Porsche Signs Partnership with Martini; 918 Wears Classic Livery

PorschePorscheGermany, 1931 > present43 models
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29 videos
is managing the marketing campaign for the upcoming 918 super car perfectly. It has just signed a deal with Bacardi & Company Limited to be able to use Martini livery on future cars. The red, dark blue and light blue livery over a white background is one of the classics of racing, especially for Porsche. It dates back to the 917Porsche 917Germany, 1969 > 19817 versions
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in 1971 and was used on a variety of Porsche racecars throughout the 70s. It ranks with the Gulf livery as one of the most recognizable racing liveries in the world.

The first new Porsche to wear with Martini logo will be the 918-test car that has been caught driving and testing all over Europe. The deal has been in place for at least a week. Below is a video from the highway in Spain where a driver in Spain filmed two 918s testing. One of them clearly has a Martini decal on the door. 

Porsche says that it will be testing the 918 extensively on the Nürburgring over the next several months. Expect to see numerous videos showing it lapping the 20.8km course. Porsche's goal for the car is to due a sub-7:22 lap time. That would make the car the fastest ever tested by Sport Auto magazine in Germany. The current record holder is the Gumpert ApolloGumpert Apollo Gen.1Germany, 2005 > present8 versions
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that has done a 7:24 lap. However, that makes it slower than video confirmed times from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1Chevrolet Corvette ZR1United States of America, 2011 > present3 photos
(7:19.63) and the Lexus LFA with Nürburgring packageLexus LFA Nürburgring Pa...Japan, 2011 > present3 photos
(7:14.64).

The 918 has 770hp total power and 3.0l/100km fuel economy. Its monocoque is made completely from carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It has a 4.6-liter V8 with 560hp plus separate electric motors powering the front and rear axles. It is still in development, but Porsche is aiming for a top speed of above 325km/h and acceleration to 100km/h in less than 3.0 seconds. On pure electric power Porsche is developing the car to have a 25km range and 150km/h top speed. 

Could this deal between Porsche and Martini mean that we will see a new Martini-liveried racing Porsche in the future, possibly at Le Mans in 2014?

Source: Car Scoop