Porsche 908
Encyclopedia
The Porsche 908 was a racing car from Porsche
, introduced in 1968 to continue the Porsche 906
/Porsche 910
/Porsche 907
series of models designed under Ferdinand Piech
.
As the FIA had announced rule changes for Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars limiting engine displacement to 3000 cc, as in Formula One
, Porsche designed the 908 as the first Porsche sports car to have an engine with the maximum size allowed. The previous Porsche 907
only had a 2200 cc flat-8 engine with 270 hp. The new 3 litre Flat-8 engine produced initially 257 kW (350 hp) at 8400 rpm, as well as some teething problems. Also, being traditionally air-cooled and with only 2 valves per cylinder, it was still down on power compared to more modern F1 designs which delivered over 400 hp, but were not suited to endurance racing.
The 908 originally was a closed coupe to provide low drag at fast tracks, but from 1969 on was mainly raced as the 908/2, a lighter open spyder. A more compact 908/3 was introduced in 1970 to complement the heavy Porsche 917
on twisty tracks that favored nimble cars, like Targa Florio
and Nürburgring
. Sold off to privateers for 1972, various 908s were entered until the early 1980s, often retro-fitted with Porsche 934
-based 2.1 litre turbocharged flat 6
engines.
The 908 is not to be confused with another sportscar of the same number, the Peugeot 908
.
, the 908 was anything but convincing in 1968. The older and smaller 2200 cc 907 had started the season with dominating wins and later delivered better results than Porsche's first serious attempt in the prototype category. Meanwhile, the older 4.7-litre Ford GT40
s Group 5 Sports Cars were winning races on the faster tracks, with the Ford P68 being a failure, Ferrari remaining absent, and the Alfa Romeo 33 still utilizing a 2000cc enigine. With the minimum production requirement for the 5000cc Group 5 Sports Car category reduced from 50 units to 25 for 1969, Porsche decided to go one step further and build the required 25 examples of a new 12 cylinder car, the Porsche 917
. This risky investment should take about a year, though, and the 908 was supposed to deliver results in the meantime.
The 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans
were postponed from June to the end of September due to political unrest in France, setting the stage for a showdown between the 908s and the GT40s. The Porsche 908 LH Long Tails were the fastest in qualifying and the early stages of the race, but it showed that Porsche had not taken advantage of the additional time to improve the 908. Troubles with the alternator caused delays and even disqualifications as the new Porsche team leaders had misinterpreted the repair rules. Once again, a V8-powered Ford won, and a 907 Long Tail came in second in front of the sole surviving standard 908. In addition, Ford won the 1968 International Championship for Makes.
For 1969, the Group 6 prototype rules were changed, and Porsche lowered the weight of the Porsche 908/02 Spyder by 100 kg (220.5 lb), removing the roof and the long tails. Aluminium tube frames were used, with air pressure gauges to check them.
The 1969 24 Hours of Daytona
were a disaster for Porsche, as all three 908/02 failed, and a Lola T70
won. At the 12 Hours of Sebring
, a Ford GT40
defeated a trio of factory-entered 908/2s.
At that time, the more powerful Porsche 917
was introduced in Geneva, and it seemed that the career of the 908 would be over. But with the larger car having arrived, the 908 started to succeed. The next race was the BOAC 500
at Brands Hatch
, where the 908 was finally successful, finishing 1-2-3 ahead of a Ferrari 312P
. With additional wins at the 1000km Monza
, the Targa Florio
, the 1000km Spa
and an overwhelming 1-2-3-4-5 at the 1000 km Nürburgring, the 1969 International Championship for Makes was secured for Porsche by the 908/02, while the Porsche 917
suffered teething problems.
On the other hand, the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans
was again won by a Ford GT40
in 1969, as the 917s had gearbox troubles after leading for many hours. A 908 challenged for the win, as Hans Herrmann
came in as a very close 2nd behind Jacky Ickx
. Herrmann's 908 low drag coupé was fast on the straights, but near the race end the brake pads wore down, indicated by a light that was introduced with the 908s. The team gambled on not changing the pads, which allowed Ickx to pass under braking.
