WEC
10 things you never knew about Porsche
How many races have Porsche won? And just how do you say ‘Porsche’? Here are 10 key Porsche facts.
The #17 Porsche at the 2015 24Hrs du Mans
© Porsche Motorsport
In 2014, Porsche returned to the 24 Heures du Mans after 16 years. After just one year back, they won the famous race for the 17th time and followed that with their first World Endurance Championship.
With the WEC crown already in the bag, the drivers of the number 17 car – Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard – could seal the Drivers’ Championship at next week’s season finale in Bahrain. So to get up to speed with all things Porsche, here are 10 facts about the sports car racing giant that you might not have known.
There's a reason behind Porsche's LMP1 numbers
© Porsche Press
1. They’re in a league of their own
Not only are Porsche the kings of iconic road cars but they're also the master of sports car racing. With over 30,000 race victories, no other brand can keep up with them in the record books, let alone the track.
2. Their LMP1 cars have electrifying power
At this year's historic 24 Heures du Mans, Porsche’s 919 hybrid recuperated and used 8 megajoules per lap – enough to supply a family home with three months' worth of electricity.
3. Their name ‘Porsche’ has two syllables
The age-old debate – do you stress the final ‘e’? Strictly speaking, you should, as it’s named after its founder Ferdinand Porsche, whose family name is pronounced “porsch-eh”.
4. Their racing numbers and colours are historic
Porsche’s regular WEC LMP1 numbers, 17 and 18, are a tribute to the fabled 917 KH that won Le Mans in 1970 and the high-performance 918 Spyder sports car. They both run in white, as that’s the traditional German racing colour.
The famous 917 KH that took Le Mans glory in 1970
© Porsche Press
5. They renamed their classic car
Porsche 911 posters have adorned generations of car lovers’ bedroom walls so it may come as a surprise that the iconic model was originally called the 901. In fact, 82 Porsche 901s were built before the name change.
The iconic 911 - one of the most popular cars ever
© Porsche Press
6. Their most powerful car ever is insane
The 5.3-litre, 12 cylinder 917/30, which dominated the 1973 Can-Am series, can produce 1,200bhp and has a top speed of more than 240mph (385kph). That’s 30mph (48kph) faster than the modern-day 919 hybrid!
The monstrous 917/30 with its mighty power
© Porsche Press
7. They used to make tractors
Lamborghini may be famous for farming machinery, but Porsche manufactured more than 125,000 tractors in the '50s and '60s and once designed forklift trucks and airplane cockpits. No wonder their cars fly on track!
8. Their most expensive road car is epic
The €853,155 918 Spyder has a top speed of 214mph (345kph), 887bhp at its disposal and goes from 0–60 mph in just 2.5s. You can see why it’s the latest addition to Mark Webber’s collection.
Mark Webber with Maria Sharapova in the 918
© Porsche Press
9. They’re Green Hell record-holders
Porsche hold both the race and road-car lap record at the eyewatering Nordschleife. The great Stefan Bellof set a jaw-dropping 6m 11s lap in his Group C 956 in 1983 and the 918 Spyder became the fastest production car ever around the 12.8-mile (20.4km) circuit in 6m 57s.
The 918 Spyder taking on the Nordschleife
© Porsche Press
10. There’s not much they haven’t won
On top of those staggering 17 Le Mans triumphs they’ve also taken 11 Targa Florio wins and two Dakar Rally wins. In F1, they have one grand prix victory as a constructor and powered McLaren to 25 F1 wins with their engines.