TRANSMISSION ACCOMPLISHED

SMOOTH SHIFTING IS A ROUGH BUSINESS.

- BY MARSHALL PRUETT

BALLADS ARE WRITTEN about cars.

Some have been written about engines. It's unlikely that there will ever be even a single verse about the ass end of the drivetrain. But thanks to Porsche Penske Motorsport, we have an inspiring look inside the torturous life of the spec gearbox for all IMSA LMDh racers. And with it, a newfound appreciation for its stalwart role.

Affixed to the back of the Porsche 963's engine, the Xtrac P1359 keeps the $2.9 million car moving at a rhythmic and unrelenting pace, whether a race lasts 100 minutes or 24 hours.

Tasked with achieving perfect reliability while managing the 697 hp produced by Porsche's twin-turbo 4.6-liter hybrid V-8, the seven-speed transmission survived IMSA's greatest endurance test in January, when it helped the German brand earn the overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona.