It easy to forget how much can change in just five years. Half a decade ago, hybrid supercars were a nascent segment. Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren each debuted their first hybrid creations, the 918 Spyder, LaFerrari, and P1, and this groundbreaking trio became known as the Holy Trinity. Fast forward five years, however, and the rapidly changing automotive landscape has seen the widespread use of electric power in all segments, including the supercar and hypercar realms.
From more affordable options like the Acura NSX to two million dollar rarities like the Koenigsegg Regera, hybrid supercars have begun to solidify their place in the market. Some companies have even opted for full electrification, such as the Rimac Concept_One and C_Two and the upcoming Tesla Roadster.
Seeing how drastically the supercar segment has changed over the past several years has prompted Porsche to already begin considering its follow up to the 918. Top Gear spoke with Porsche Motorsport boss Frank-Steffen Walliser at the Los Angeles Auto Show about what to expect from the 918’s successor. However, despite the trend towards more incorporation of electrification in supercars, Walliser suggested that this is not the focus for Porsche.
Instead, the German automaker will be targeting a Nurburgring lap time. “It must achieve a 6m 30s at the Nürburgring,” announced Walliser. “I don’t care about the drivetrain,” he continued, “An electric car in 6m 30s is quite a challenge.” This time would be approximately 30 seconds quicker than the 918’s lap, which was clocked at 6 minutes and 57 seconds.
Walliser also dropped some other interesting tidbits about Porsche’s future sports car plans. With the all new 992-generation 911 debuting at the L.A. Auto Show, he hinted that a new GT3 model will appear within 18 to 24 months, but refused to elaborate one whether or not it would feature a turbocharger. He also suggested that we may see the new GT2 Clubsport track-special take on the infamous Nurburgring in the spring of next year, and that it could cut another ten seconds off the street-legal GT2 RS’s lap, which would give it a time around 6 minutes and 35 seconds. Stay tuned for more details.
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