One of my favorite all time race cars in history is the Porsche 935. It really gave a “boost” to the turbo era that boomed in the 1970’s. The 935 (loosely based on a 911) was introduced in 1976 (the year I was born!), and shocked the world with it’s debut. The performance was staggering. Utilizing a flat 6 cylinder 3.0 mated with a single KKK turbocharger, the engine produced a mind blowing 560hp.
The turbo lag was noticeably bad, but once the turbo spooled it was hard to catch the 935. Later 935 models through the years utilized twin KKK turbos to produce even more power, but were notably not as reliable. The 935 raced in many different racing series, such as FIA World Championship for Makes, IMSA GT championship, Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft series, and the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and he 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. It dominated everywhere it went, winning 150 races worldwide, as well as winning outright at 24 hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The car was raced successfully up until 1984. It is still raced today all over the world in vintage racing. One of the most infamous and unforgettable 935’s which stands out in my mind, is the Martini Livery “Moby Dick” 935/78. It was nicknamed this because of it’s aerodynamic shape, which featured a long front and rear end for low coefficient of drag. The engine was a larger 3.2 liter twin turbo motor, making over 950hp! With a curb weight of just over 2000lbs, the top speed record in its class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans was set by the Moby Dick at an impressive 223mph.
Even as a small child, before I could even barely form a sentence, I was hypnotized by the Porsche 935 with its style, raw performance and stunning sound of the loud turbochargers, whilst shooting 8 foot flames from exhaust on deceleration into the corners. Even today the car has a timeless design. It’s uber aggressive lines matched with its massive rear wing and Kim Kardashian wide rear end looks as good as it ever did. Easily at the top 10 of the most influential and inspiring race cars that made me a motorsport enthusiast!
late,
Mark SlideSquad
