Dauer 962 Le Mans
Encyclopedia
The Dauer 962 Le Mans is a sports car
based on the Porsche 962
racing car
. Built by German Jochen Dauer's Dauer Racing, a racing version of this car went on to win the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans
with the support of Porsche
through the use of regulation loopholes.
) produced the 962 Le Mans from Porsche 962 chassis stripped down for modification. Components of the bodywork were replaced with slightly revised carbon fibre and kevlar
panels. The under tray was replaced with a flat version for better stability at high speeds. A second seat and leather upholstery were the cramped cockpit, as well as a video screen for DVD
playback in later years. A small compartment was added to the front of the car to carry luggage. A hydraulic suspension system was also added to meet German ride height requirements for street cars.
The 962 Le Mans uses nearly the same engine as the racing 962: Porsche's water-cooled Type-935 2994 cc Flat-6 with two Kühnle, Kopp und Kausch AG turbochargers. Since the road car did not have to meet racing regulations, the air restrictor was removed allowing for an output of approximately 730 hp. The 5-speed racing gearbox was also retained.
The first production car debuted at the 1993 Frankfurt Auto Show
. While orders for the cars were taken, Dauer worked with Porsche
to develop the two racing cars for the following years' 24 Hours of Le Mans
. After Dauer's victory, attention returned to the road cars with at least twelve more were built over the years.
in 1992 which saw Porsche 962
numbers dwindle in Europe, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
, Porsche
was looking for ways to continue their sports car efforts. Although 962s were still legal at Le Mans, the class in which they ran no longer was capable of competing for overall wins against the top C1 class.
With the re-introduction of production-based grand tourer
-style cars in 1993, Porsche saw an opportunity to exploit a loophole which existed in this new class. Rules set by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
(ACO) which ran Le Mans stated that GT-class cars merely required a road going example, with no specific quantity of road cars specified to meet homologation
rules. With Dauer's success in modifying a Porsche 962 into a street-legal car in 1993, Porsche saw an opportunity to bring the 962 back into competition.
With the first production car shown to the public in 1993, Porsche had already met that requirement. Another rule in place at the time was the requirement that production-based cars have storage space for a typical suitcase, something which Dauer had been able to do since the road car was able to carry luggage. The flat bottom of the 962 Le Mans also fit with GT rules. Three more modifications were necessary to fully comply: Narrower tires than the 962 had run in Group C
, a larger fuel tank (now up to 120 litres), and the reinstallation of a restrictor for the engine, although this one would be larger than the one they had run in Group C.
The flat bottom and narrow tires of the 962 Le Mans would hinder the performance of the car over the long laps at Le Mans even with the increased power from the GT-class air restrictor. However Porsche believed that the larger fuel tank they were allowed in the GT-class would allow them to overcome this lack of speed by spending less time in the pits than the Group C cars, something which is key for an endurance race.
A total of two Dauer 962 Le Mans racing cars were built. Arriving at Le Mans with the support of Porsche
's factory racing team, Joest Racing
, Dauer's two cars showed that they lacked the overall pace of the top Group C cars by qualifying fifth and seventh. However their pace in their class was shattering as the next closest GT1-class car could only muster 12th. The race saw Porsche's plan pan out, as the Dauer 962 Le Mans were able to gradually make their way to the top of the standings while their competitors spent time in the pits or succumbed to mechanical woes. In the end, only a lone Toyota 94C-V in the Group C class could contend with the Dauers, taking second place overall. The Dauer 962 Le Mans of Yannick Dalmas
, Hurley Haywood
, and Mauro Baldi
would take the overall win while the second team car would finish one lap behind in third place overall.
Soon after this event the ACO attempted to fix the loophole in the GT regulations by setting a minimum requirement for production cars to meet homologation standards. With this, the Dauer 962s would never race again, nor would the normal Porsche 962s as the Group C class was finally abandoned.
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
based on the Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
racing car
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. Built by German Jochen Dauer's Dauer Racing, a racing version of this car went on to win the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans
1994 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 62nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 19 and 20, 1994.-Race:The 1994 race was won by a car that had its roots in a 10 year old design...
with the support of Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
through the use of regulation loopholes.
Road car
Dauer Racing (now Dauer SportwagenDauer Sportwagen
Dauer Sportwagen GmbH was a German automotive company founded by former racing driver Jochen Dauer in Nuremberg. Initially founded as Jochen Dauer Racing in 1987, the racing team had several years of participation in the German Supercup and European Interserie championships, as well as occasional...
