Sportscars from the 60s & 70s: Porsche 908, part 1

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

Porsche has left an indelible impression in the world of motorsport. The marque is not only extremely successful today in the various facets of motorsport, but their historic record is nigh unassailable. One of their most iconic cars is the 908, which we will discuss in detail in the coming series of articles.

When the FIA introduced a change in regulations whereby engine displacement of prototypes should be limited to three litres, Porsche decided to develop the 908. Ferdinand Piëch designed the car aiming to beat both Ferrari and Ford with a brand new design for the Group 6 prototype class, and Porsche went on to develop the car specifically for the World Sports Car Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Porsche 908 followed shortly after the 907, both appearing on the scene in 1968. Although the 908, like the 907, managed to score a number of victories early on, there were some mechanical problems that meant that Porsche had to leave the championship to Ford and with their legendary GT40 in their debut year. From there, however, it would become one of the most successful racing cars of its time.

Initially, two configurations were built. There was a coupe, 908K or 908/01 coupé, which underwent a number of transformations. The second car was the 908 LH or 908/01 long tail. The difference between these two models was the longer body with improved aerodynamics used on the 908 LH.

Porsche 908 Short Tail Coupé (Vic Elford – Jochen Neerpasch) / 1000 km Spa 1968 © Photo: Winau Berkhof/Dutch Racing Press

Porsche constantly re-evaluated the design of the 908 resulting in the longtail bodywork versions for Le Mans which were later updated with moving flaps and rear wings. Besides these versions an open spyder-version was also available.

As the 270 hp eight-cylinder 2.2 litre engine used in the Porsche 907 proved occasionally unreliable, Hans Mezger started designing a new air-cooled eight-cylinder engine in July 1967, with Porsche intending to also use it for cars that drove on public roads. The first version that appeared at Monza in 1968 produced 330 hp. Later versions produced around 370 hp.

Jo Siffert and Vic Elford debuted the 908 at the Nürburgring 1000 km race in 1968 and drove the car to a victory. This was to remain the only important victory for the new 908 that year, as the Porsche 907 was still more successful than Porsche’s new design.

Porsche entered four 908s in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968. These cars were the fastest for the first time in practice and race. Problems with both alternators and rules for repairs resulted in just a single car making it to the podium. The car of Jochen Neerpasch and Rolf Stommelen finished behind the 907 of Rico Steinemann and Dieter Spoerry.

Porsche 908/01 LH Coupé (Hans Hermann – Rolf Stommelen) 1000 km Spa 1968 © Photo: Winau Berkhof/Dutch Racing Press

Although the 908 received a new front and some other modifications for 1969, the racing season started dramatically for Porsche. All five factory Porsche 908 LHs retired during the 24 Hours of Daytona due to engine failure. Porsche, however, recovered and the three-litre 908 began to dominate circuits, with victories at Brands Hatch, Monza, the Targa Florio, Spa-Francorchamps and the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring. That dominance earned Porsche the world title that year.

However, what was still missing on Porsche’s wish list was a victory at Le Mans. In principle, the Porsche 917 had to claim victory in the world’s most important endurance race although it proved uncontrollable, especially at higher speeds. It was so dramatic that Porsche’s factory drivers refused to race the 917.

Instead, they preferred the 908. Although the 917s were initially in the lead, the 908s took over the lead with about four hours left on the clock. However, it remained exciting until the checkered flag with Jackie Ickx and Jackie Oliver’s Ford GT40 winning the race and sending the Porsche 908 driven by Hans Hermann and Gérard Larousse to second place.

At the end of the 1969 season Porsche decided to rebuild all of the 908 LH 908 Flunder Spyders, which were sold to privateers. In our next part we take a closer look at the Porsche 908/02.

Porsche 908-004 captured under the Dunlop bridge at the Le Mans Classic in 2018