Porsche

28 This poster, commemorating Steve McQueen’s victories behind the wheel of Porsche vehicles, was printed to mark the release of the 1971 film “Le Mans”.

In addition to being a great actor, Steve McQueen was also an excellent racecar driver. His love of the Porsche led him to race (and win) at Holtville and Phoenix in a 908, and to come in second at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1970.

29 Steve McQueen’s love for the Porsche led to the filming of “Le Mans”, a documentary about the most famous 24 hour race in the world. To film it, the American actor participated in the race as the official Porsche driver.

In 1970, it is time to compete against Ferrari on equal terms at Le Mans. Seven Porsche 917s racing against eleven Ferrari 512s: after 24 hours, the number 23 short-tail Porsche driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood, with a plastic body and delivering 580 hp (433 kW), is the first to cross the finish line. In second place, the long-tail Porsche 917 driven by Gérard Larrousse and Willi Kauhsen, which—for its strong colors—will go down in motorsport history as the “Hippie Car.”

The same year, Steve McQueen films the movie “Le Mans”, released in June 1973. It is 1971 and Porsche continues to devote its energy to the 24 Hours. Out of the 49 cars at the start line, 39 have the Porsche logo: a record that remains unbeaten today. Before the race, however, the technicians focus mainly on stability: during one of the preliminary test races, Derek Bell manages to reach 246 mph (396 km/h) with a long-tail 917. At the end of the race, Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep are the first across the finish line: their short-tail Porsche 917 succeeds in doing the 397 laps of Le Mans (3315 mi, 5335 km) at the extraordinary average speed of 138 mph (222.304 km/h). A record that remained unbeaten for 39 long years.

PORSCHE: TOWARDS THE ELECTRIC MOTOR

42 The Porsche Carrera GT was built around a 612 hp (456 kW) V10 engine that had to be used in competition. Weighing just 1,380 kg thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, it easily exceeds 186 mph (300 km/h).

43 A hybrid supercar with three engines and over 880 hp (656 kW) that power it up to 214 mph (345 km/h), the Porsche 918 Hybrid is a technologic compendium of all the race cars that Porsche has brought to the Le Mans racecourse.

While the 959 model is known for developing several still valid technical solutions, such as all-wheel drive and the twin-turbo engine, the Carrera GT remains one of the most exciting Porsche supercars of all time. Presented in 2003, it is the first car in the world to boast supports for auxiliary systems and a chassis made entirely of carbon fiber. The same material as the hard top, which is divided into two removable parts, while in homage to the legendary 917 race car, the shift knob (strictly manual) is in balsa wood. Finally, the V10 mid-engine with 612 hp (456 kW), designed directly by the Porsche Racing Car Department, only has to move 3042 lb (1380 kg), allowing the Carrera GT to reach a top speed of 207 mph (334 km/h). On the old Nurburgring race track, the German supercar, with rally champion Walter Röhrl at the wheel, clocked an

impressive time of 7:32.44 minutes. An incredible vehicle; a traveling demonstration of what Porsche is able to build. The natural evolution of this project, still inspired by racing, is the 918 Spyder. A car capable of encasing the future of Porsche sports cars, thanks to its hybrid propulsion system. Outstanding efficiency, technology borrowed from the competition, controlled consumption: the leap forwards from the 918 is epochal. The 1.21 gallon (4.6-liter) V8 develops an amazing 608 hp (453 kW), which thanks to the hybrid system becomes 880 hp (656 kW), with the average consumption of an economy car. How is this possible? The secret lies in the energy recovery system when braking, which transfers energy to an accumulator (about 220 lb, 100 kg) mounted between the fuel tank and the engine.

PORSCHE 356 A 1600 SUPER SPEEDSTER

Bare bone, yet fascinating at the same time. Just like speed. The Speedster (combination of speed and roadster) was in fact conceived as an entry level 356 in order to penetrate the U.S. market. Max Hoffman, U.S. importer of the German brand, set the maximum price for a convertible 356 at $3,000. This was the only way, according to him, that it could possibly be a success. To begin with, Ferry Porsche wasn’t so sure: he was not convinced that cutting the price was a good idea. He felt that he would be underselling his product. However, he eventually changed his mind: he produced the 356 Speedster and put it on sale in the USA at $2,995. How did he do it? By using a windshield with a steeper rake, 3.93 in (10 cm) lower than that of the 356 Cabriolet, which allowed him to use a more basic canvas top that was closer to the passengers’ heads. The dashboard didn’t have a glovebox, the rear seats had a fixed backrest and there were removable plastic curtains instead of the side windows. There was the option of a tonneau cover to quickly protect the interior from rain, which

could be attached with practical automatic hooks. It was an immediate success, particularly in the United States.

So much so, in fact, that when it presented the 356A at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche also kept the Speedster in the range, which, with the designation Super, was fitted with a 0.43 gallon (1.6-liter) engine with 75 hp, a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and 0-60 mph (0–100 km/h) acceleration-time of 10 seconds. Speed and charismatic appeal, beauty and danger: the winning ingredients of the Speedster racing car. A car that, although at a slower rate, continues its successful journey. At much higher prices than the original basic models. With hindsight, we can say that Max Hoffman and Ferry Porsche were right.

