In a field that included Cadillac’s hearty normally aspirated V8 and Acura’s twin-turbocharged V6, Porsche’s twin-turbo V8 split the gap. The choice of a V8 engine came down to what Porsche experts thought would fit best in the standard hypercar. “The engine bears the weight of the back axle,” Laudenbach said. “A structural engine was thus required. Then you had to select how many cylinders you want — and there was no reason to go with six. While a six-cylinder engine would have resulted in less internal friction, Laudenbach said that since the location of the rear wheels (and hence the transaxle) was set, a six-cylinder would need a lengthy spacer to mate with the gearbox.
Laudenbach also mentioned all of the design elements that would be considered on a racing vehicle like this: minimal weight, the centre of gravity, engine compartment space, and even the stress on the pistons. After considering all of the factors, it was agreed that the engine would have to be a V8.
The 918 Spyder has been on the market for more than a decade. That meant a decade of new technology to consider when the engine was being built for contemporary endurance racing. Porsche fitted two turbochargers to improve power output and meet the ACO’s power curve. Turbocharging also allowed the Porsche Penske team to add extra power if the regulations allowed it.
Turbocharging required the cylinder heads’ cold and hot sides to be flipped. The innovative hot-inside-vee configuration aids in engine packing in the 963 while keeping the body aerodynamically streamlined and within specification.
