Porsche Electric to Electric

Porsche Electric to Electric Photos and Stories.

Photos and story provided by Patrick Wheeler Contact Photographer for Information.

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Porsche Electric to Electric

So the theme of the special exhibit is 'Electric to Electric' ... acknowledging Porsche's unique history of having started out making electric cars ... well, hybrid cars actually, long before Toyota re-popularized the genre ... all the way back to the 1900's ...

Porsche 918 2014 & Lohner-Porsche 1909
Took you long enough

In between the 1900's and the 2010's Porsche (& Co) have made some rather impressive cars ... but they are finally returning to their roots with a new rip snortin' track tearin' air splittin' hybrid they dubbed the 918 Spyder ... this little beastie busted so many records on the Nurburging that the time keepers are still trying to update the record books ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
But I am intrigued by the conceit of this event, pairing the old and the new ... old: hub mounted electric motor for efficiency and low rolling resistance (get the motive power where it is needed)

Porsche 918 2014
New: screaming yum-yum-yellow (for those scuba fans) carbon fiber 'stop-em-red-hot-glowing' brakes ... nope! No match! Dunno where the electric motor and battery packs are, but not here ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Old: Lights, back then we would have used a chemical reaction and solid powders to generate a gas lamp for lights, fortunately we did not drive much after dark as this would have been as dim as imaginable and street lights were not to be found ...

Porsche 918 2014
New: uuuhhh, laser beams? A ginsu knife? Something out of a Hollywood stage set? Transformers XIX maybe? Nope ... well, I am going to guess it gives forth light, and it is no incandescing bulb I have ever seen, so, well, gulp, it gets a YES simply because it seems logical ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Old: radiator grill. Yup. Enough heat exchanging area to decimate a flock of pigeons (if it could go fast enough to catch even one) ...

Porsche 918 2014
EEEKK!!! Oh damn, I dunno what that is, but I am thinking jet intake manifolds? If cooling is happening up here it is not anything this boy recognizes ... I give that a nope ... but any pigeon in the area better watch out or else it is instant cat chow!

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Aww, nice, comes with an inner tube in case of a flat and can be used as a flotation ring in case you come across someone drowning in the water ...

Porsche 918 2014
Hmmm, I am seeing similarities here, no spare tyre, but the double humps where the pilot and friend would sit ... I give this a Yes ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Double bucket seats ...

Porsche 918 2014
Double, uh, well, I dunno exactly what those are for ... but they look the business, so I give it a Yes on credit ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Oh my, a steampunk's wet dream ... brass levers and knobs and not a 'gas' pedal to be seen?

Porsche 918 2014
Oh holy rocketships Batman! I dunno what is in there, but I do see a steering wheel still (to say nothing of mysterious knobs and levers), so I guess it is a Yes ... but check out that carbon fiber , I do not think the original good doctor Porsche had such materials ... but we know he woulda used 'em if he coulda! What is with those rearview 'mirrors'? Really? Cameras? Go-Pro has some competition. That is one way to cut down on aerodynamic drag ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Hmmm, no rearview cameras, but oh wow, loving the brass ring giving that extra bit of swoop to the taillight ... and this is echoed in the Spyder's rump as well, I give it a Yes just on general principle!

Lohner-Porsche 1909
Riveted air intake baffles and a soldered catchment box for boilovers ...

Porsche 918 2014
Uh ... I think I have-ta give that one a No ...rivets and brass seem to be missing ... and I am guessing this beastie will boil over about the time, well... never ... is never good for you?

Porsche 918 2014
Word has it Porsche re-enters the 24 hours of Le Mans France this year, with a gentleman named Webber at the wheel, my brother-in-law has committed to joining me (thereby trumping any potential objection that I will be at the 24 hour Classic in 2014 also) and I sincerely hope to see more of these lovely lines ... even if not driven by Mssr Webber ... yum ...

Lohner-Porsche 1909
This lovely lady may not be in attendance (outside of a paddock) , but oh such a pair ... thanks to the Porsche folks for an afternoon of some good fun and many many smiles and miles from days gone past ...

Now then for the tally:

Yes: 5 No: 3

OK, the conceit of this exhibit holds ... well done Porsche ...