Detroit 2011: Porsche 918 RSR

Rumours have been building about Porsche's latest unveil at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and finally we can reveal exactly what the German manufacturer is bringing to the table.

Dubbed the 918 RSR, this hard-top racing version of the 918 Spyder concept looks set to hit the racetrack with an "unusual-for-a-Porsche" roaring V8 engine. The engine setup alone is expected to produce 563 horsepower at a staggering 10,300 rpm. What's more interesting is that the car introduces a hybrid setup akin to its GT3 R Hybrid kin to deliver a finale of 767 bhp (and in case you were wondering, the electric motors on the two front wheels each contribute 75 kW, i.e. a total of 150 kW).

So, to conclude, this is the ultimate mash-up of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the debuted 918 Spyder to create this track behemoth. There are other goodies aside from the engine including regenerative braking and improved aerodyamics in part thanks to the rear spoiler from the RS Spyder.

Finally, there's a sweet "22" sticker etched onto the car to pay homage to the anniversary of winning the 1971 Le Mans 24-hour Race by Dr. Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep who set the distance record with their Porsche 917 short-tail coupé – 5335.313 kilometres (3315.21 miles) at an average speed of 222.304 km/h (138.13 mph) – this did not remain unbeaten for an eternity, but for exactly 39 years until 2010. A fun bit of trivia for you Car Throttle fans.

Porsche 918 RSR Gallery

Thanks to Engadget for these images.