Porsche 718
Encyclopedia
The Porsche 718 is an open-cockpit racing car
build by Porsche
between 1957 and 1962.
The 718 was a development of the already successful 550A
with improvements being made to the body work and suspension. The new front frame resembled the letter K if viewed from the front and this led to the car being referred to as the RSK. It had a mid-engined layout and used the Type 547/3 1.5-litre quad-cam engine (142 hp) which was first introduced in the 550A. The car made its racing debut at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans
driven by Umberto Maglioli
and Edgar Barth
. The car failed to finish the race due to an accident.
In 1958 the car successfully finished third overall at Le Mans
and came first in class. Jean Behra
also brought one of the cars home second at the Targa Florio
. In 1959 the car claimed overall victory at the Targa Florio
driven by Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel
. A 718 also won the European Hill Climb Championship
in both 1958 and 1959.
In 1961 Masten Gregory
and Bob Holbert piloted a 718/4 RS Spyder to a class win at Le Mans
.
made changes to the regulation regarding the windscreen and cockpit size. These rules changes together with a larger (1.6 litre) Type 547/3 engine, developing 160 hp and a new double wishbone rear suspension brought about the RS 60 model. The RS 60 brought Porsche victory at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring
with a car driven by Hans Herrmann
and Olivier Gendebien
. 1960 also saw Porsche win the Targa Florio with Hans Herrmann being joined on the winner podium by Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill
. The RS 60 also ensured that Porsche successfully defended their European Hill Climb Championship for the third year in a row.
Formula One car which was developed to produce240 hp. A W-RS finished 8th at Le Mans in 1963
. The W-RS continued Porsche's success in the European Hill Climb Championship with Edgar Barth claiming the title in 1963. Porsche would go on to win a European Hill Climb Championship every year until 1982, a total of 42 titles.
The W-RS continued racing until 1964 when it was replaced by the 904
.
A Coupé version was developed from the RS 61. Initially fitted with a 4-cylinder engine this car was also was upgrade to the a 8-cylinder F1 derived engine which produced 210 hp. The car was also fitted with disc brakes. A GTR Coupé driven Jo Bonnier and Carlo Mario Abate
won the 1963 Targa Florio making it three wins at the event for a 718 car.
for 1.5 litre engine cars was introduced in 1957. Due the central location of the steering box, the 718 was easily converted to single seater specification and Porsche made their F2 debut with victories at Reims
and Avus
in 1958. In 1959 other RSK's were converted for single seater racing and at the XV B.A.R.C. '200' at Aintree in 1960 Porsche scored a 1-2-3 victory with Stirling Moss
, Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill all in 718's. The feat was repeated again later in the year at the race at Zeltweg
, Austria.
switched to a 1.5 litre formula in 1961
and Porsche entered three 718's for Dan Gurney
, Hans Herrmann and Jo Bonnier. Gurney scored three 2nd places (France
, Italy
and United States
) taking him to 4th place in the Drivers Championship. For 1962
, Porsche entered a new car, the Porsche 804
in Formula One.
Carel Godin de Beaufort
, a privateer, entered a 718 in F1 between 1961 and 1964. He was killed driving his 718 during practice for the 1964 German Grand Prix
at the Nürburgring
.
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:...
build by 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....
between 1957 and 1962.
The 718 was a development of the already successful 550A
Porsche 550
The Porsche 550 was a sports car produced by Porsche from 1953-1956.Inspired by the Porsche 356 which was created by Ferry Porsche, and some spyder prototypes built and raced by Walter Glöckler starting in 1951, the factory decided to build a car designed for use in auto racing. The model Porsche...
with improvements being made to the body work and suspension. The new front frame resembled the letter K if viewed from the front and this led to the car being referred to as the RSK. It had a mid-engined layout and used the Type 547/3 1.5-litre quad-cam engine (142 hp) which was first introduced in the 550A. The car made its racing debut at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans
1957 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 25th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 22 and 23 1957. It was also the fifth round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Official results:-Did Not Finish:-Statistics:...
driven by Umberto Maglioli
Umberto Maglioli
Umberto Maglioli was a racing driver from Italy. He participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 September 1953. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 3.33 championship points...
and Edgar Barth
Edgar Barth
Edgar Barth was a German Formula One and sports car racing driver....
