model. However, there are still air scoops integrated fluidly into the car’s shoulders and the distinctive Countach slatted “gills” and famous scissor doors.

The rear of the Countach LPI 800-4 still features a distinctive inverted wedge shape, with the rear bumper featuring a lower, sleeker line and the hexagonal rear light design similar to that of the Sián.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Side
The famous scissor doors still remain. Credit: Lamborghini

Lamborghini has revealed only 112 models of the new Countach LPI 800-4 will be produced (a number chosen in honor of the internal project name “LP 112” used for the original Countach development) with allocations already fulfilled prior to the public launch.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 Front Side
Only 112 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4’s will be produced. Credit: Lamborghini
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Luxury Cars

Porsche & Manthey Racing Collab on Limited Edition 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25

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Porsche Motorsport celebrates 25 years partnership with Manthey-Racing and reveals the limited edition 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25.
The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25. Credit: Porsche
The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25. Credit: Porsche

Porsche Motorsport is celebrating 25 years of collaboration with Manthey-Racing GmbH and has unveiled the limited edition 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 to commemorate.

Founded by racing driver Olaf Manthey in 1996, Manthey-Racing GmbH is responsible for running the Porsche 911 RSR of the factory squad in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and has made a name for itself in both the motor racing world and as a GT road car specialist.

Celebrating 25 years partnership with Manthey Racing. Credit: Porsche
Celebrating 25 years partnership with Manthey Racing. Credit: Porsche

The basic concept and technical ideas for the new special edition was provided by Manthey and based on the 911 GT2 RS Clubsport with Porsche providing the final design. 

Developed specifically for track days and circuit racing, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 is powered by a 3.8-liter flat-six twin-turbo engine and produces 515 HP directed to the rear wheels through Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (PDK). 

Green and yellow design accents inspired by "Grello". Credit: Porsche
Green and yellow design accents inspired by “Grello”. Credit: Porsche

Taking inspiration from Manthey’s 911 GT3 R, known as the “Grello” because of its distinctive green and yellow livery, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 sports a similar green and yellow color scheme to highlight functional areas of the vehicle and adopts many vehicle components and elements from future Porsche racing cars. 

Limited to 30 vehicles worldwide. Credit: Porsche
Limited to 30 vehicles worldwide. Credit: Porsche

“The design of the 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 expresses the long-standing collaboration between Porsche Motorsport and Manthey,” emphasizes Grant Larson from Style Porsche. “It amalgamates the respective strengths of each partner into one racing car, and at the same time bridges the gap between the 991 and 992 model generations of the 911.”

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 is limited to 30 vehicles in total (only six are allocated for North America) with deliveries expected to begin in early 2022.

To order, customers will need to email 911GT2RSClubsport25@porsche.de directly and have a spare $620,00 on hand. 

2021 Porsche 991 GT2 RS Aerial
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Pagani to Reveal Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta at Monterey Car Week 2021

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The new Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta is set to make its debut at this year’s Monterey Car Week and celebrates ten years of the Huayra supercar.
Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta Front Side View
The new Pagani BC Huayra Pacchetto Tempesta. Credit: Pagani Automobili

This year at Monterey Car Week, Pagani celebrates ten years of the Huayra with the world premiere of the new Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta.

Based on the Huayra BC, the new Pacchetto Tempesta package means the Huayra BC’s high-performance platform can be equipped with a range of “state-of-the-art technical and artisan solutions” to maximize the car’s racing abilities and achieve an 8% power increase to deliver 827 hp and 1,100 Nm torque.

Pagani has only teased several introductory images of the green carbon fiber bodied beauty ahead of the premiere, and although full details are yet to be shared, Pagani has noted that the Pacchetto Tempesta features a new front splitter, dedicated air intake, rear wing with an integrated central fin, and six-pipe exhaust system to maximize aerodynamic efficiency.

Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta Rear Aerial
New rear wing design with an integrated central fin. Credit: Pagani Automobili

A tweaked suspension system and the addition of an all-new “Soft Driving mode” also ensure drivers are afforded maximum comfort in the aggressive Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta.

The Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta will make its debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering event on Friday 13th August at Monterey Car Week 2021 and will be seen alongside the Huayra R project and an up-close-and-personal look at the all-new Pagani V12-R engine, six-speed sequential gearbox.

While no prices have been revealed yet, the Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta will no double start above the $2.25 million price tag of the Huayra BC.

Pagani Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta Rear
New six-exhaust design (four central and two below). Credit: Pagani Automobili
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