Porsche 718 - The Ultimate Guide

​The Porsche 718 achieved remarkable success in motorsports during the late 1950s and early 1960s, securing numerous victories across various racing disciplines. Its agile design and engineering excellence led to significant accomplishments in endurance races, hill climbs, and even Formula competitions.​

In endurance racing, the 718 made a notable impact. It secured an overall victory at the 1959 Targa Florio, driven by Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel. The following year, the 718 RS60 clinched another Targa Florio win in 1960. Additionally, in 1960, the 718 RS60 achieved a significant victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, further cementing its prowess in endurance events.

The 718 also excelled in hill climb competitions, winning the European Hill Climb Championship consecutively from 1958 through 1961. Beyond these notable victories, the Porsche 718 amassed an impressive overall record. The 718 RSK and 718 RS 60 models collectively secured more than 1,000 race victories, including both class and overall wins. This extensive success underscores the 718's versatility and enduring legacy in the world of motorsports.​

The Porsche 718 achieved outstanding racing success during the late 1950s and early 1960s, proving itself as one of the most versatile and competitive sports racing cars of its era. As the successor to the Porsche 550 Spyder, the 718 carried forward Porsche’s lightweight, mid-engine philosophy and pushed it even further, delivering wins in endurance racing, hill climbs, and open-wheel Formula competition.

In endurance racing, the 718 made a significant mark. It won the prestigious Targa Florio twice—first in 1959 with Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel, and again in 1960 with Jo Bonnier and Hans Herrmann driving the 718 RS60. That same year, the RS60 also claimed overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, cementing its reputation on the international stage. At Le Mans, while the 718 didn't take overall victory, it earned multiple class wins and podium finishes, consistently outperforming larger, more powerful competitors thanks to its efficiency, balance, and reliability.

The 718 was equally successful in hill climb racing, where it dominated the European Hill Climb Championship, winning the title four years in a row from 1958 to 1961. Its compact size, excellent power-to-weight ratio, and nimble handling made it ideal for tackling twisty mountain roads where agility mattered more than raw horsepower.

Perhaps most impressively, the Porsche 718 also made a name for itself in open-wheel racing. Modified into a single-seater, the 718 competed in Formula 2 and later Formula 1, where it surprised many by holding its own against much more powerful cars. In 1961, Porsche finished third in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship using the 718, with Dan Gurney securing multiple podium finishes and helping to elevate Porsche’s status in Grand Prix racing.

Altogether, the Porsche 718 earned over 1,000 race victories across its various forms—RSK, RS60, RS61, and F2/F1 variants—making it one of the most successful and adaptable race cars in Porsche’s early motorsport history. Its legacy lives on as a symbol of Porsche’s clever engineering and competitive spirit in the face of larger, more powerful rivals.

The original Porsche 718 used a series of highly refined air-cooled flat-four engines, most famously the 1.5-liter "Fuhrmann" quad-cam engine—an engineering marvel that became a cornerstone of Porsche’s racing success in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

This engine, officially known as the Type 547, was originally developed for the Porsche 550 and carried over into the 718 with continual refinement. It featured four overhead camshafts, driven by a complex series of bevel gears, and was renowned for its high-revving nature, durability, and power output relative to its small displacement. In 1.5-liter form, it produced around 140–150 horsepower, which was impressive for the time, especially in a car as light and agile as the 718.

Later versions of the 718—such as the RS60 and RS61—featured larger-displacement engines, including 1.6-liter and 1.7-liter variations of the same basic design. These produced closer to 160–180 horsepower, allowing the car to remain competitive as regulations and rivals evolved. The engine's compact size and low weight also contributed to the car's exceptional balance and handling, giving it an edge on tight, technical circuits and in hill climbs.

For open-wheel versions of the 718 used in Formula 2 and Formula 1, Porsche also adapted the flat-four to meet series regulations, and eventually experimented with flat-eight engines as well. But it was the Fuhrmann four-cylinder that defined the heart and soul of the 718—it was an engine that exemplified Porsche’s ethos of getting the most out of less through precision, innovation, and engineering finesse.

The original Porsche 718 was special because it perfectly embodied Porsche’s core philosophy: lightweight engineering, mechanical precision, and performance through balance rather than brute force. While many of its competitors were chasing larger engines and more horsepower, the 718 focused on efficiency, agility, and reliability—and consistently punched above its weight in motorsport.

One of its standout features was the legendary "Fuhrmann" flat-four engine, a high-revving, air-cooled masterpiece with four overhead camshafts. Though modest in displacement—typically 1.5 to 1.6 liters—it was a marvel of mechanical engineering that delivered strong power, excellent durability, and a uniquely responsive character. When paired with the 718's mid-engine layout and lightweight chassis, the result was a car with razor-sharp handling and near-perfect weight distribution—traits that made it devastatingly effective on twisty circuits and tight mountain roads.

What truly set the 718 apart, however, was its versatility and success across multiple racing disciplines. It wasn't just a dominant force in endurance racing—with wins at the Targa Florio, 12 Hours of Sebring, and class podiums at Le Mans—but it also excelled in European hill climbs, and even made its mark in Formula 2 and Formula 1. That adaptability showcased just how fundamentally sound the 718's design was, capable of being reconfigured from a two-seat sports racer to a single-seater open-wheel machine.

Ultimately, the 718 was more than a racing car—it was a proof of concept. It demonstrated that through clever engineering and an unrelenting focus on balance and simplicity, Porsche could beat far more powerful competitors on the world stage. It laid the groundwork for the company’s future motorsport dominance and continues to be celebrated as one of the most important and innovative racing cars in Porsche’s storied history.

The Porsche 718 may not have had the raw horsepower of some of its rivals, but it was impressively fast for its time—especially when you consider its lightweight design, superior balance, and surgical precision on the track. Top speed varied depending on the specific version and configuration, but most 718s were capable of reaching between 135 and 160 mph (217–257 km/h), depending on gearing, engine displacement, and aerodynamic setup.

Early models like the 718 RSK, powered by the 1.5-liter quad-cam flat-four, could reach around 145 mph (233 km/h). Later versions, such as the RS60 and RS61, equipped with 1.6- or 1.7-liter engines and fine-tuned aerodynamics, nudged closer to 160 mph (257 km/h) on longer straights—plenty of speed when paired with the car's incredible agility in the corners.

Acceleration figures were equally impressive for a car of its size and power. With minimal weight (around 570–600 kg or 1,250–1,320 lbs), the 718 could sprint from 0–60 mph in approximately 6 seconds, depending on gearing and tires—numbers that were highly competitive in the late 1950s and early ’60s.

What truly made the 718 "fast," though, wasn't just top speed. It was its ability to carry momentum through tight corners, to brake late and hard without losing composure, and to out-handle more powerful competitors on challenging courses like the Targa Florio, Nürburgring, or in hill climbs. It wasn’t just about going fast in a straight line—it was about being fast everywhere.

Yes, the modern Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman are indeed connected in spirit and name to the original Porsche 718 from the late 1950s and early 1960s—but the relationship is more philosophical than mechanical.

The original 718 was a lightweight, mid-engine race car, built for agility, balance, and precision. It proved that a car didn’t need massive power to be competitive—just smart engineering, low weight, and excellent handling. These are the very same qualities Porsche wanted to emphasize when it launched the modern 718 series in 2016, updating the Boxster and Cayman lineup with turbocharged four-cylinder engines and a renewed focus on lightweight performance.

By reviving the “718” name, Porsche intentionally drew a line back to its racing roots, honoring the legacy of a car that embodied clever, compact, mid-engine design. Both the vintage and modern 718s share that driver-first approach, placing the engine just behind the seats and keeping the weight low and centered for optimal responsiveness.

So, while the modern 718 and the original 718 are separated by decades of technology and serve very different purposes, they are connected by a shared philosophy: agility over excess, balance over brute force, and the joy of precision driving.

Porsche built a relatively small number of original 718 race cars between 1957 and 1962, making them quite rare and highly collectible today. Across all major variants—including the 718 RSK, RS 60, RS 61, and the Formula 2/F1 single-seater versions—Porsche produced roughly 120 to 130 examples, though exact production numbers can vary slightly depending on how prototypes and conversions are counted.

Around 34 RSKs (including the early 718-1500 RS models) were made, while there were approximately 18 RS 60s and roughly 14 RS 61s. A handful of open-wheel 718/2 and 718 F1 cars were made also.

Because of their historical significance, exceptional engineering, and competition success, original Porsche 718s are highly valued on the collector market. Prices vary based on the specific model, race history, originality, and condition. A well-preserved or historically significant 718—particularly one with major wins like the Targa Florio or Sebring—can sell for $3 million to over $6 million USD at auction.

These cars rarely come up for sale, and when they do, they attract global attention. Their combination of rarity, heritage, and pure mechanical appeal makes them among the most sought-after classic Porsches in existence.