. The car failed to finish the race due to an accident.
In 1958 the car successfully finished third overall at Le Mans
1958 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 26th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 21 and 22 1958. It was also the fifth round of the 1958 World Sports Car Championship....
and came first in class. Jean Behra
Jean Behra
Jean Marie Behra was a Formula One driver who raced for the Gordini, Maserati, BRM, Ferrari and Porsche teams.-Appearance and personality:...
also brought one of the cars home second at the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
. In 1959 the car claimed overall victory at the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
driven by Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel
Wolfgang Seidel
Wolfgang Seidel was a racing driver from Germany. He participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 August 1953...
. A 718 also won the European Hill Climb Championship
European Hill Climb Championship
The European Hill Climb Championship is an FIA-run motorsport competition held across Europe on mountain roads.Unlike circuit racing, each driver competes alone, starting from a point at the base of a mountain and reaching a finish point near the summit...
in both 1958 and 1959.
In 1961 Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between and , participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races....
and Bob Holbert piloted a 718/4 RS Spyder to a class win at Le Mans
1961 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 29th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 10 and 11 1961. It was also the 4th round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Official results:-Did Not Finish:-Statistics:...
.
Variations
Initially a two-seater 1.5 litre sports car, the 718 was adapted to compete in a number of different formulas and also evolved due to regulation changes.RS 60
For the 1960 season the FIAFédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
made changes to the regulation regarding the windscreen and cockpit size. These rules changes together with a larger (1.6 litre) Type 547/3 engine, developing 160 hp and a new double wishbone rear suspension brought about the RS 60 model. The RS 60 brought Porsche victory at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
with a car driven by Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann is a former Formula One and Sports car racing driver from Stuttgart, Germany.In F1, he participated in 19 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on August 2, 1953...
and Olivier Gendebien
Olivier Gendebien
Olivier Gendebien was a war hero and race car driver. He has been cited as "one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time".-Background:...
. 1960 also saw Porsche win the Targa Florio with Hans Herrmann being joined on the winner podium by Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
. The RS 60 also ensured that Porsche successfully defended their European Hill Climb Championship for the third year in a row.
RS 61
For 1961 the model name was changed to RS 61 although it was almost identical to the RS 60. A RS 61 won the European Hill Climb Championship.W-RS
A two-litre engined version, the W-RS was developed in 1961. Initially fitted with a 4-cylinder engine, the car was later fitted with an enlarged flat-8 air-cooled engine from the Porsche 804Porsche 804
The Porsche 804 was a Formula One racing car produced in , following the 718 and 787.The flat-8 air-cooled engine powered car developed 180 hp at 9,200 rpm gave Porsche its only F1 wins as a chassis maker, at the 1962 French Grand Prix, and at the Solituderennen at Castle Solitude in Stuttgart,...
Formula One car which was developed to produce240 hp. A W-RS finished 8th at Le Mans in 1963
1963 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 31st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 15 and 16 1963. It was also the tenth round of the World Sportscar Championship....
. The W-RS continued Porsche's success in the European Hill Climb Championship with Edgar Barth claiming the title in 1963. Porsche would go on to win a European Hill Climb Championship every year until 1982, a total of 42 titles.
The W-RS continued racing until 1964 when it was replaced by the 904
Porsche 904
The Porsche 904 is an automobile which was produced by Porsche in Germany in 1964 and 1965. It was officially called Porsche Carrera GTS due to the same naming rights problem that required renaming the Porsche 901 to Porsche 911.- History :...
.
718 GTR Coupé
Carlo Mario Abate
Carlo Maria Abate is an Italian former auto racing driver. Of French origin, he was one of the best Ferrari 250 GTO specialists...
won the 1963 Targa Florio making it three wins at the event for a 718 car.