TECHNICAL DATA

ENGINE

ENGINE POSITION/LAYOUT: rear/longitudinal

CYLINDERS: Flat 4

BORE X STROKE: 3.2 x 2.9 in (82.5 x 74 mm)

DISPLACEMENT: 97 cu in (1582 cc)

MAXIMUM HORSEPOWER: 75 hp (55 kW) at 5000 rpm

MAXIMUM TORQUE: 86 ft-lb (117 Nm) at 3700 rpm

VALVETRAIN: Pushrod OHV, 2 valves per cylinder

FUEL SYSTEM: twin Solex 40 PBIC carburetors

ENGINE COOLANT: air

LUBRICATION: force feed

TRANSMISSION

DRIVETRAIN: rear-wheel drive

CLUTCH: single dry plate

GEARBOX: VW unsynchronized 4-Speed Manual

CHASSIS

BODY TYPE: 2 door cabriolet

CHASSIS: steel monocoque

FRONT SUSPENSION: parallel trailing arm

REAR SUSPENSION: swing axles

STEERING: rack and pinion

FRONT/REAR BRAKES: VW wheel drums

WHEELS: Steel 5x16”

DIMENSIONS

WHEELBASE: 83 in (2100 mm)

LENGTH: 159 in (3950 mm)

WIDTH: 66 in (1670 mm)

HEIGHT: 48 in (1220 mm)

CURB WEIGHT: 1521 lb (690 kg)

PERFORMANCE

MAXIMUM SPEED: 112 mph (180 km/h)

ACCELERATION 0-60 MPH (0-100 KM/H): 10 seconds

PORSCHE 911-964 JUBILEUM

A rare gem, the Jubilee Edition. Not the first commemorative 911, nor the last, but still extremely beautiful. It was 1993 and the 964 series, after just four years, was preparing to leave the center stage to the new 993 series. It was completely new, although, as always, intimately linked to its origins. To give it the sendoff it deserved, Porsche technicians took a “Turbo look” body, with a duly enlarged tail and fenders, and under the mechanism of the Carrera 4 they hid all-wheel drive. In fact, at Zuffenhausen they had laid the groundwork for what would then become the 993 4S model. With a flat-six engine—naturally aspirated—capable of 250 hp at 6100 rpm, 60 mph (0-100 km/h) in just 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 162 mph (261 km/h). But the “30 Jahre” is remembered above all for its trim package; for the details that made it so special, starting with the ad hoc colors that were created especially for this model. On the rear hood, which didn’t have the traditional flashy spoiler of the Turbo model—it would have looked out of place—there was a badge with “911 30 Jahre” written on it, while the interior was completely covered in excellent quality leather: soft for the seats, folded on the door panels and upside down on the roof of the cabin. As always, the driver had everything under control thanks to the

five circular instrument gauges in front of him, or her, and he, or she, changed gear by placing their hand on a shift knob embellished with a titanium inlay. Today, the very few examples which were produced are worth a fortune: for a 964 Jubilee Edition in good condition, you may be asked for as much as 150,000 Euros. A figure that is easily understandable, considering that it was the last 911 model to resemble its earliest ancestor: the very first 911. The narrow tail and prominent front fenders, topped with the iconic round headlights, have never made a comeback.

TECHNICAL DATA

ENGINE

ENGINE POSITION/LAYOUT: rear/longitudinal

CYLINDERS: Flat 6

BORE X STROKE: 3.94 x 3.01 in (100 x 76.4 mm)

DISPLACEMENT: 220 cu in (3600 cc)

MAXIMUM HORSEPOWER: 250 hp (184 kW) at 6100 rpm

MAXIMUM TORQUE: 228 ft-lb (309 Nm) at 4800 rpm

CHASSIS

BODY TYPE: 2 door coupé, 2+2 seats

CHASSIS: steel monocoque

FRONT SUSPENSION: independent, McPherson struts

REAR SUSPENSION: independent, trailing arms

STEERING: rack and pinion, power steering

FRONT/REAR BRAKES: internally vented disc brakes with

VALVETRAIN: single overhead cam, 2 valves per cylinder

FUEL SYSTEM: Bosch electronic fuel injection system

ENGINE COOLANT: air

LUBRICATION: dry sump

TRANSMISSION

DRIVETRAIN: permanent all-wheel drive with split torque

CLUTCH: single dry plate

GEARBOX: 5-Speed Manual

ABS

WHEELS: Alloy 16”

DIMENSIONS

WHEELBASE: 89 in (2270 mm)

LENGTH: 167 in (4250 mm)

WIDTH: 65 in (1650 mm)

HEIGHT: 52 in (1320 mm)

CURB WEIGHT: 3197 lb (1450 kg)

PERFORMANCE

MAXIMUM SPEED: 162 mph (261 km/h)

ACCELERATION 0-60 MPH (0-100 KM/H): 5.7 seconds

Editorial Production

VALERIA MANFERTO DE FABIANIS

Editorial Coordination

GIORGIO FERRERO

Graphic Design

PAOLA PIACCO

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Translation and editing: TperTradurre s.r.l.

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