Model In Depth Archives - Page 5 of 7

Porsche 917 K-71 (1971)

The “shark fins” on the tail gave the Porsche 917 KH 1971 greater directional stability and reduced wind resistance by 11 percent. In 1971 a veritable armada of six Porsche 917s started at Le Mans. The car with start number 22 was special. The white race car with the characteristic Martini stripes had the new “shark fins” on the tail that Porsche had first used in pretraining in April. This 917 was also the first Porsche with a magnesium tubular frame to be used in a race.

Porsche 917

Porsche 917 LH-69 (1969)

For the 1969 racing season an absolutely new Porsche 917 with 4.5-litre 12-cylinder engine was created. Ferdinand Piëch relied on the skilfulness of Hans Mezger, who was responsible for the overall construction of the vehicle and its engine. The aim was to create the fastest racing car ever. Short and long tail versions were developed, called as the 917 K ("Kurz" = short in German) and the 917 LH ("Langheck" = long tail). The first car was assembled in December 1968.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917 LH-70 (1970)

With the aerodynamic instability of the 917 in the 1969, two separate configurations were used in 1970. These were the short-tail Kurzheck version and the less common Langheck or long-tail. Most of the 917's accolades were achieved by the 917 Kurzheck, leaving the Langheck a less popular, but ultimately just as potent contender.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917 LH-71 (1971)

Like the 917 LH of 1969 and 1970, the 1971 version was also made for one race only - the 24 hours of Le Mans. The 917 LH-70 had already proved that the body was excellent for Le Mans, so the aerodynamical modifications for 1971 were mild. The front was modified and the rear wheels were covered. The 917 LH-70 that scored 2nd at the 1970 Le Mans 24H (chassis 917-043) was modified for the Le Mans 1971.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 917 Living Legend Concept (2013)

In 2013, a small team from Weissach developed a tribute to the 1970 Le Mans winner. The concept utilizes adaptive aerodynamics with Salzburg livery like the original. Carbon Fibre skin, carbon fibre Monocoque and a turbocharged eight-cylinder engine with up to 1,000 PS provides the power. The front and rear suspension are based on 918 components, utilizing motorsport-inspired linkages and pushrods.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917/10 Turbo (1972)

The first turbo-Porsche, Can-Am winner 1972, Interserie winner 1972, 1973. The first ever publically seen turbocharged Porsche was the 917/10 Turbo with chassis number 917/10-011. It was entered for the June 11, 1972 Can-Am Mosport race. Mark Donohue was fastest in the qualification with it, but scored second in the 80 laps race after the 8.1-litre McLaren. The Porsche Turbo era had begun. Eight 917/10 were racing in 1972 in Can-Am and in Interserie.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917/10-71 (1971)

Jo Siffert was the first to take the 917 to Can-Am championship. The car he used in 1969, was the 917 PA Spyder. Although he participated in one Can-Am race in 1970 with a 917 K, that season he skipped. He was back from mid-season 1971 and now with the 917/10. Only two 917/10 were created in 1971. The chassis 001 was used for testing and the 002 by Siffert. He took part in six races out of ten, managed podium finishes three times and scored 4th in the season, like in 1969.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917/10-72 (1972)

The 1972 917/10 was similar in its design to the 908/03, but, of course, had the 12-cylinder engine instead of the 3-litre flat-8. The 917/10-72 was first seen at the Interserie Nürburgring race on April 3. It was the chassis 004 car of Leo Kinnunen and Keimola Racing Team AAW. Kinnunen scored 4th in the first race, but would win the championship by the end of the season. The second Interserie race was at Monza on May 1st and that race was won by chassis 917/10-002 and Willy Kauhsen.

Porsche 917/20

Porsche 917/20 Le Mans (1971)

An attempt to blend the best aerodynamic characteristics from both the short-tailed 917 K and long-tailed 917 LH led to the the 917/20, otherwise known as the Pink Pig. The car's combination of a long body, stubby face, and wide hips gave it a pig-like look, which inspired Porsche designer Anatole Lapine to give the car a pink paint job with butcher cut lines covering the exterior. It was hugely popular at the 1971 Le Mans race, and was the fastest in qualifying and nearly came in fifth place, before a brake failure caused it to crash before the finish line.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 917/20 Turbo (1973 – 1974)

The 917/20 Turbo is a confusing car - its chassis number reads 917/30-001, but it is not the real 917/30. In its first race it was called as the 917/10 Turbo. Sharp eye can detect that it was not just the 917/10 Turbo, but an evolution of it. At the same time it was not the evolution of the 1971 Le Mans 917/20. Still, the car should not be called as the 917/30 to distinct it from the "real" 917/30 Can-Am racers and in 1974 it was decided to call it as the 917/20 Turbo.

Porsche 917

Porsche 917/30 Spyder (1972 – 1973)

The final evolution of the 917 was created after Ferdinand Piëch had left the Porsche company in 1972. Two complete 917/30 Can-Am cars with 2500 mm (98.4") wheelbase were made for Roger Penske Enterprises racing team. They were chassis 917/30-002 and 003. The 001 car was not a real 917/30 and was raced in Europe at the Interserie. The Can-Am 917/30 had a 5.4-litre flat 12-cylinder twin-turbo engine which produced so much power that nobody really knew how much.

