Porsche 911 sets a new world record on top of the world
Porsche 911 sets a new world record on top of the world
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Porsche 911 sets a new world record on top of the world
At the moment the peak altitude was achieved, a Porsche 911 – celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – was the highest earthbound vehicle on the planet. The car and the team operated in air half as dense as that at sea level, and temperatures hovering around 20 degrees below freezing.
“I’ll never forget this experience. It was an extraordinary feeling to drive where no car has gone before,” said Romain Dumas shortly after his descent from the volcano. “The 911 managed to go higher than any other earthbound vehicle in history. We reached a point where we were met by the true summit of the west ridge - we could go no higher. So this really was the maximum altitude that can be achieved. A proud moment for the whole team – and we’re grateful for the support and belief of all of our partners, each of whom made this possible.”
The expedition was supported by HIF Global, Schaeffler Group, Mobil 1 and Tag Heuer – providing vital expertise and technology to aid the international team of guides, engineers, drivers and mountaineers who embarked on the adventure.
“Congratulations to the whole team – a remarkable and inspiring achievement,” said Dr. Frank Walliser, Vice President Complete Vehicle Architecture and Characteristics at Porsche AG. “This project began as a ‘what if’ and I’m so proud to work for a company that really believes in pushing the boundaries and learning by exploring. The cars we created for this challenge are technological showcases – and are running entirely on eFuels currently in development.”
“We’re thrilled by this result, and to have been part of this close and passionate team working on such a special project,” said Clara Bowman, COO, HIF Global. “This is an emphatic demonstration of the capability of HIF Global synthetic eFuels, performing in the most extreme and demanding conditions imaginable. To set a new record after so long is an awesome achievement.”
The project marked a return for the car and the team to the Ojos del Salado volcano, having visited in 2022 and just exceeded 6,000 meters on an exploratory run. By way of context, the peak altitude achieved equates to 1,934 meters beyond the summit of Mont Blanc. The previous record, set in 2020, reached 6,694 meters.
Background detail: The cars
Two cars took part in the attempt. Car ‘D’, nicknamed ‘Doris’ and distinguished by its distinctive red and black color scheme,was the first car built – a prototype used for testing on the volcano and to learn about what was needed to cope with the unique and challenging conditions. Car ‘E’, nicknamed ‘Edith’,was the second car built, which led the expedition and achieved the record – it is lighter than the prototype and benefitted from even greater agility on the extremely challenging terrain.
The basis of each car is the 911 (Type 992) Carrera 4S equipped with a factory-standard turbocharged flat-six engine developing 443 hp (under normal conditions) and the original seven-speed manual transmission using factory standard Mobil 1 lubricants. The 911 itself proved to be an excellent basis; through the mix of robust yet lightweight chassis construction, ample power and the ability to cope well with extremely high altitudes. From this starting point, the engineers at Porsche’s research and development base in Weissach, near Stuttgart, worked closely with Romain Dumas Motorsport. The two cars were equipped with carbon fiber seats, and five-point harnesses. Next, portal axles were added to increase ground clearance (now 13.7 inches / 350 mm). The portal axles also had the effect of reducing the gear ratios, allowing for precise, gentle throttle inputs at low speed, which worked well with the large, newly fitted Michelin off-road tires. In addition, the cars were equipped with special lightweight but extremely tough Aramid fiber underbody protection to allow sliding over rocks.
The lead car received a very special additional piece of technology – steer by wire – developed and provided by Schaeffler Group. The system called Space Drive was capable of meeting the unique and extreme demands of the volcano and the terrain, offering precision and detailed feedback to allow Romain Dumas to place the car precisely where he needed it – often while ascending precarious and near-vertical slopes.
Extending the list of innovations, a device called the Porsche Warp Connecter was added. Originally designed for motorsport applications, it forms a mechanical link between all four wheels to allow constant wheel load even when the chassis is enduring extreme articulation– contributing to maximum traction. Manual, switchable differential locks were used (factory differentials but manual switchable). Finally, a winch was added at the front of the car, along with revised bodywork to allow clearance for the 310mm wide off-road wheels and tires. The cooling system also needed to be raised to allow the car to tackle more extreme off-road sections without fear of damage. As a finishing touch, the bodywork was finished in two distinctive liveries – one featuring the same Porsche Motorsport color scheme adorning the 963 LMDh racer and a second 911-themed livery designed by the styling team in Weissach.
About HIF and eFuels:
Both cars were running entirely on HIF eFuels – created in Chile – during their time on the volcano. eFuels are made from water and carbon dioxide using renewable energy, enabling a potentially near net CO₂ neutral use of combustion engines, since the CO₂ captured during the production process of eFuels roughly equals the CO₂ emitted during the usage of the car. Porsche has invested in eFuels as part of its ‘double e-path’ to power sports cars past, present, and future: E-mobility and eFuels. To that end, Porsche and other international partners have entered into a collaboration with HIF Global and Porsche, HIF Global opened the ‘Haru Oni’ pilot plant in Punta Arenas, Chile, which began producing synthetic fuel in late 2022 and enthusiastically supported the expedition as a test of the new synthetic fuel.
Reaching the record altitude:
Throughout the expedition the project took a cautious, safety-first approach. The team took two weeks to slowly acclimatize to the altitudes, slowly gaining in height day after day. The cars had no such difficulties – the standard systems on the 911 sensed the thinner air and adjusted the fueling accordingly, meaning performance was maximized. The team closely monitored not only their altitude but also their heartrate, sleeping patterns and calorie burn via Connected smart watches, provided by Tag Heuer. This was overseen by two doctors who formed part of the team due to the remoteness of the location and the ever-present risk of altitude sickness and other risks to health brought on by the mix of the thin air and freezing temperatures.
Unlike in 2022, the team encountered relatively little snow at the higher levels of the volcano – but the challenge remained formidable, including finding a path through the boulder fields. The 911 traversed the deep gravel and volcanic ash that forms the slopes, its all-wheel drive system and Warp Connector allowing grip to be maintained, its strengthened underside protection taking a hammering from rocks as it relentlessly pushed higher, using all of its power and capability to do so. The team was truly international – led by Chilean guides and supported by team members from America, Switzerland, Canada, Germany and France.
The push for the summit occurred on Saturday, December 2ndwith the team setting off at 3:30am. The conditions were perfect, and the angle of the ascent steadily grew more extreme – to the point at which the terrain leveled out; the summit had been reached at 15:58h and the end of the journey had been reached.
The team enjoyed the incredible view for a moment, taking a photograph to mark the occasion before carefully starting their descent with the same precision and caution as the ascent – arriving at their base camp over a thousand meters below the summit the following day; weary but proud. The 911 ‘Edith’ had some new scars and a layer of thick volcanic dust, but was otherwise ready to perform the same feat all over again.
Frank Wiesmann
Public Relations Department
Product Communications
Manager, Product Communications
+1.770.290.3414
frank.wiesmann@porsche.us
Luke Vandezande
Public Relations Department
Product Communications
+1.770.290.3843
luke.vandezande@porsche.usAbout Porsche Cars North America, Inc. | One Porsche Drive, Atlanta, GA 30354 USA
Established in 1984, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is the exclusive U.S. importer of the Porsche 911, 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Macan, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1998, PCNA is home to
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Porsche 911 sets a new world record on top of the world