Porsche 908 Race Car

Production period:	1968 to 1971
Class:	race car
Body versions:	Coupe, Spyder
Engines:	Gasoline : 2.1-3.0 litres
Length:	3540-4839 mm
Width:	1830-1950 mm
Height:	680-938 mm
Wheelbase:	2300 mm
Curb weight:	545-650 kg

The Porsche 908 was a racing car or sports prototype of Group 6 constructed in 1968 for the Sports Car World Cup. This came in different versions.

History

From 1968 and the engine capacity of the prototype should be limited to 3000 cc, as in the Formula 1 since 1966. This was officially announced in October, but Porsche had been prepared by then. Due to the rule change, the successful large-volume prototypes of Ford, Ferrari, Chaparral, etc. had become museum-ready within Europe, leaving only the CanAm series in North America as a field of activity. The World Cup and Le Mans gave expectations from Porsche were high. On its first public appearance, the engine showed it was not yet quite ready for long-distance races. For the Le Mans 24 Heures, the car still had a long-tailed streamlined body, with two mobile fins connected to the suspension and moving so as to increase the aerodynamic pressure when the tail of the car tended to lift for any reason. The Porsche, which from many points of view is remarkable, for an air-cooled racing car.

The previous eight-cylinder in the Porsche 907, which was based on the 1500 cc F1 engine of the Porsche 804 from 1962, could only be increased to 2200 cc, made 198 kW (270 hp) and was partially unreliable. Although Porsche had no immediate experience with such large engines, it was decided to construct based on six-cylinder parts equal to a new eight-cylinder, which fully exploited the three-litre limit. The air-cooled eight-cylinder Boxer naturally aspirated engine produced 257 kW (350 hp) at a speed of 8400 rpm and later up to 271 kW (370 hp). The 3-litre version of the Stuttgart works' racing car takes the place of the type 907 which has an engine capacity of 2.2 litres. The engine, however, has been completely redesigned, to take care of the increased distance between the cylinders and to allow a proper dimensioning of the parts. The cooling system, too, has been modified and the solution of a fan mounted on the very end of the crankshaft beside the alternator has been used, with the aim of eliminating any possibility of trouble arising from the presence of a belt.

PERFORMANCE 3.0L

• max speed: 198.8 mph, 320 km/h.
• max power: 310 hp at 8,400 rpm
• specific power: 105 hp/l

As body material, plastic was used over an aluminium tubular frame, over time, different versions have emerged - open Spyder or coupe with short or long tail.

CHASSIS

• tubular trellis with fibreglass body
• front suspension: independent,wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers
• rear suspension: independent,wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, hydraulic telescopic dampers.

Race History 

The 908 first came in April 1968 in Monza used. Although he was fast, but suffered from various teething troubles, as well as the prototypes of the competition, the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 or the Ford P68 with the F1 Cosworth engine. Ferrari discontinued in 1968 in protest against the short-term rule change completely and only in 1969 isolated the newly developed Ferrari 312P based on the F1 with V12 engine at the start.

The proven Porsche 907 continued to be more successful than the redesign. Although victory in the 1000 km Nürburgring Jo Siffert / Vic Elford in the debut of the 908 (44 laps = 1003.64 km in 6: 34: 06.3 hours), but this should remain the only important victory of the 908 in 1968, apart Best of practice and double victory in Zeltweg, which raised the hopes.

The seasonal peak in Le Mans, which normally takes place in mid-June, had to be postponed for a quarter of a year in 1968 due to political unrest in France and took place only as a season ending in late September. Porsche could not use this additional time successfully. The four 908s were the fastest in Le Mans for the first time in practice and also in the race, but the cars had problems with the alternator in the race and the team with the rule design for repairs (inadmissible change of complete units instead of defective parts). Only a 908 (Neerpasch / Stommelen) came through and was third, behind a 907 long tail (Steinemann / Spoerry). Again, won a large-volume Ford GT40 Mk. I of the Gulf team.

At this time, it was already clear that Porsche wanted to start the flight forward and paddling instead of spilling: in response to the Ford GT40, a 5 -litre sports car should be produced in 25 copies, because the minimum number was for 1969 compared to 50 in the previous year halved. In addition, one expects Ferrari for such a step in 1969, since until 1967, the 330P and 412P were used with large-volume V12, and the Ferrari Dino 206S had been produced in small series.

1969 

The 1969 season began for Porsche with the 24-hour race at Daytona. After the triple victory of the 907 in the previous year, all five fell out 908 L, a Porsche 911 rescued the company's honour with the 4th place in front of many sports cars and large-volume US touring car. Victories were two Lola T70, for the five-litre sports car exception rule was actually intended.