Porsche 918

Porsche 918 RSR Hybrid Concept (2011)

Made as a demonstrative show-car, the 918 RSR ‘Racing Lab’ was part of a new initiative called Porsche Intelligent Performance which will likely develop hybrid racing cars for outright victories at events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The concept version revealed at Detroit has the same visual styling cues as the Spyder released in 2010 with the hybrid drive system from the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

Porsche 918

Porsche 918 Spyder

With the engineering might (and budget) of Porsche behind it, and drawing upon the company’s experience of racing hybrids in endurance racing, the 918 Spyder managed to undercut its rivals on price, while providing arguably the most complete road car package of the holy trinity. Appropriately, 918 examples of the Spyder were promised, with Porsche digging deep into its motorsport knowledge to produce technology that provided world-beating performance.

Porsche 918

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept (2010)

The 918 Spyder concept combines high-tech racing features with electric-mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities. The highly-innovative 918 Spyder concept car combines Porsche's Intelligent Performance philosophy with the high-technology from motorsport, with classic but modern design to make a truly convincing statement.

Porsche 918

Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype (2013)

Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype is a combo of mis-matched Porsche parts that looks more like a Frankenstein car than a cutting edge technical automotive marvel. But don't let the crazy exterior fool you because underneath, the 918 Spyder Prototyp is a pure science experiment designed to wow us in a few years.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Porsche 919 Hybrid (2014)

The Porsche LMP1-H (Le Mans Prototype Class 1, Hybrid) race car featured a hybrid system that consisted of a turbocharged 2.0V4 petrol engine at the rear axle and an electric motor at the front axle. The electric motor/generator unit (MGU) collected the energy from the front axle under braking and the AER exhaust energy recovery system operated on the exhaust gas - a separate turbocharger ran an alternator.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Porsche 919 Hybrid (2015)

The 2015 season Porsche released a new version of their 919 LMP1 prototype which was reshaped and significantly upgraded to the Premiere class which uses an 8 megajoule hybrid electric system. It follows the 2014 car which had competitive but lackluster year against Audi and Toyota. Combined with a 2 litre, twin turbo V4 gasoline engine is the 8 megajoule lithium-ion battery which powers the front electric engine for a total power output nearing 900 to 1000 bhp.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Porsche 919 Hybrid (2016)

The third-generation 919 Hybrid (2016 MY) is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder, two-litre petrol engine delivering almost 500 hp that drives the rear axle. The V4 engine, which is fully load-bearing, is turbocharged and features 4-valves per cylinder, DOHC, a Garrett turbocharger, direct fuel injection and an aluminium cylinder crankcase. In addition, the electric motor delivering more than 400 hp to the front axle. The latter is fed by two energy recovery systems.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Porsche 919 Hybrid (2017)

According to Porsche, it retained the monocoque from 2016, but 60 to 70% of the 2017 car was new, with the largest alterations being to its aerodynamic demands. This included a major redesign of the front of the 919 Hybrid with wider arches for the front wheels to make it less aerodynamically sensitive from small bits of discarded rubber from the track surface. Porsche remained in the 8 MJ (2.2 kWh) MGU category for the 2017 season. The engine was modified to be lighter and more compact, and Porsche stated that it was its most-efficient ever.

Porsche 919

Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (2018)

With the car retiring after the 2017 LMP WEC season, the Porsche team decided to throw it a truly memorable send-off. Freed from any restrictions brought upon by strict regulations in the class it competed in, Porsche threw out the rulebook and established a new benchmark. Amongst the notable parting gifts was a significant horsepower bump, increasing the turbo V4 to 720 horsepower from 500 horsepower. Additionally, the electric motor received a 10% boost, now generating 440 horsepower. In total this gave the 919 a remarkable 1160 horsepower.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 919 Street Concept (2017)

The Porsche 919 Street is a supercar concept, designed and built by Porsche in 2017, based on the highly successful Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car. The dimensions and basic design elements of the 919 Street are the same as that of the race car. However the 919 Street instead has a less-pronounced wing and more street-car comforts. This is the one we wish they made. Alas, the 900 HP LMP1-Based road-ready rocket that never was.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 (1976 – 1986)

The base model Porsche 924 was produced for model years 1976 to 1986. During its production run, VW decided to stop manufacturing the engine blocks used in this version (the 2.0 L 924), forcing Porsche to continue production for model year 1987 with a more powerful engine, calling it the 924S. The base model 924 had a production run of 121,000 vehicles approximately.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Carrera GT (1980)

In 1979, Porsche unveiled a concept version of the 924 at the Frankfurt Auto show wearing Carrera badges. One year later, in 1980, Porsche released the 924 Carrera GT, making clear their intention to enter the 924 in competition. By adding an intercooler and increasing compression to 8.5:1, as well as various other little changes, Porsche was able to develop the 924 Turbo into the race car they had wanted, dubbing it the "924 Carrera GT". 406 examples (including prototypes) of the Carrera GT were built to qualify it for Group 4 racing requirements.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Carrera GTP (1981)

GTP cars were produced in 1980, three of which were special LeMans race cars. The cars had the 2.0L turbocharged 924 engine with a huge front-mounted intercooler and increased boost to increase output to 320 HP and 285 lbs/ft of torque. The engine used Bosch mechanical fuel injection and with a weight of 2050 pounds had a top speed of 180 mph. It was third in the GTP class, with an 6th place finish overall, and another finished fifth in class and 12th overall.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Carrera GTR (1981)

