Watch, and hear, Porsche test the 919 Hybrid

Porsche Prepares 919 Hybrid For LeMans on the Track

By Zack Klapman - April 17, 2014

Porsche is returning to Le Mans. I know you knew that, but I still think it’s a very big deal. I’ve driven several new Porsches this year, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the level of engineering and forethought that goes into each one. The interiors are the ergonomic equivalent of freshly tailored, custom suit. Everything is at hand, it all works, and if you choose the right colors, it steps in front of Audi and BMW.

Then there’s the engineering. PDK blows your mind. In automatic mode it’s connected to your brain, downshifting as you enter corners. They say you can launch it thousands of times without worry of a failure—Nissan used to void your warranty for that. The headlights are controlled by GPS, aiming into corners before you enter them (rather than reacting to steering inputs like other cars) so you have a clear view of the corner.

That’s the company that’s going back to Le Mans, a place that Audi has dominated for the last 4 years. Audi has won 12 titles there, closing in on Porsche’s record of 16. I want Audi to keep winning, because I like it that Le Mans is their thing. They don’t have 5 different sports cars, like Porsche. There isn’t a flood of their cars in other racing series, like Porsche. It legitimized Audi.

But after driving the Porsches I have, I think they might be the best group of big-dollar engineers in the world. Truly. I think this 919 Hybrid of theirs will be quite the car, and bring serious contention to Audi’s show.