In Sebring, the 908 of a Ford GT40 and the new Ferrari 312P prototype was relegated to third place. But at the time the big brother was already presented: The Porsche 917 shocked the competition already at the booth in Geneva by its very existence. The company, which for two decades had built only "harmless" small sports cars with a maximum of 2000 cc, with the new development of a first 4.5 -litre V12 to the top.

On the racetracks now dominated the three-litre 908, which could win Brands Hatch, Monza, Targa Florio, Spa Francorchamps and the 1000 km Nürburgring. The Ford GT 40 were outdated for normal racetracks, the F1-proven three-litre V8 Cosworth in the Ford P68 because of vibrations on the long-haul unreliable, and also the fast, but predominantly individual approaching Ferrari 312P defeated mostly the many Porsches 908.

The sports car world championship 1969 was prematurely won, against Ferrari and Ford. Although the title had already been snatched from the former subscription winner Ferrari in 1964, but under different conditions.

What was missing was the victory in the most important of all endurance races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Should secure the stronger Porsche 917, which had disappointing performances in Spa and two weeks earlier on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The new car proved to be almost impassable there, the factory pilots refused to drive the twelve-cylinder, and preferred the 908, with success. At Le Mans, the 917 were the fastest before the 908, but after 20 hours in the lead, no one was in the lead. Only the Porsche 908 of Hans Herrmann, who already had a longer repair behind him, was still promising in the race, against two of the old Ford GT40and two Matra MS650. In a very exciting final Jacky Ickx prevailed with only 120 m lead over the German, which was hampered by brake wear.A subsequent triple victory of the 908 in Watkins Glen and the long-awaited debut victory of 917 in Zeltweg were only a small consolation.

1970s 

For slower tracks such as Targa Florio and Nürburgring, where the 917 (and its competitor Ferrari 512 S) was less suitable, the compact and agile Spyder version 908/3 was developed in 1970 and 1971 to supplement or replace the 917 and largely victorious used. The basis for this was the Porsche 909 Bergspyder.

With a Porsche 908/02, the actor Steve McQueen was second in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1970 along with Pete Revson behind the Ferrari 512 S of Mario Andretti / Ignazio Giunti / Nino Vaccarella. The same Spyder served in Le Mans during the race as a camera vehicle for his Le Mans film, although McQueen was not allowed to drive himself (and not as planned on his 917 together with Jackie Stewart), because his insurance risk seemed too high. The car even came to the finish, but was slowed down by the weight of the cameras and delayed by film change too much to cover the prescribed minimum distance for a rating. The Porsche 908 of Rudi Lins / Helmut Marko finished third in the 24 Hours of 1970 behind Herrmann / Attwood and Larousse (both Porsche 917).

After 1971, only three-litre prototypes were allowed, the special rule for five-litre sports cars accounted for. Ferrari had already concentrated in 1971 on the development of the Ferrari 312PB based on the F1 with flat V12 "Boxer" engine. Even Alfa Romeo and Matra had more powerful three-litre engines than Porsche with the air-cooled two-valve. The previous advantage of Porsche, the lower weight, however, was due to the FIA rules eliminated, which specified 650 kg minimum. That was 100 kg more than the Porsche 908/03 possible. Porsche thus renounced from 1972 on further factory operations in the sports car World Cup in Favor of other activities; the remaining 908, only used in 4 races were sold.

A private 1969 Porsche 908 coupe from the holdings of Jo Siffert was used by Reinhold Joest, however, 1972 in Le Mans, where the third place was achieved. Customers continued to drive various 908 long distance races such as the 1000 km Nürburgring.

After Porsche had transformed the performance disadvantage in the three-litre class by the development of modern turbo engines in an advantage and implemented this in 1976 in the Porsche 936 in success, also 908 owners replaced the outdated eight-cylinder suckers by turbos with 2140 cc according to the handicap factor 1.4. This increased the power output from 370 to 450 hp to well over 500 hp. In 1980, Rolf Stommelen / Jürgen Barth won the 1000-km race on the Nürburgring (1004.52 km) in 5: 52: 15.1 hours with a modified 908/3 from Reinhold Joest and Liqui Moly Equipe.

The Joest and Jacky Ickx piloted in 1980 in Le Mans in second place, as Porsche 908/80 Turbo designated car but was actually a built-up of factory replacement parts, disguised Porsche 936. From 1982, the new rules of the group C were valid, in which the engines were largely exempted. In addition, the aerodynamics had made great progress, so that the 908 now finally considered outdated, despite respecting successes against the untried new car.