Despite the more powerful 917 improving towards the end of 1969, the career of the 908 would continue. On rather twisty and slow tracks like Nürburgring
and Targa Florio
, the 917 was not suited well even after being modified to the "917K". So rather than trying to make "one size fit all", Porsche built dedicated cars for each type of racing track. Based upon the lightweight and short Porsche 909
which was used in hillclimbing
, the new open cockpit version, the 908/3, was even shorter than the 908/2. This version was successful in the 1970 Nurburgring 1000 km and the Targa Florio, where typical speeds were only about half of the 240 mi/h which the 917LH long tails could achieve at Le Mans. The 908/02 in which Steve McQueen
finished second at the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring
was also used as a camera car for the Le Mans (film)
in the race itself. Steve McQueen
was not allowed to drive a Porsche 917
, though.
In 1971, vertical fins were added to the rear of the 908s which were outpaced at the Targa by two Alfa Romeo Tipo 33s. All entered 908s crashed, but Vic Elford had managed to set fastest lap. The next race at the Nurburgring saw a 1-2-3 finish for the 908 in front of two Alfas Romeos, but with Alfa scoring wins at Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen, it was proven that these prototypes could even beat the 917s.
With the combination of the powerful 917 and the lightweight 908, Porsche dominated the International Championship for Makes each year from 1969 through to 1971.
For 1972, the 5000 cc Group 5 Sports Car category was discontinued, and the 917 and its main rival, the Ferrari 512
, became obsolete. In the 3000cc category, now renamed Group 5 Sports Cars, Porsche's main advantage was their low weight, as the engine was underpowered with 370 hp. The new rules required a much higher weight (650 kg (1,433 lb)) than Porsche could achieve (well under 600 kg (1,322.8 lb)), giving the advantage to Ferrari 312PB
, Alfa Romeo T33
TT and Matra
with their more powerful F1-derived engines that had 420 hp or more even in endurance trim.
Porsche decided to end its 20 year history of factory sports car racing and sold the 908/03 cars to customers. Besides developing the 917/10 turbo for the Can Am series, the Zuffenhausen-based company focused on the development of the already aging Porsche 911
, testing the 911 flat-6 with turbocharger
s. Yet a 3 year old Porsche 908LH Coupé was entered by Reinhold Joest
in the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans
, finishing a strong 3rd. Customers continued to race several 908/3, fitted with extra weight as required by the rules. In 1975, some 908s were fitted with turbocharged engines, similar to those used in the Porsche 934
GT car. Even with 2.1 litre and a turbo factor of 1.4, the turbos by now outpowered normally aspirated 3 litre engines. Taking advantage of that, in 1976 the factory developed the Porsche 936
to compete in the new Group 6 Two-Seater Racing Car category had replaced the Group 5 Sports Car class. Unlike the 934 and 935, Porsche did not offer the 936 for sale, entering it in a few races only, mostly at Le Mans. Several customer-908s were upgraded with 936-style bodywork. The Porsche 908/80 Turbo of Joest and Jacky Ickx
which finished 2nd in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
turned out later to have a real Porsche 936
chassis, though.
The 908 has won the 1000km Nürburgring
in three different decades, winning four years in a row from 1968 to 1971 and again in 1980, utilizing turbocharging for its final victory. 908s are still raced today in competitions such as the Classic Endurance Racing (CER) series.
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, introduced in 1968 to continue the Porsche 906
Porsche 906
The Porsche 906 or Carrera 6 was the last street-legal racing car from Porsche. It was announced in January 1966 and 50 examples were subsequently produced, thus meeting the homologation requirements of the FIA's new Group 4 Sports Car category to the letter...