) produced the 962 Le Mans from Porsche 962 chassis stripped down for modification. Components of the bodywork were replaced with slightly revised carbon fibre and kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
panels. The under tray was replaced with a flat version for better stability at high speeds. A second seat and leather upholstery were the cramped cockpit, as well as a video screen for DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
playback in later years. A small compartment was added to the front of the car to carry luggage. A hydraulic suspension system was also added to meet German ride height requirements for street cars.
The 962 Le Mans uses nearly the same engine as the racing 962: Porsche's water-cooled Type-935 2994 cc Flat-6 with two Kühnle, Kopp und Kausch AG turbochargers. Since the road car did not have to meet racing regulations, the air restrictor was removed allowing for an output of approximately 730 hp. The 5-speed racing gearbox was also retained.
The first production car debuted at the 1993 Frankfurt Auto Show
Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung
The Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung , also known as the Frankfurt Motor Show or Frankfurt Auto Show, is one of the world's largest motor shows. It is held biennially in Frankfurt, Germany. The show occupies 12 buildings.The IAA is organized by the Association of the German Automotive Industry...
. While orders for the cars were taken, Dauer worked with Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
to develop the two racing cars for the following years' 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. After Dauer's victory, attention returned to the road cars with at least twelve more were built over the years.
Race car
Following rule changes in the World Sportscar ChampionshipWorld Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
in 1992 which saw Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
numbers dwindle in Europe, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
, Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
was looking for ways to continue their sports car efforts. Although 962s were still legal at Le Mans, the class in which they ran no longer was capable of competing for overall wins against the top C1 class.
With the re-introduction of production-based grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
-style cars in 1993, Porsche saw an opportunity to exploit a loophole which existed in this new class. Rules set by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
Automobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
(ACO) which ran Le Mans stated that GT-class cars merely required a road going example, with no specific quantity of road cars specified to meet homologation
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
rules. With Dauer's success in modifying a Porsche 962 into a street-legal car in 1993, Porsche saw an opportunity to bring the 962 back into competition.
With the first production car shown to the public in 1993, Porsche had already met that requirement. Another rule in place at the time was the requirement that production-based cars have storage space for a typical suitcase, something which Dauer had been able to do since the road car was able to carry luggage. The flat bottom of the 962 Le Mans also fit with GT rules. Three more modifications were necessary to fully comply: Narrower tires than the 962 had run in Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
, a larger fuel tank (now up to 120 litres), and the reinstallation of a restrictor for the engine, although this one would be larger than the one they had run in Group C.
The flat bottom and narrow tires of the 962 Le Mans would hinder the performance of the car over the long laps at Le Mans even with the increased power from the GT-class air restrictor. However Porsche believed that the larger fuel tank they were allowed in the GT-class would allow them to overcome this lack of speed by spending less time in the pits than the Group C cars, something which is key for an endurance race.
A total of two Dauer 962 Le Mans racing cars were built. Arriving at Le Mans with the support of Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
's factory racing team, Joest Racing
Joest Racing
Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest...
, Dauer's two cars showed that they lacked the overall pace of the top Group C cars by qualifying fifth and seventh. However their pace in their class was shattering as the next closest GT1-class car could only muster 12th. The race saw Porsche's plan pan out, as the Dauer 962 Le Mans were able to gradually make their way to the top of the standings while their competitors spent time in the pits or succumbed to mechanical woes. In the end, only a lone Toyota 94C-V in the Group C class could contend with the Dauers, taking second place overall. The Dauer 962 Le Mans of Yannick Dalmas
Yannick Dalmas
Yannick Dalmas is a former racing driver from France. He participated in 49 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 October 1987, but qualified for only 24 of them. His best result in F1 was a 5th place at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix, but he was not eligible for World Championship points at...
, Hurley Haywood
Hurley Haywood
Hurley Haywood is an American race-car driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1977 , 1983 and 1994 and is the most successful driver at the 24 Hours of Daytona with 5 wins . He won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1973 and 1981...
, and Mauro Baldi
Mauro Baldi
Mauro Baldi is an Italian former Formula One driver who raced for the Arrows, Alfa Romeo and Spirit teams.He started his career in rallying in 1972 and turned to circuit racing in 1975 with the Italian Renault 5 Cup...
would take the overall win while the second team car would finish one lap behind in third place overall.
Soon after this event the ACO attempted to fix the loophole in the GT regulations by setting a minimum requirement for production cars to meet homologation standards. With this, the Dauer 962s would never race again, nor would the normal Porsche 962s as the Group C class was finally abandoned.
External links
- Official website
- Porsche USA - 1994 Dauer 962 Le Mans