Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 race car 19 May 2009 RS Spyder for the road? It's only a rumour, but it's the sort of rumour we like: Porsche is believed to be creating a version of its Le Mans-winning RS Spyder (pictured)... for the road. Oh yes. French sources are reporting that Porsche will convert its ultra-lightweight, open cockpit LMP2 racer into a limited-run road car, in effect the successor to the Carrera GT supercar that ended production in 2005. The RS Spyder, should it be built, won't be as powerful as the Carrera GT, which developed 603bhp from its mid-mounted V10. Instead, the RS Spyder could get a detuned version of the race car's 3.4-litre V8, putting out around 400bhp. Though that's a reasonably modest output by Porsche standards - the 911 GT2 puts out 523bhp - the RS Spyder should be lethally fast: expect a kerbweight of no more than 800kg or so. Unlike the race car, it'll likely become a two-seater, but the basic dimensions should remain. That giant rear wing might have to drop a couple of sizes, mind. Will it happen? Here's praying... Source: Top Gear
Preview: RS Spyder-based Porsche Carrera GT successor Flowing lines, light weight, big power and race-bred underpinnings make for a serious supercar recipe Even five years after its final production, the Porsche Carerra GT lives on in the hearts and minds - and often garages - of Porsche loyalists, supercar enthusiasts and plain old gearheads. Recently rumors broke that Porsche is working on a successor to the GT based around the RS Spyder American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race car, and now we can bring you a preview of what the car could look like. With 485-503hp (362-375kW) from its 3.4L V8 and just 1,705lb (775kg), the LMP2-class RS Spyder has taken class or overall victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans, in addition to numerous other races and the 2006-2008 LMP2 ALMS manufacturer's championships. That kind of track cred is a solid foundation on which to build, but so far we can't confirm any plans to take the RS Spyder to the street. The rumors, which come by way of Italy's Autoblog.it, hint that a slight downgrade in power and rise in weight for street-trim will be in order. If the RS Spyder does go road-legal, it will probably be in the neighborhood of 400hp (298kW) and 2,200lb (1,000kg) - right on par with the outgoing Carerra GT in power-to-weight ratio, but ultimately higher-performing due to its lighter weight. A production engine from Porsche's existing lineup will also likely be sourced to replace the race-spec model. The carbon fiber tub chassis and running gear are expected to carry over from the race car, though the suspension will be detuned for bumpy city streets and the body and cockpit will be similarly relaxed to allow for more creature comforts. The two-seat roadster layout would be retained, however, and molded into a more street-able and onlooker-friendly form, as the sleek and flowing lines of the preview rendering demonstrate. Source
I could see the power output being very close to the race car. Remember that they'll be redesigning the engine for road reliability and driveability, but they won't have any intake air restrictors on the road car which limit the race car's power output (assuming they still do that in the various Le Mans series).
