Porsche 911 MY2019 endurance testing regime

The endurance tests for the eighth generation of the Porsche 911 enters the home straight as the new model will be brought to the European market at the beginning of 2019. The schedule to complete the Porsche 911 MY2019 endurance testing regime around the globe is on track. The cars are being shuttled between climate zones with temperature differences of up to 85 degrees Celsius; sprinting across elevation changes spanning more than four kilometres; enduring traffic jams in major cities and setting new records on the racetracks. At the end of this testing regime, every component on the car must function just as reliably as it did at the outset.

Everyday suitability

“In addition to its outstanding performance, it’s the 911’s suitability for daily use that has always put it in a class of its own,” Andreas Pröbstle, Project Manager for the Complete Vehicle of the 911 commented. “That’s why we test the vehicle under all conditions, and in every type of weather and region. The vehicles’ drivetrain must function as flawlessly as its fluids, systems, operating processes and displays – it’s the only way we can be certain that the vehicle is able to travel through all regions of the world without faults,” he added.

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The testing first focuses on Porsche’s traditional core areas, such as the chassis and engine, which have been enhanced even further to heighten both performance and everyday use. Additionally, there are function tests and stress tests for the entirely new operating concept in the cockpit, as well as instruments and displays. The new driver assistance systems and extended connectivity must also meet the challenges of the test programme. Porsche Connect differs from country to country, so testing its operation and functions is very resource-intensive.

Endurance testing regime

In hot countries such as the Gulf States in the Middle East or Death Valley in the USA, the air conditioning, thermal management, and combustion behaviour need to pass functional tests in temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius – so the interior components must not expand or contract when exposed to such heat. In Finland’s minus 35-degree Celsius temperatures, the test agenda focuses on areas such as cold start, heating and air conditioning, traction, handling and braking behaviour, as well as the response speed of the control systems related to driving dynamics. The winding and demanding roads in the area of the European Arctic Circle offer optimum conditions for testing a sports car, while endurance runs have seen the new 911 test cars sprinting over China’s roads and racing tracks in a traffic structure that is typical for that country, as well as proving that they run reliably on fuels whose qualities vary enormously.

The Nürburgring is traditionally a part of the rigorous Porsche test and development programme. The engine, transmission, brakes and chassis must prove their mettle at the demanding racetrack located in the Eifel mountain region. In Italy, the test cars are driven round the high-speed Nardò test track, where the focus is not only on top speed but also cooling and handling. The test vehicles reach the lowest point of their endurance run in Death Valley, which descends to around 90 metres below sea level; while the thin air on Mount Evans, Colorado – reaching heights of 4300 metres – was the challenge for the biturbo charging and the fuel system. By the time, testing is complete, the cars will have covered around three million kilometres in total.

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A less spectacular component of testing, albeit no less important, is customer-oriented everyday testing on public roads in cities and cross-country throughout Germany. This portion of testing also sees significant mileage being covered, while complying with all traffic rules, in order to ensure that the complete vehicle and its systems are durable and suitable for daily use.

Introduction

Porsche Road & Race will bring you updates on the new model, and when the date for the introduction of the eighth generation 911 is announced, we will be sure to announce this.

Edited by: Glen Smale
Images by: Porsche Werkfoto