/Porsche 910
Porsche 910
The Porsche 910 or Carrera 10 was a race car from Porsche, based upon the Porsche 906. 15 were produced and entered in 1966 and 1967. The factory name for the 910 was the 906/10. The 910 was considered the next sequence in the 906 line...
/Porsche 907
Porsche 907
The Porsche 907 was a sportscar racing prototype built by Porsche in 1967 and 1968.- 1967 :The 907 was introduced at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans...
series of models designed under Ferdinand Piech
Ferdinand Piëch
Ferdinand Karl Piëch is an Austrian business magnate, engineer and executive who is currently the chairman of the supervisory board of Volkswagen Group....
.
As the FIA had announced rule changes for Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars limiting engine displacement to 3000 cc, as in Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, Porsche designed the 908 as the first Porsche sports car to have an engine with the maximum size allowed. The previous Porsche 907
Porsche 907
The Porsche 907 was a sportscar racing prototype built by Porsche in 1967 and 1968.- 1967 :The 907 was introduced at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans...
only had a 2200 cc flat-8 engine with 270 hp. The new 3 litre Flat-8 engine produced initially 257 kW (350 hp) at 8400 rpm, as well as some teething problems. Also, being traditionally air-cooled and with only 2 valves per cylinder, it was still down on power compared to more modern F1 designs which delivered over 400 hp, but were not suited to endurance racing.
The 908 originally was a closed coupe to provide low drag at fast tracks, but from 1969 on was mainly raced as the 908/2, a lighter open spyder. A more compact 908/3 was introduced in 1970 to complement the heavy Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
on twisty tracks that favored nimble cars, like Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
and Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
. Sold off to privateers for 1972, various 908s were entered until the early 1980s, often retro-fitted with Porsche 934
Porsche 934
The Porsche 934 was a racing version of the Porsche 911 Turbo, prepared to FIA Group 4 rules, similar to the Porsche 935 which was prepared to FIA Group 5 rules.-History:...
-based 2.1 litre turbocharged flat 6
Flat engine
A flat engine is an internal combustion engine with multiple pistons that move in a horizontal plane. Typically, the layout has cylinders arranged in two banks on either side of a single crankshaft and is sometimes known as the boxer, or horizontally opposed engine. The concept was patented in 1896...
engines.
The 908 is not to be confused with another sportscar of the same number, the Peugeot 908
Peugeot 908
The Peugeot 908 HDi FAP is a sports prototype racing car built by the French automobile manufacturer Peugeot to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, starting in 2007 and eventually winning in 2009. This effort, in development since 2005, was publicly unveiled on 15 June 2005...
.
1968
Despite winning the 1000km Nürburgring1000km Nürburgring
The ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring is an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.- History :...
, the 908 was anything but convincing in 1968. The older and smaller 2200 cc 907 had started the season with dominating wins and later delivered better results than Porsche's first serious attempt in the prototype category. Meanwhile, the older 4.7-litre Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
s Group 5 Sports Cars were winning races on the faster tracks, with the Ford P68 being a failure, Ferrari remaining absent, and the Alfa Romeo 33 still utilizing a 2000cc enigine. With the minimum production requirement for the 5000cc Group 5 Sports Car category reduced from 50 units to 25 for 1969, Porsche decided to go one step further and build the required 25 examples of a new 12 cylinder car, the Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
. This risky investment should take about a year, though, and the 908 was supposed to deliver results in the meantime.
The 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans
1968 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 36th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on September 28 and 29 1968. It was the tenth and final round of the World Sportscar Championship....
were postponed from June to the end of September due to political unrest in France, setting the stage for a showdown between the 908s and the GT40s. The Porsche 908 LH Long Tails were the fastest in qualifying and the early stages of the race, but it showed that Porsche had not taken advantage of the additional time to improve the 908. Troubles with the alternator caused delays and even disqualifications as the new Porsche team leaders had misinterpreted the repair rules. Once again, a V8-powered Ford won, and a 907 Long Tail came in second in front of the sole surviving standard 908. In addition, Ford won the 1968 International Championship for Makes.