The Carrera GTR was the ultimate 924 Street/Race Car in 1981. The GTR had larger flares, larger wheels and tires, improved brakes and a whopping 375 horsepower from the 2.0L turbocharged dry-sump engine. At $75,000, the GTR would have cost over $200,000 in today’s money, but what you got was a 180 mph screamer for the street, but in full race trim.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Carrera GTS (1981)

After the end of production of the 400 Porsche 924 Carrera GT road sports cars at the beginning of December 1980, a small evolution series of pure competitive cars was launched: the Porsche 924 Carrera GTS. The two-liter engine of the Porsche 924 Carrera GTS turbo-charged with a maximum of 1.0 bar and classified in Group 4 according to the FIA Regulations developed 245 hp (180 kW) at a speed of 6,250 revs./min. and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Rallye Turbo (1978)

As a top-secret project, the Porsche Museum workshop and the Porsche Heritage department worked on a special front-engined sports car from 1981. 40 years ago, starting on May 15, this car competed in the Deutsche Rallye-Meisterschaft (German Rally Championship). Behind the wheel was non other than Walter Röhrl, with Christian Geistdörfer next to him.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 SCCA (924D) (1979)

These cars were designed by the factory to race in SCCA D Production Championship starting in 1979. The Porsche project number of these race cars was 933. Only 16 were built by the factory. However, if you had the right connections, you "could" buy the parts as a kit from Porsche to convert your street car into a fully race-ready 924.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924 Turbo (1979 – 1984)

Porsche upgraded the performance of its 924 with the introduction of a turbocharged model in 1979. While the lower end of the engine remained unchanged, many improvements were made to the upper end of the engine as well as the drivetrain. On the outside, the car gained alloy wheels, a distinctive NACA duct in its hood, and a rear spoiler. Horsepower increased from the naturally aspirated 125 bhp to 170 bhp in the turbo.

Porsche 924

Porsche 924S (1987 – 1988)

The decision was made to equip the narrower bodied 924 with a slightly detuned version of the 944's 163 bhp 2.5 litre straight four, upgrading the suspension and adding 5 lug wheels and 944 style brakes, but retaining the 924's early interior. The result was 1986's 150 bhp 924S. Porsche also decided to re-introduce the 924 to the American market with an initial price tag of under $20,000. In 1988, the 924S' final year of production, power increased to 160 hp matching that of the previous year's Le Mans spec cars.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 (1978 – 1982)

The Porsche 928 was the company’s first production car with a V-8 engine and the only coupe powered by a front-mounted V-8 as of today. Developed in the 1970s as a replacement of the 911, the 928 was eventually sold alongside the rear-engine sports car. Production lasted from 1977 until 1995. What people saw was a sleek if rather heavy-looking 2 + 2 hatchback coupe unlike anything else on the road -- a sort of German Corvette.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 All-aluminium Special

Porsche shipped one of its experimental 'All-aluminum' 928S to the Brumos Racing Team for the 1984 24 hours of Daytona with the instructions not to modify the car in any way. Porsche desired to promote the performance of the 928 in the U.S. The drivers were given specific instructions to just 'drive the car'.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 GT (1989 – 1991)

In 1989, 928 buyers had the choice of the S4 or the GT, a better-equipped, manual-only car. The 928 GT was sportier than the 928 S4. Thanks to various modifications, its power unit generated up to 330 hp. The GT was delivered as standard without side protection strips and with wheels in a unique design. It featured a dogleg manual gearbox, a more aggressive suspension, and special seven-spoke Club Sport wheels

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 GTS (1992 – 1995)

The last evolutionary stage of the 928 model featured flared rear wings, a red light panel at the rear, a rear wing painted in exterior colour, exterior mirrors in the Cup design plus 17" Cup rims as standard. The 5.4-litre engine of the GTS generated 350 hp. The 928 GTS came for sale in late 1991 as a 1992 model in Europe and in spring of 1992 as an early 1993 model in North America. Changed bodywork, larger front brakes and a new, more powerful 5.4 L engine were the big changes.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 928 H50 (1987)

In 1987 Porsche experimented with a long-wheel-base 928 called the H50 that accommodated four doors and full-size rear seats. It was built on the then recently released S4 platform with the 330 bhp V8. Two different versions of the H50 were made, one as a station wagon and another as a hatchback. Porsche was pretty serious about testing the car and put it though 5000 miles of testing

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 Koenig

In the 1980s and 90s, the Munich-based tuning company Koenig Specials GmbH was known for its conversions of top-class sports cars, especially Ferraris. They also turned their attention to the Porsche 928 with a number of cool 928 kits. Popular in the Middle East, these "widebody" kits made the 928 look like a totally different car. It is unknown how many were made and most of the cars were pretty unique in terms of the kit and updates.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 Long Wheelbase Specials

In collaboration with tuning company AMG, in 1986 Porsche created several long-wheelbase 928 specials. These models had normal 928 headlights until the Porsche 942. One was given as a gift to American Sunroof Corporation founder and CEO Heinz Prechter. The ASC was eventually part responsible for making Porsche 944 S2 cabriolets.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 Pikes Peak Special (2007 – 2009)

In 2007, 2008 and 2009 American racing driver Carl Fausett took his specially prepared and supercharged 1978 Porsche 928 to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and competed in the Open Division. Fausett placed third in the Open Division in both 2007 and again in 2009, where he was also the fastest 2WD car. At that time, much of the race course was gravel.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 S (1980 – 1986)

To replace the base 928, a refreshed 928 S was released in Europe in the 1980 model year (1983 for North America). The S wore new front and rear spoilers and sported wider wheels and tires, but the main change was a revised 4.7 L engine. In 1985, North America got a new 5.0 L 288 hp 32-valve engine with Bosch LH-Jetronic injection. Mid-year 1986 models incorporated the upgraded suspension and Brembo brakes.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 S4 (1987 – 1991)

The 928 S4 variant debuted in the second half of 1986 as a 1987 model, an updated version of the 5.0 L V8 for all markets producing 235 kW; 316 hp (320 PS), sporting a new single-disc clutch in manual transmission cars, larger torque converter in cars equipped with automatic transmission cars and fairly significant styling updates which gave the car a cleaner, sleeker look. S4 was much closer to being a truly world car than previous models with only small differences across markets

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 S4 Bonneville Special

When it comes to land speed records speed is measured to the fifth decimal place (hundred thousandths). So when Carl Fausett’s Porsche 928 hit 216.63537 MPH, that was more than enough to capture the title of World’s Fastest Porsche 928 (previously set at 206 MPH). It happend on August 7, 1986 with Al Holbert behind the wheel.

Porsche 928

Porsche 928 S4 CS/SE (1988-1989)

The Clubsport was up to 100 kg (220 lb) lighter and became available in 1988. This model was the toned-down version of the 1987 factory prototype which had a lightened body. In 1987, the factory made five white lightweight S4 models with a manual transmission for racecar drivers. The Special Equipment (SE) was a more complete version of the CS, in which some accessories lost in the CS are added back again.

Porsche 911

Porsche 930 Turbo SE G50 ‘Flachbau’ Cabriolet (1988 – 1989)

Just 50 ‘C16’ cars were manufactured for the UK-market, initially equipped with an uprated engine of 330bhp (from 300) mated to a 4-speed transmission. However, at the end of 1988, the uprated 5-Speed G50 gearbox was introduced, dramatically easing the peaks in power delivery by reducing the effects of ‘turbo-lag’. The factory SE also benefited from a dual-exit exhaust system, limited-slip differential, heated front seats and a sunroof.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 934 (1976 – 1977)

Using the 930 Turbo as a basis, Porsche built the 934 for Group 4 GT racing. It replaced the outgoing Carrera RSR while winning GT Championships in Europe and performing very well in America for Trans Am. Porsche built the 934 from a standard 930 bodyshell and production rear spoiler, but almost nothing else was left alone. The suspension was converted to solid mounts and nylon bushings with adjustable anti-roll bars.

Porsche 934

Porsche 934/5 (1976 – 1977)

In 1967 Porsche prepared a small number of 934 Porsches with 935 Group 5 parts for the Trans-Am and IMSA GTO series. In the end, the 934/5 dominated the Trans-Am series by taking to top five positions in the championship. Ludwig Heimrath became the 1977 Trans-Am champion in his 934/5 by protesting Peter Gregg's highly modified car. Together they humbled the Corvette C3s and the Group 44 Jaguar XJS.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 935 Straßenversion

In 1983 Porsche produced a stunning one-of road car for TAG owner Mansour Ojjeh. Based on a 934 chassis, it was designed to mimic the potent 935 racecars and subsequently became the one of the first slantnoses. Both the front and rear sections were made similar to the potent 935 race car which dominated the Group 5 Championship. This silhouette series allowed radical modifications which contributed to the repositioned nose, ultra-wdie flares and extended rear bodywork.

Porsche 911

Porsche 935 Tribute (2019)

The 935 tribute car was a non-street-legal collector's car built in a series of 77 cars. It was built from the 911 991.2 GT3 R racing car, fitted with the engine and transmission from the 911 991.2 GT2 RS street car and with the bodykit showing some design details from the 935 cars. The problem: it was not as powerful as the 1978 935 was with even smaller engine and the modern car is much heavier, so the power-to-weight ratio was almost 60% better 40 years earlier.

930 770 0905 at the National Automobile Museum Reno Nevada USA

Porsche History

Porsche 935: Chassis Number 930 770 0905

Sports car racing went through some turbulent times in the early 1970’s. At the start (1970) the world championship was...

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 935/76 (1976)

The Group 4 racer based on the 911 Turbo (930) was called 934 and the Group 5 Porsche was called 935. The first version of the 935 looked similar to the 911 Carrera RSR. The first customers for 935 were Martini Racing and Kremer Racing. The Martini car was a full factory development, while Kremer made its own enhancements already before the first race. By 1977, the 935 was sold as a customer car for these series to race against cars like the BMW CSL.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 935/77 (1977)

The 935/77 was a result of relaxed rules and the car got a completely new suspension. The mirrors were incorporated into the front fenders and the rear window had a new angle. The 935/77 was visually very pleasing. While the 935/76 had a single turbocharger, the 2.85-litre engine of the 935/77 had two turbochargers. There was also a "baby" 935/77 built with a smaller 1.4-litre turbocharged engine to compete in the national German DRM series under 2 liter class.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 935/78 ‘Moby Dick’ (1978)

The 935/78 was the ultimate expression of the 911 factory race car before Porsche officially withdrew from motor sport. Raced under the Group 5 silhouette series, great liberties were taken with the design and the result was nicknamed ‘Moby Dick’ for its large size and huge overhangs. The 935/78 was built under Porsche's Chief Racing by Norbert Singer for high speeds at Le Mans. Due to the advanced shape of the car 227 mph or 366 km/h was possible.

Model In Depth Porsche Race Cars Porsche 936

Porsche 936/76 (1976)

The Group 6 Porsche 936 was the successor to the 908/03 and the turbocharged 917. While the 917 had a 5.4-litre flat-12 biturbo engine, the 936 got a 2.1-litre flat-6 single turbo engine. The reason for the 2.1-litre displacement was to fit inside the 3-litre class (turbocharged cars had a coefficient of 1.4). Despite the small capacity, the engine developed more than five hundred horsepower. Imagine such power in a ~700 kg/1540 lb car!

Model In Depth Porsche Race Cars Porsche 936

Porsche 936/77 (1977)

In 1977, Porsche returned to Le Mans with the 936/77. Its body was smaller, lower, shorter and further refined aerodynamically. The engine now featured two turbochargers and delivered 20 more horsepower. At one of the most dramatic races in history, Jacky Ickx, Jürgen Barth and Hurley Haywood slayed the armada of four Renault works cars and two factory-supported “Mirage” with Renault motors. In the year 1981, the 936 celebrated a sensational comeback with another overall Le Mans victory.

Model In Depth Porsche Race Cars Porsche 936

Porsche 936/78 (1978)

For the 1978 Le Mans, Porsche created two new 936/78. The first one was built using chassis 936-001, which had already served for the 936/76 and 936/77. The second car was built on a new chassis and numbered 936-003. Because of the new water-cooled 24-valve engine, the 936/78 came with huge NACA ducts on the sides for the radiators and a new rear end with hanging spoiler.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 936/81 (1981)

Because the traditional pre-test is cancelled in 1981, Porsche is forced to start at Le Mans without testing. None the less, the race ends successfully: Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell win almost an hour ahead of the second placed competitor – right in time for the 50th anniversary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, and 30 years after Porsche’s first start at Le Mans.

Porsche 942

The Porsche 942 was a special edition of 928 submitted by the company as a gift to Ferry Porsche on his 75th birthday in 1984. Also known by name 928-4, 928S, it had an additional 254 mm wheelbase than the normal 928 production model, including an extended roof over the rear seats to better accommodate tall passengers, headlights very advanced technology, the motor 5 liter 32 valves before introduced to the U.S. market.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 Callaway (1983)

In 1983, American tuning company Callaway Cars began offering a turbocharged package for the US-Spec 944 in collaboration with Porsche. The standard 2.5 L inline-four engine was not suitable for forced induction because of the higher compression ratio of 9.5:1 which made the engine prone to failure when subject to forced induction along with the complex Bosch Motronic engine management system.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 Celebration Edition (1988)

The Porsche 944 Celebration Edition was a special edition of the 944 base model produced to commemorate the 100,000th 944 built in Neckarsulm, Germany. A total of 930 units were produced in one of two colors: Zermatt Silver and Satin Black Metallic. These celebration models- effectively standard cars brought up to a very high specification, featured black leatherette, the attractive grey or maroon "STUDIO" cloth and silver and grey carpeting.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 Coupe (1982 – 1989)

The base Porsche 944 coupe was built between 1982 and 1989, essentially the same platform as the Porsche 924 (there was some overlap as the 924 was produced till 1988). The 944 was intended to last into the 1990s, but major revisions planned for a 944 S3 model were eventually rolled into the Porsche 968 instead, which replaced the 944.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 French Special (1984)

In spring of 1984 Rothmans cosmetic edition 944 was made, a batch of 100 numbered cars ordered by the French importer Sonauto (the subsidiary of Porsche AG) to celebrate the victorious Rothmans-sponsored Porsche 956 that had won Le Mans 24 hour race in France in 1982 and in 1983. At the time when the Rothmans 944 was sold, Rothmans-Porsche factory team decided to boycott the 1984 Le Mans race. Only 100 were produced.

Porsche 944

Porsche 944 GTP (1981)

In 1981 Porsche developed two 944 prototypes to succeed the 924 GTPs which raced the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans. To coincide with the release of the 944 in fall of 1981, Porsche prepared a GTP version to promote the car before the launch. The GTP was equipped with a special Type 949 cylinder block with dry sump lubrication, KKK K28 turbocharger and an air-to-air intercooler.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 S Coupe (1987 – 1988)

In 1987 Porsche debuted the 944 S, the “S” standing for “Super”. This “Super” Porsche 944 was fitted with a more high performance version of the naturally aspirated four cylinder engine. This engine version had dual overhead camshafts to operate the four valves per cylinder and a revised Motronic 2 engine management system with dual knock sensors to best handle the 10.9:1 compression ratio. Power was a comfortably adequate 187hp.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet (1989 – 1991)

The S2 was also available as a cabriolet, a first for the 944 line. The Cabriolet, engineered by American Sunroof Company, was rumored to be two years late in arriving on the market due to unprecedented chassis flex problems. The finished article, despite being 70 KG heavier than the coupe, displayed no obvious signs of such problems, and its clean lines found a place in many hearts.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 S2 Coupe (1989 – 1991)

The covers were lifted off the 944's next-generation model in early 1989, the stunningly contemporary 944 S2. Porsche, as a company, were heading into tough times and were relying on the 944 S2 and the new 911, the 964, to make enough money just to stay afloat. Porsche upped the performance of the 944 S2 thanks to an upgraded engine, a 3.0 liter version of the DOHC double valve four cylinder that was good for solid 208 hp. The 16-valve engine was bored out from 2.5 litres to 3.0 litres.

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 S2 SE (1992)

The 944 range officially ended production in July 1991. A dated range and slow sales wrote the obituary for the model, but in the UK, brand-new cars still languished at dealers well into 1993. A UK-only special edition was made in 1992 and it was called the Porsche 944 S2 SE. It was basically an S2 brought up to full specification, for less than the standard car. Very limited, only 15 were eventually made. Benefits listed include improved acceleration in higher rev range; flatter cornering due to stiffer springs and increased roll resistance...

Model In Depth

Porsche 944 Swiss Special (1984)

The Swiss Special 944 was a very limited edition 944 Special produced in 1984. Only 200 944 Swiss Specials were produced and it was largely a design exercise, with several upgrades to the normal 944. The changes included, Red-colored stickers on the back of "Porsche” “944", Special size teledial rims, Seats , rear bench and door panels in 924 Carrera GT fabric and dashboard plastic parts in black instead of the standard silver.

Porsche 944

Porsche 944 Turbo Cabriolet (1991)

The last iteration of the 944 Turbo was the 944 Turbo Cabriolet which was the 944 Turbo Cabriolet. This was a 944 Turbo S with a special cabriolet body made by the American Sunroof Company (ASC) of Weinsberg, Germany, who also made the bodies for the 944 S2 Cabriolet. 625 of the 944 Turbo Cabriolet were made with 100 being built with right hand drive and the remaining 525 being left hand drive.

Porsche 944

Porsche 944 Turbo Coupe (1985 – 1991)

It didn’t take Porsche’s engineers long to significantly improve on the base 944’s performance by doing the obvious and adding a turbocharger to the engine. The 944 Turbo entered production in 1985 for the 1986 production year and it made a significant difference to the stock 944’s performance. Power of the new turbocharged engine was 220hp and torque was 243lb/ft, a significant increase over the naturally aspirated standard 944.

Porsche 944

Porsche 944 Turbo Cup (1986 – 1988)

In late 1985 Porsche developed the 944 “Weissach turbo cup race car” to provide amateur enthusiasts with a cost effective entry into motorsports. Porsche initially designed to participate in a single-marque racing series run in conjunction with 1986 German ADAC Supercup races, but soon spread to Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria , USA, Canada and even Czechoslovakia. The cars were modified extensively for racing duties, including taking out a lot of weight.

Porsche 944

Porsche 944 Turbo S (1988)

In 1988, Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo S with a more powerful engine (designation number M44/52) rated at a maximum power output of 250 PS (184 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 350 N⋅m (258 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,000 rpm (the engine in the standard 944 Turbo generated 223 PS (164 kW) and 243 lb⋅ft (329 N⋅m)). This higher output was achieved by using a larger KKK K26-8 turbocharger housing and revised engine mapping to maximize boost for longer.

Porsche 911

Porsche 953 (1984)

The Porsche 953 ranks as one of the finest off-roaders Porsche has ever made. It was basically a souped-up 911 designed specially to give Porsche an advantage in the 1984 Paris–Dakar Rally. Just a year later, it was replaced by the 959. Despite its brief run, it still managed to make quite the impression. Built around a massively enhanced suspension and a supremely powerful 300 bhp (224 kW), 6-cylinder engine, it showed Porsche knew more than just sportscars.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 956 (1982 – 1983)

The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship. It was later upgraded to the 956B in 1984. In 1983, driven by Stefan Bellof, this car established a record that would stand for 35 years, lapping the famed 20.832 km (12.93 mi) Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:11.13 during qualifying for the 1000 km Sports Car race.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 956B (1984 – 1986)

In 1984 Porsche offered a full works-specification car known as the 956B. This provided the New-Man Joest Racing team with a winning formula and they dominated the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans with a resounding victory. One of the main differences between the customer 956 and the 956B was the Bosch Motronic engine management. This allowed more precise ignition and injection which in turn provided better economy and more power.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 959 “Gruppe B” Prototype (1983)

The idea for 959 was born as early as 1983 when this so-called Guppe B prototype was displayed at Frankfurt Motor Show. While there were glimpses of the contemporary 911 in the Gruppe B – the wheelbase, the roofline, the windows and doors, much of the interior – in truth the new model had little in common with Porsche’s perennial sports car. The production 959 ended up being launched in 1987.

Model In Depth

Porsche 959 Komfort (1986 – 1993)

The most advanced Porsche of the 1980s and part of a new breed of supercars. It had an all-wheel-drive system with driver-selectable torque split, adjustable ride height, hollow-spoke magnesium wheels, tire-pressure monitoring, and a six-speed gearbox. Even though the engine was air-cooled, it used water-cooled cylinder heads and twin turbos operating in sequence. This level of technical achievement on the 959 was huge for Porsche.

Porsche 959 Model In Depth Porsche Concept Cars Porsche 959 Prototype

Porsche 959 Prototypes (1983 – 1986)

The first prototype receiving those modifications was code named “F3”, and was destroyed in the first crash test. A total of 37 prototypes and pre-production cars were used for testing and press activities. Most of these prototypes were dismantled and discarded, but several managed to survive. In 1985, Porsche’s head of development Helmut Bott earmarked 29 930 Turbo chassis to be turned into 959 prototypes for testing.