Formula Two
A new Formula TwoFormula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
for 1.5 litre engine cars was introduced in 1957. Due the central location of the steering box, the 718 was easily converted to single seater specification and Porsche made their F2 debut with victories at Reims
Reims-Gueux
Reims-Gueux was a triangular motor racing road course near Reims, France, which hosted 14 French Grands Prix.Reims-Gueux was first established in 1926 on the public roads between the small French villages of Thillois and Gueux. The circuit had two very long straights between the towns, and teams...
and Avus
AVUS
The Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße, better known as AVUS, is a public road that was also used as a motor racing circuit. It is located in the south-western districts of Berlin, Germany, between Charlottenburg and Nikolassee, and is nowadays an important part of the public highway system, as...
in 1958. In 1959 other RSK's were converted for single seater racing and at the XV B.A.R.C. '200' at Aintree in 1960 Porsche scored a 1-2-3 victory with Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
, Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill all in 718's. The feat was repeated again later in the year at the race at Zeltweg
Zeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield, now known as Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser, is a military airfield in Styria, Austria near Zeltweg. It is the main airfield of the Austrian Air Force.-Motorsports:...
, Austria.
Formula One
Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
switched to a 1.5 litre formula in 1961
1961 Formula One season
The 1961 Formula One season was the 12th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1961 World Championship of Drivers and the 1961 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, which were contested concurrently from May 14 to October 8 over an eight race series...
and Porsche entered three 718's for Dan Gurney
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
, Hans Herrmann and Jo Bonnier. Gurney scored three 2nd places (France
1961 French Grand Prix
The 1961 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 2 July 1961 at Reims-Gueux.By winning the race, Giancarlo Baghetti became only the third driver to win his first World Championship race, the other two being Nino Farina, who won the first World Championship race and Johnnie Parsons, who...
, Italy
1961 Italian Grand Prix
The 1961 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 10 September 1961 at Monza.The race was marked by one of the most terrible accidents in the history of Formula One, when on the end of lap 2 at the approach to the Parabolica the German driver Wolfgang von Trips lost control of his Ferrari...
and United States
1961 United States Grand Prix
The 1961 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 8, 1961 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York....
) taking him to 4th place in the Drivers Championship. For 1962
1962 Formula One season
The 1962 Formula One season was the 13th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1962 World Championship of Drivers and the 1962 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers which were contested concurrently over a nine race series that commenced on May 20 and ended on December 29...
, Porsche entered a new car, the Porsche 804
Porsche 804
The Porsche 804 was a Formula One racing car produced in , following the 718 and 787.The flat-8 air-cooled engine powered car developed 180 hp at 9,200 rpm gave Porsche its only F1 wins as a chassis maker, at the 1962 French Grand Prix, and at the Solituderennen at Castle Solitude in Stuttgart,...
in Formula One.
Carel Godin de Beaufort
Carel Godin de Beaufort
Jonkheer Karel Pieter Antoni Jan Hubertus Godin de Beaufort was a Dutch nobleman and motor racing driver from the Netherlands...
, a privateer, entered a 718 in F1 between 1961 and 1964. He was killed driving his 718 during practice for the 1964 German Grand Prix
1964 German Grand Prix
The 1964 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Nürburgring on 2 August 1964.- Classification :- Notes :*Fatal accident of Carel Godin de Beaufort in practice. He went off at the sweeping Bergwerk corner at the northernmost part of the track, went into the trees and suffered severe...
at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
.
Gallery
See also
- Porsche 787Porsche 787The Porsche 787 was a Formula Two racing car built in 1960, based on the 1500 RS-K race sports car.Built to the 1960 Formula Two formula, the Type 787 was driven by such notables as Wolfgang von Trips and Dan Gurney to victory and obtaining the unofficial "Coupe des Constructeurs" — Formula Two's...
- Formula 2 car - Porsche 804Porsche 804The Porsche 804 was a Formula One racing car produced in , following the 718 and 787.The flat-8 air-cooled engine powered car developed 180 hp at 9,200 rpm gave Porsche its only F1 wins as a chassis maker, at the 1962 French Grand Prix, and at the Solituderennen at Castle Solitude in Stuttgart,...
- Formula 1 car - Porsche in motorsportPorsche in motorsportPorsche has been successful in many branches of motorsport of which most have been in long distance races.Despite their early involvement in motorsports being limited to supplying relatively small engines to racing underdogs up until the late 1960s, by the mid-1950s Porsche had already tasted...