1969
The 1969 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
were a disaster for Porsche, as all three 908/02 failed, and a Lola T70
Lola T70
The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960s. Developed by Lola Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing...
won. At the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
, a Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
defeated a trio of factory-entered 908/2s.
At that time, the more powerful Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
was introduced in Geneva, and it seemed that the career of the 908 would be over. But with the larger car having arrived, the 908 started to succeed. The next race was the BOAC 500
BOAC 500
The 1000 km Brands Hatch was an endurance sports car event that was part of the World Sportscar Championship for varying years from 1967 until 1989...
at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
, where the 908 was finally successful, finishing 1-2-3 ahead of a Ferrari 312P
Ferrari 312P
The Ferrari 312P was a Group 6 Prototype-Sports Car made by Ferrari, which was raced in 1969 and 1970. It was part of the Ferrari P series of Prototype-Sports Cars.-History:...
. With additional wins at the 1000km Monza
1000km Monza
The 1000 Kilometres of Monza is an endurance race mainly for sports cars held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy.The "Coppa Inter-Europa" was first held in 1949, on the circuit. The race expanded to 1000 kilometres in 1954, and moved to the 10-kilometre circuit in 1956. The event was...
, the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
, the 1000km Spa
1000km Spa
The 1000 Kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps is an endurance race for sports cars held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.- History :The Spa 24 Hours had been introduced in 1924, and other races followed. As on the Nürburgring, both a 24-hour race for touring cars and GTs is held, and an...
and an overwhelming 1-2-3-4-5 at the 1000 km Nürburgring, the 1969 International Championship for Makes was secured for Porsche by the 908/02, while the Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
suffered teething problems.
On the other hand, the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
was again won by a Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
in 1969, as the 917s had gearbox troubles after leading for many hours. A 908 challenged for the win, as Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann is a former Formula One and Sports car racing driver from Stuttgart, Germany.In F1, he participated in 19 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on August 2, 1953...
came in as a very close 2nd behind Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
. Herrmann's 908 low drag coupé was fast on the straights, but near the race end the brake pads wore down, indicated by a light that was introduced with the 908s. The team gambled on not changing the pads, which allowed Ickx to pass under braking.
1970 - 1971
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
and Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
, the 917 was not suited well even after being modified to the "917K". So rather than trying to make "one size fit all", Porsche built dedicated cars for each type of racing track. Based upon the lightweight and short Porsche 909
Porsche 909
The Porsche 909 "Bergspyder" was a spyder sports car designed and built by Porsche in 1968 specifically for competing in hillclimbing competitions...
which was used in hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, the new open cockpit version, the 908/3, was even shorter than the 908/2. This version was successful in the 1970 Nurburgring 1000 km and the Targa Florio, where typical speeds were only about half of the 240 mi/h which the 917LH long tails could achieve at Le Mans. The 908/02 in which Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
finished second at the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
was also used as a camera car for the Le Mans (film)
Le Mans (film)
Le Mans is a 1971 action film directed by Lee H. Katzin. Starring Steve McQueen, it features footage from the actual 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race....
in the race itself. Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
was not allowed to drive a Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
, though.
In 1971, vertical fins were added to the rear of the 908s which were outpaced at the Targa by two Alfa Romeo Tipo 33s. All entered 908s crashed, but Vic Elford had managed to set fastest lap. The next race at the Nurburgring saw a 1-2-3 finish for the 908 in front of two Alfas Romeos, but with Alfa scoring wins at Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen, it was proven that these prototypes could even beat the 917s.
With the combination of the powerful 917 and the lightweight 908, Porsche dominated the International Championship for Makes each year from 1969 through to 1971.
1972 - 1981
Ferrari 512
Ferrari 512 S was the designation of 25 five litre sports cars built until January 1970, related to the Ferrari P sports prototypes. The V12-powered cars were entered in the 1970 International Championship for Makes by the factory Scuderia Ferrari and private teams...
, became obsolete. In the 3000cc category, now renamed Group 5 Sports Cars, Porsche's main advantage was their low weight, as the engine was underpowered with 370 hp. The new rules required a much higher weight (650 kg (1,433 lb)) than Porsche could achieve (well under 600 kg (1,322.8 lb)), giving the advantage to Ferrari 312PB
Ferrari 312PB
The Ferrari 312PB was a Group 6 Prototype-Sports Car introduced in 1971 by Italian carmaker Ferrari. It was officially designated the 312P, but often known as the 312PB to avoid confusion with a previous car of the same name...
, Alfa Romeo T33
Alfa Romeo T33
The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 was a sports racing prototype raced by the Alfa Romeo factory-backed team between 1967 and 1977. These cars took part for Sport Cars World Championship, Nordic Challenge Cup, Interserie and CanAm series...
TT and Matra
Matra
Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...
with their more powerful F1-derived engines that had 420 hp or more even in endurance trim.
Porsche decided to end its 20 year history of factory sports car racing and sold the 908/03 cars to customers. Besides developing the 917/10 turbo for the Can Am series, the Zuffenhausen-based company focused on the development of the already aging Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
, testing the 911 flat-6 with turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
s. Yet a 3 year old Porsche 908LH Coupé was entered by Reinhold Joest
Reinhold Joest
Reinhold Joest is a former German race car driver and current team owner. During the last 25 years, Joest Racing has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times.-Driving career:...
in the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans
1972 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 40th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 10 and 11 1972. It was the ninth round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Pre-race:...
, finishing a strong 3rd. Customers continued to race several 908/3, fitted with extra weight as required by the rules. In 1975, some 908s were fitted with turbocharged engines, similar to those used in the Porsche 934
Porsche 934
The Porsche 934 was a racing version of the Porsche 911 Turbo, prepared to FIA Group 4 rules, similar to the Porsche 935 which was prepared to FIA Group 5 rules.-History:...
GT car. Even with 2.1 litre and a turbo factor of 1.4, the turbos by now outpowered normally aspirated 3 litre engines. Taking advantage of that, in 1976 the factory developed the Porsche 936
Porsche 936
The Porsche 936 was a racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 908, a three litre sportscar prototype which was retired by the factory after 1971...
to compete in the new Group 6 Two-Seater Racing Car category had replaced the Group 5 Sports Car class. Unlike the 934 and 935, Porsche did not offer the 936 for sale, entering it in a few races only, mostly at Le Mans. Several customer-908s were upgraded with 936-style bodywork. The Porsche 908/80 Turbo of Joest and Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
which finished 2nd in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 48th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 1980. It was the seventh round of the 1980 World Championship for Makes.-Pre-race:...
turned out later to have a real Porsche 936
Porsche 936
The Porsche 936 was a racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 908, a three litre sportscar prototype which was retired by the factory after 1971...
chassis, though.
The 908 has won the 1000km Nürburgring
1000km Nürburgring
The ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring is an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.- History :...
in three different decades, winning four years in a row from 1968 to 1971 and again in 1980, utilizing turbocharging for its final victory. 908s are still raced today in competitions such as the Classic Endurance Racing (CER) series.
908 LH Coupé '68
- 2990 cc 8-cyl engine
- top speed: 320 km/h (198.8 mph)
- closed cockpit
- long tail bodywork for fast tracks
908/2 Spyder '69
- 2990 cc 8-cyl engine
- top speed: 290 km/h (180.2 mph)
- open cockpit
- low weight (no minimum weight given by rules)
- long tail bodywork for fast tracks
908/3 Spyder '70/'71
- 2990 cc 8-cyl engine
- top speed: 290 km/h (180.2 mph)
- open cockpit
- shorter wheelbase
- lower weight
- new bodywork, also with rear fins in '71
908/3 Spyder Turbo '75 - '81
- '71 factory cars sold to customer teams
- modified by teams and in factory
- 2140 cc 6-cyl turbo engines
- 500+ hp