Porsche Announce Two RS Spyders to Compete in Le Mans

looks like a r8... oh wait my bad a r10

Actually Audi now field R15's from the factory, but in any case most of the prototypes at Le Mans look similar because of the massive amount of regulations levyed on them.

R10 & R15 are LMP1 cars, the porsche is LMP2, different classes, think the difference is the HP in both classes.

LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 750 hp and a minimum weight of 925 kilograms (in the LMS: 750 hp/900 kilograms). LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with around 475 hp and an 800 kilogram minimum weight (in the LMS: 475 hp/825 kg). The Porsche RS Spyder competes in this class.

There will also be a third RS Spyder on the grid from Vitaphone Racing Team from Germany. I guess they won't have any factory support.

Plus the Porsche uses a proper flame spitting, high revving petrol engine, none of this dirty oil burning nonsense!

Actually I can respect what Audi have done for diesel recently. They've proven that it can be a viable fuel for a racecar, and the R10's have stacked up an impressive array of victories. And, they've properly let that technology filter down to their road cars, cars that can now pass emmisions just as well as their petrol equivalents. They even have that R8 V12 TDI concept, which should be very interesting if they ever put it into production. All I'm saying is that I think it's very cool to have good, fast cars that can be fueled with diesel that can be grown on a farm.

I was thinking about diesel sports cars the other day. Why would they drive any differently then petrol ones? If you set each gear up to redline at the same vehicle speeds then diesel engines should provide equivalent performance/feel as an equivalently powered gasoline engine. Note I said powered not torqued, the gasoline engine would have a higher torque multiplier do to gear ratios.

They handle a lil differently because the engines blocks have to made of steel to handle the compression, so they're usualy a little more nose heavy (we are talking about road cars, right?)Also, diesel tends to be a lil sluggish, not as responsive as petrol. As diesel sports cars go we're not far off though, Porsche now controls VW who have their Blue Sports concept, a mid-engined diesel sports car, a bit like a boxter that won't be too expensive and, is sure to have great Seat and Audi spin-offs too.