Porsche 935
Encyclopedia
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo
prepared for FIA
-Group 5
rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans
.
Beginning with the 1977 season
, Porsche offered the 935 to customers which entered the car in the World Championship for Makes, in the IMSA GT championship
and in the German Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
(DRM). The 935 went on to win the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans
overall, and other major endurance races, including Sebring, Daytona, and the 1000 km Nürburgring. Of the 370 races it was entered, it won 123.
Usually, no other make could challenge the Porsche 935, as due to the availability of customer models, each race at the time typically featured at least five 935s. Racing became entertaining for the crowd at the expense of the diversity of makes. The large turbocharger
was used with mechanical fuel injection
which caused turbo lag followed shortly by a fireball spitting from the exhaust and an enormous amount of power (up to 800 hp). The dominance of the 935 was ended by the FIA rules changes coming in effect in 1982, when the six numbered groups were replaced by only three groups, A, B and C.
for Gr. 5 Special Production Cars, and the 1976 World Sportscar Championship season
for Group 6
prototypes up to 3.0L. Accordingly, the 935 and the new Porsche 936
were the two-pronged Porsche effort for 1976. Each championship had 7 races, with only Dijon hosting both at the same weekend, while on two other weekends, the races were even run in different countries, which forced Porsche to divide its resources. Jacky Ickx
and Jochen Mass
were the main drivers, if F1 schedule permitted. Rolf Stommelen
, who was recovering from his bad crash in the 1975 Spanish GP, was the backup, along with Manfred Schurti.
Under Group 5
rules, also known as Silhouette rules, several significant modifications were allowed (including bodywork modifications, larger wings, wider axles and water cooling), provided that the basic silhouette of the car remain unchanged when viewed from the front. The 935 engine was a 560 hp (at 7900 rpm) version of the regular 3.0 L flat-6
, with 60 mkp torque at 5400 rpm. Boost was between 1,35 and 1,55, consumption 52 litre per 100 km. Capacity was reduced to 2.85 L, and with the turbo charging penalty factor of 1.4, it fit into the 4.0 L class which had a prescribed minimum weight of only 970 kg (2,138.5 lb). Porsche, having lots of experience in lightweight cars, had managed to get the Carrera RSR prototype under 800 kg. The empty 935 tipped the scales at 900 kg, and weight distribution could be balanced with additional 70 kg. Preseason testing at the fast Paul Ricard circuit showed a top speed of 295 km/h.
Also, in addition to the naturally aspirated 340 hp Carrera RSR introduced in 1974, Porsche offered a customer racing version of the 911 Turbo prepared for the more standard Group 4
rules, the 485 hp Porsche 934
. Some customer teams modified their 934 to Gr. 5 rules with body kits supplied by Porsche, these were often designated 934/5. Cologne-based Kremer Racing
entered a 935 K1 built on a factory shell which in the first race, the 6h Mugello, finished 2nd behind the Martini Racing
sponsored factory entry of Mass/Ickx. Porsches occupied the first seven places ahead of a BMW in 8th, which according to the 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 scheme meant that Porsche had now 20 points, and BMW 3. The factory 935 also scored pole, fastest lap and win at the 6h Vallelunga, where a BMW was second, though, with the best 934 being only 5th.
After the second race, the CSI rule makers insisted that the whale tail hood of the road-going 930 must fit on the race car. The air-to-air intercooler setup under the rear hood had to be altered to a more compact air-to-water layout, which cost Porsche several weeks of testing and half a Million Deutsche Mark.
The hastily modified 935 set again pole and fastest lap at the 6h Silverstone, but due to a clutch problem at the start, the Martini car could finish only 10th, with the 2nd-placed Kremer 935 collecting valuable points for Zuffenhausen. A private BMW 3.5 CSL
had beaten it to the finish by a second. Even more worrisome was the fact that BMW Motorsport had entered also a turbo, a 3.2 CSL driven by Ronnie Peterson
and Gunnar Nilsson
. That new BMW had qualified only 1 second behind the factory 935, but two seconds ahead of the third placed Kremer 935. The powerful BMW did not last long in the race due to gearbox problems.
Initially, Porsche ran the 935 with the 911's original fender-mounted headlights, in two different guises: a sprint version with a wider version of its wheel arches, and a high speed version with modified aerodynamics. The sprint setup was rarely used. However, after carefully studying the rulebooks, Porsche engineers, namely Norbert Singer
, discovered a loophole regarding the modifications of fenders that gave them the liberty to remove the headlights to reduce drag and create more downforce, to which the venting slits contribute. This flat nose (also known as the slant nose), with headlights in the front spoiler, became the distinguishing feature of the 935 and was later offered on the roadgoing 930 as the Flachbau, or "flatnose", part of Porsche's Sonderwunsch, or "special wish" program. Also, the 935 now had extended long tail rear fenders, similar to the low drag setup seen years ago on Carrera RS. These fenders also offered more space for engine periphery and efficient cooling.
The 1000 km Nürburgring, usually consisting of 44 laps, was run in 1976 as a 47 lap 1073 km race, putting even more strain on the new Gr. 5 machinery. With Mass and Ickx being at the 1976 Monaco Grand Prix
, Rolf Stommelen
and Manfred Schurti stepped in to drive the 935 which by now had the new look it became famous with. Probably with the help of higher turbo boost, Stommelen qualified the 935 on Pole with a stunning 7:37,5 (see List of Nordschleife lap times (racing)), while the BMW turbo did not take part. The fastest of only 9 race laps was just over 8min, though, as the engine was not sorted out set, and vibrations caused ignition failure. Again, a reliable Schnitzer Motorsport
-entered normal BMW CSL took the win, with the customer 934 of Loos salvaging valuable second place points for Porsche.
The 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans
counted towards neither World Championship, but Le Mans is often considered the real championship. For that race, it was possible to use the 935's well-tested original engine setup. The main battle was between the sportscars, with a Renault Alpine setting the pole. The 935 driven by Stommelen/Schurti qualified 3rd and despite the weight and drag of a Group 5 silhouette, finished 4th overall, with one of the Porsche 936
taking the win.
At Zeltweg, Ickx was back, setting the pole, but the throttle link broke before mid race. Derek Bell
set fastest lap in the Kremer 935, but nonetheless two BMW Coupés won ahead of a private 934. Porsche had still a narrow lead in the points standings, but only the best 5 of the 7 events would count. BMW had now 3 wins compared to Porsche's two, which meant that Porsche had to win the final two races. The new engine setup was tested at Weissach in a modified 934 while the race cars were shipped overseas. At Watkins Glen, the regular race chassis 002 of Mass/Ickx needed an extra stop for new pads at the Porsche 917
derived brakes, and the test chassis 001 of Stommelen/Schurti won, with the best BMW being 4th. Porsche now had 3 wins and two seconds equaling 90 points, which meant that only another win could add 5 more points to their tally. BMW had also 3 wins, but only one second and a fourth, equaling 85 points. Without a competitive third brand, the winner of the final round would take the World Championship.
In Dijon, the turbo of BMW Motorsport was back, now with 3.5L, and this time the fast Swedes Peterson/Nilsson put it on pole, half a second ahead of Ickx. Again, the transmission was not as strong as the Bavarian Motor Works 750 hp engine, failing before the first of the 6 hours had passed. Three 935 plus two Gr. 5 spec 934/5 won ahead of the best normally aspirated BMW. The 935 and 936 had each won its Championship, and Le Mans, too. The age of turbo engines had begun in endurance racing.
Based on the 1976 version, thirteen Porsche 935/77A were sold to privateer teams in Australia, Italy, France, the US and Germany. Among others, Cologne
-based rivals Georg Loos and Kremer Racing
entered 935 in the 1977 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
which introduced the Group 5 rules. As the naturally aspirated BMW Coupés
and Ford Capri
had pulled out of the Div. I (over 2.0 litre) of the DRM, these Porsche had no serious competition in the big Division until other turbo-charged cars showed up, like the BMW-powered Schnitzer Toyota Celica, or the Zakspeed Ford Capri.
The DRM was a drivers championship, and with equal Porsche customer machinery, no driver could dominate, with meant that despite the customer 934 of 1976 and the 935 since 1977 dominating their Division, the championship was often decided in favour of a small Division pilot. Kremer went on to develop yet another special 935, the K2, and also ran the optional 3.0L engine offered by Porsche, which was connected with a 60 kg more minimal weight, though.
Slightly modified, Porsche sold also customer cars in 1978 and 1979.
The factory continued to develop and occasionally race a single new 935 in the 1977 World Championship for Makes season
, in case BMW or another brand would bring a competitive turbo. Customers were not happy that the factory would race them with a newer car, but as the 935/77 was often unreliable, it could be beaten in five of the nine WCM events.
In the WCM season opening 24h Daytona, the old car was entered, but tyre failures caused an DNF, with an old RSR taking the win. The new car body was changed significantly to lower drag, resulting in a 10 km/h higher top speed at Paul Ricard, where it covered 3500 km in tests at speed, lapping 3,4 secs faster. The front fenders, which in 1976 had followed the hood, now protruded above the hood line, and accommodated also the mirrors. The rear fenders were altered, but the biggest change was the addition of a second rear window above the standard one. This allowed cleaner air flow to the rear wing under which the single turbo was later replaced by two KKK units. This improved throttle response and also power, but several head gasket failures meant that Porsche had some home work to do for 1978.
The works 935/77 qualified 6th at the 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans
, behind the Renault Alpines and the 936s, but engine troubles ended the race early. As in 1976, a 936 won after the turbo powered sportscars chased each other into troubles. This time, a customer 935 even finished third overall.
The 935/77 body style was used also for a single purpose car: winning one race in the small 2.0 litre Div. II of the DRM, to prove that Porsche can win there, too. In Div. I, the customer 935 raced each other, and German TV announced that at the Norisring, it would thus cover only the Div. II race. Porsche engineers were sent to the drawing boards to reduced the capacity of the air-cooled flat-6 to 1425 cc and 370 hp. The weight could be lowered to 750 kg (1,653.5 lb) according to rules in this class. To achieve this, large parts of the steel body were replaced by a tubular aluminium space frame.
At the time, Zakspeed
-Ford and Schnitzer
-BMW were in transition from the naturally aspirated 2.0 4cyl with about 300 hp to 1.4 litre turbo engines with 350 hp and more. These engines would later would move on to Formula One, with the BMW powerplant winning the 1983 F1 championship, and becoming the strongest F1 engine ever, at up to 1500 hp.
In the first outing at Norisring
in early July 1977, both the Baby and Jacky Ickx
had problems due to heat. Skipping the Diepholz airfield round, Porsche sorted the car out for the DRM support race of the 1977 German Grand Prix
at the fast Hockenheimring
(long version). In changing weather conditions, Jacky Ickx set pole by almost three seconds and won with 50 seconds, setting fastest lap in the process. With its mission accomplished, the Porsche 935/77 2.0 (chassis 935/2-001) was retired to the Porsche Museum.
For 1978, a third and final version of the 935 was developed, the 935/78, intended only for Le Mans. At this stage, the company leaders had decided to neglect the 15-year-old 911, Porsche had introduced the water-cooled front engine Porsche 928
and Porsche 924
models, similar to Volkswagen, which had replaced the Beetle with the Golf. Due to the head gasket failures of the 1977 biturbo, Porsche parted with their air cooling tradition and introduced water-cooled cylinder heads in the 1978 engine, and equipped them with four valves, too. The capacity was enlarged to 3.2 L, increasing its output to typically 750 hp. The weight, which was less important on the Le Mans straights, had to be 1030 kg now. As this track was run clockwise, the driver seat was moved over to the right side for better weight distribution and sight in right-hand corners, like Dunlop, Tertre Rouge and Mulsanne, another distinctive feature of the 1978 model.
The new car again took full advantage of a new loophole in the Group 5 rules, introduced for BMW, allowing to cut the floor to accommodate the exhaust of the front engine. As this rule applied also for the rear engine Porsche, the whole floor pan of the 911 was cut away, and the body was lowered by 10 cm (3.9 in). The gearbox was mounted upside down to reduce the angle of the drive shafts. As the rules did not limit the forward extension of the rear aerodynamic devices, Porsche even added fairings to the doors, bridging the gap between the front and rear fenders. These were shortened later, covering only the front third of the doors. Because of its white color and long tail shape optimised for low drag, the 935/78 was often nicknamed Moby-Dick
.
With this version, Mass/Ickx won the test race, the 6h at the fast Silverstone Circuit
, the pole (1:22,38) and fastest lap (1:23,98 or 202,519 km/h) being only 4 secs slower than the corresponding times of James Hunt in the 1977 British Grand Prix
which covered only a quarter of the distance.
At the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
, the 935 qualified third, barely beaten by a Renault Alpine and a 936. Compared to 1976, lap times were 15 seconds quicker now. With its 3.2L engine, it was the fastest car on the straight in Le Mans
at 235 mph, easily passing the prototypes of Renault Alpine as well as the teammate 936, as these Group 6 cars had 2.1L engines, equal to normal 3.0L. The engine had to be replaced before the race, though, and with ensuing problems early in the race, Moby Dick was no contender, finishing 8th behind three customer 935. In its third attempt, Renault finally managed to beat Porsche, and then went on to focus on F1. Two of the three 936 and another Alpine occupied the other three places, which meant that the best naturally aspirated sportscar finished only 9th. Before being retired to the museum, the Moby Dick was also entered at Vallelunga and at the Norisring, the annual highlight of the DRM series, but the twisty track around the Nuremberg Reichsparteitag grand stand is quite the opposite to the Le Mans circuit the car was made for, including being run counter-clockwise around two narrow lefthand turns. The car did not finish there.
Awaiting rule changes taking effect in 1982, Porsche did not officially enter in 1979 or 1980, granting only some limited support to customer efforts with the 935, 936 and even decade old 908 and 917, mainly in form of spare parts, engines and know-how which by then was rather dated, too. Factory racing was mainly done with the Porsche 924
turbo variants called Carrera GT, with few success.
Private non-factory built replica cars of the 1977 body style and the "Moby Dick" were entered in DRM and IMSA in following years by Joest Racing
and Moretti racing.
As Porsche hesitated to sell their Evolution models, some teams developed their own ideas, especially Kremer Racing
from Cologne
, Germany
. Parallel to the factory in 1976, they had built a 935 K1, and in 1977, modified their customer 935 to the K2. For 1979, they introduced the 935 K3 (for "Kremer Type 3"; the derivative of the successful K2). Driven mainly by Klaus Ludwig
, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, beating all prototypes, in heavy rain, which is usually considered a disadvantage for race cars with windshields. Coming in second was a factory spec model, driven by Rolf Stommelen
, and supported by team owner Dick Barbour and actor Paul Newman
.
Facing strong competition in the 1980 DRM by the big Zakspeed
Ford Capri, the K4 was introduced in mid 1981, for 400 000 Deutsche Mark. Porsche supplied an 3,1L engine with 750-800 hp at 1,5 bar boost for 91 000 DM in total.
, and won the 24 Hours of Daytona
and the 12 Hours of Sebring
six times each. It was also undefeated in the German DRM between 1977 and 1979, posted victories in the IMSA GTX class, and won many races on the famous Nürburgring
Nordschleife, including three 1000km Nürburgring
. The 935 also took Porsche to victory in the FIA World Championship for Makes each year from 1976 to 1979. In 1980 and 1981, Lancia won the title with their Beta Montecarlo 1.4t, by regularly winning the sub 2.0L category, and occasionally defeating Porsche in the big category. In 1982 Alan Jones the 1980 World Formula 1 Championship drove it to victory in the 1982 Australian GT Championship
where it was unbeaten for the whole season. In 1983 the same car in the hand of Rusty French won the championship as well
The Moby Dick engine was the basis for an all-watercooled 2.65L engine intended for the Indy 500, but rule makers there, remembering the dominance of the Porsche 917/10 turbo and 935, limited its boost so it would not be competitive against domestic machinery. Instead, the engine was used in the 1981 Le Mans winning 936/81, and in the 956 and 962C which would dominate the mid 1980s. Since 1999, this engine block forms the basis of the successful GT3 models.
After Group 5 was discontinued by FIA after 1982, the 935 continued to race in IMSA's GTP category, usually entered by smaller privateer names, who were not permitted by IMSA regulations to race the new Group C Porsche 956
. Due to this, the Porsche 962
was introduced to the US market in 1984, fitted with the 935 air-cooled single-turbo engine. By 1985 the days of the 935 were mostly over, as it could hardly be modified to a groundeffect design, with the rear-mounted flat 6 prohibiting a diffuser, an issue which also affects modern 911 race cars. Only a handful of 935's remained, and the car was no longer competitive with the new GTP cars. The 935 was seen in two races in the 1986 season.
The 4-wheel-drive Porsche 959
, and its racing counterpart Porsche 961
, can be considered a high-tech successor to the 935, but Group B never got a circuit racing series, and was only used in rallying before being banned there due to its danger. The 1980s had few racing opportunities for turbocharged 911, which often were fitted with 935-style bodywork. