The Porsche 962 arrived on scene in 1984 as essentially a Porsche 956 for the IMSA/US market. IMSA mandated that the driver’s feet had to be behind the front wheel centerline. Therefore Porsche needed to change the 956 to accommodate this difference and ultimately that meant redesigning the monocoque and giving the car a new designation.
The 962’s monocoque was basically a stretched 956 tub with one primary difference. The result was that the 962’s front overhang was shorter (in order to stay within the maximum regulated length) with the added bonus being that the car was less pitch sensitive compared to the 956.
The production of the 962 spanned from 1984 to 1991 and over that period, Porsche made 91 examples of the prototype. The factory team used 16 cars for its race outings, selling the other 75 examples to private customers.
Watch as James Taylor from CAR magazine seizes the extraordinary opportunity to drive the magnificent 1987 Shell-Dunlop Porsche 962 around the Goodwood Motor Circuit. Enjoy the raw sound of the Porsche 962’s 730 hp flat-six engine as it is unleashed on the track!