Porsche 959

Porsche 959 Rally (1985 – 1986)

The 959 took both first and second place in the 1986 Paris-Dakar rally. For 1986, the Dakar Porsches finally got all the upgrades from the 959 project, including the active four-wheel drive system offering four driving modes adjusted by the computers. This gave Porsche a 1-2 finish, with supporting 959 Dakar engineer Unger Kussmaul crossing the line at sixth. Once the champagne had dried up, Porsche deemed its Dakar program accomplished.

Porsche 959

Porsche 959 Sport (1987 – 1988)

For some context, the iconic 959 remained Porsche’s fastest production car for a cool 26 years (in its very rare S guise) before the company topped it with the 918 Spyder in 2013. Details on the 959 S are scarce; Porsche made just 29 examples of it, with the 2.8-liter flat-six engine featuring larger turbochargers and the company claiming an “official” output of 508hp and 413lb-ft of torque, over the standard 959’s 444hp. Top speed was 210mph.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 960 Turismo Concept (2016)

The Porsche 960 Vision Turismo is a mid-size sedan concept, designed and built by Porsche in 2016 that previewed some of the future design cues that Porsche would incorporate into the Porsche 911 (generation 991.2). The creation of the concept happened nearly by accident when somebody saw a sketch of the 918 Spyder and thought it had four doors .

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 961 (1986 – 1987)

The Porsche 961 was the racing version of the 959 supercar. While the 959 rallye car was also internally called 961, publicly only the circuit racer was called 961. Only one 961 was built. It had 959 prototype chassis number which in turn was from the 1985 911 Turbo chassis number sequence: WP0ZZZ93ZFS010016. The 961 was entered at the 1986 Le Mans 24 hour race. Uncommonly, the 24 hour race was scheduled for May 31-June 1 that year, two weeks earlier of the typical Le Mans weekend in the middle of June.

Porsche 962

Porsche 962 (1984 – 1991)

The Porsche 962 arrived on scene in 1984 as essentially a Porsche 956 for the IMSA/US market. A biturbo version was used in competition racing in Europe, while an IMSA version with a turbocharger featured in North America. The 962 C was based on the 956, with a 120 millimetre longer wheelbase and competed in LeMans. It differed from the IMSA version. The driver trio Stuck/Bell/Holbert was victorious at Le Mans in 1987. Porsche offered the 962 to privateers to race on their own and they were hugely successful.

Porsche 963

Porsche 963 LMDh (2023)

Porsche 963 LMDh – Reviews, Pricing, Specs & Buyers Guide Porsche’s first customer prototype in more than a decade comes with...

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 965 (1984)

The Porsche 965 was an engineering mule, used to try and solve the tough problem of how to replace the 930's turbocharged, air-cooled engine to power a new sub-959, range-topping 911. Costs ballooned, the project floundered, and ultimately in its last throes, its engineers got desperate. The flat-six with water-cooled heads was too complex, and too expensive, to work. A water-cooled Audi V8 was tested out back, a last-ditch effort to find a cost-effective, power-dense solution.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 Cabriolet (1992 – 1995)

Launched in August 1991 for the 1992 model year, the 968 was available in two body styles: a Coupe and a Cabriolet. Cabriolets came with reinforced bodyshells to compensate for the lack of a roof. Porsche quoted a weight of 1370kg for the Coupe and 1440kg for the Cabriolet. Cabriolet top speeds were slightly slower owing to their messier aerodynamics, but it was dynamically pretty impressive despite the non-coupe body.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 Coupe (1992 – 1995)

The Porsche 968 was a new-and-improved version of the Porsche 944. The 968 also came with an upgraded engine, an improvement on the 2.7L M44/12 16-valve inline-four cylinder engine found in the last base Porsche 944 model from 1989. The new engine now has a 3.0L capacity and makes 237 horsepower, a 64HP upgrade from the 2.7L model. In addition to the engine, the 968 also came with a new transmission. The 944 has a 3-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 CS Coupe (1993 – 1995)

From late 1992 through 1995, Porsche offered a lighter-weight "Club Sport" version of the 968 designed for enthusiasts seeking increased track performance. Much of the 968's luxury-oriented equipment was removed or taken off the options list; less sound deadening material was used and power windows were replaced with crank-driven units. Upgraded stereo systems, A/C and sunroof were still optional as on the standard Coupe and Convertible models.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 Sport (1994 – 1995)

A UK-only version called "968 Sport", was offered in 1994 and 1995, and was essentially a Club Sport model (and was produced on the same production line with similar chassis numbers) with power windows, electric release boot, central locking, cloth comfort seats (different from both the standard and the Club Sport). The Sport variant also got back the two rear seats, again in the cloth material specific to the Sport.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 Turbo RS (1992 – 1993)

In 1992, Porsche introduced the 968 Turbo RS racecar which it developed to compete in the new ADAC GT racing series in Germany. The car was based on the 968 coupe with limited lightening due to the regulations of the series which had a 4kg/bhp power/weight ratio limit. The car featured a K27 turbo boosting the 3.0 litre, 4 cylinder engine and an 8V head, similar to the 944 Turbo S, rather than using the 16V 968 head.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 Turbo S (1993 – 1994)

In 1993, Porsche Motorsports at Weissach briefly produced a turbocharged 968 Turbo S. The 968 Turbo S shared the same body and interior as the Club Sport and visually can be identified by the NACA bonnet hood scoops, adjustable rear wing, three-piece speedline wheels and deeper front spoiler. The 968 Turbo S was powered by a 3.0 L engine with a 8-valve SOHC cylinder head (from the 944 Turbo S) and 944S2 style engine block. 0 - 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 969 (1988)

In 1988, Porsche produced a two-door called the 969, based upon the bodystyling of the 911. Intended as the successor to the Porsche 930, the car did not get past the prototype stage. Porsche intended to create a more powerful, range topping model, based loosely upon the 911. The 969 was to feature a hugely powerful twin-turbocharged engine, and was to pick up where the Porsche 959 left off, using much of the supercar's technology.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 984 Concept Car (1984 – 1987)

Sports two-seater concept car: As a study for a future vehicle concept, between 1984 and 1987 the Porsche Development Center in Weissach worked on a compact, lightweight, and aerodynamic roadster. The project was inspired by a development job previously undertaken for the Spanish automaker Seat. As a small and relatively inexpensive sports car in the price range of US$ 14,000, the Porsche 984 was designed to appeal to a young, sporty clientele.

Buyers Guides

Porsche 986 Boxster Buyer’s Guide

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Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche 989 (1991)

The Porsche 989 a four door performance oriented touring sedan that maintained the iconic shape of the 911 Carrera, but unlike the Panamera, never saw production after it was developed by Porsche between 1988 and 1991. After Ulrich Bez left Porsche in September 1991, the project lost momentum. The severe slump in 928 sales made executives re-think the project. The Porsche Panamera is considered to be the spiritual successor to the 989 project.

Model In Depth

Porsche 991 GT3 Cup 4.0 (991.2) (2016 – 2020)

The rear of the world’s most-produced GT racing car now houses a 4-litre, six-cylinder flat engine for even more drive. Thanks to thoroughbred motorsport technology, the compact engine with direct fuel injection delivers peak performance of 357 kW (485 hp). A range of innovative details also improve efficiency in addition to engine performance, ensuring even better durability of the naturally aspirated engine in racing mode and reduced maintenance costs.

Porsche Race Cars

Porsche 9R3 “LMP 2000” (1999)

The Porsche LMP2000 (also known as the Porsche 9R3) is a Le Mans Prototype racing car that was developed between 1998 and 2000, but never raced. One car was built, and it was designed around a modified version of Porsche's 3.5-litre V10 engine that was originally designed for Formula 1 in 1992. The project was canceled before the car was built, leading to various rumors about the reason for its demise.

Porsche Concept Cars

Porsche Bergspyder Concept (2015)

In 2015, Porsche's executive board ordered Weissach engineers to design and build the lightest sports car possible based on the 981. It was to be more minimalistic than the 981 Spyder. Some of the inspiration came from the 1968 Porsche 909 Bergspyder. This is one sexy one-seater and roofless extreme machine. It received the 3.8-liter Cayman GT4 engine, which was tuned to produce 387hp (up 7hp). Expected Nürburgring time of around 7:30 minutes.

Porsche Boxster 986 (1st Gen)

Porsche Boxster (1997 – 1999)

It was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 914. The first-generation Boxster (the 986) was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model year car. The V-Series Boxster 2.5 rolled out in August 1996 from Porsche’s factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany. The design was heavily influenced by the 1993 Boxster Concept (which was a good thing). It was an instant success, becoming Porsche's biggest seller from its introduction in 1996 until the introduction of the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2003.

Porsche Boxster 986 (1st Gen)

Porsche Boxster (2000 – 2002)

While the original 986 Boxster was a sweet ride, its performance began to lag behind newer competitors like the Honda S2000. Powered by a 2.5-litre flat six-cylinder engine, the base model was upgraded to a 2.7-litre engine in the year 2000. The gearbox options in the Boxster 2.7 are the same as in 2.5, but they got new type designations due to improvements. Externally, the 986 Boxster 2.7 looks like Boxster 2.5. Inside the side airbags are standard and the plastic feeling has been reduced. The fuel tank is a larger 64-liter. Alcantara trim is available on the options list.

Porsche Boxster 986 (1st Gen)

Porsche Boxster (2003 – 2004)

The first generation Boxster got a facelift and refresh for the 2003 model year. The 2003 Boxster came on the market with new engines and new options. It also had a new face, but not that different than the first generation. The result was more horsepower, the 2.7 liter now good for 225 bhp @ 6300 rpm and 192 ft lbs @ 4750 rpm. Power was up by 8 horsepower over the prior year model, while torque was unchanged. From the outside, the 2002 Boxster featured an apron with two air-intakes on the sides.

Porsche Boxster (Base)

Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2006)

The original Porsche Boxster was a huge success and help Porsche grow its customer base, so when the second-generation Boxster (987) came to the US market as a 2005 model it wasn’t a surprise that it followed a similar formula. While the 987 Boxster retained only 20 per cent of the 986’s DNA, it looked similar enough to us that it felt more like a mild refresh than a totally new model update. The engine and transmissions were, for the most part, carry-overs, albeit with the obligatory and customary modest bump in performance and power (now at 240 horsepower).

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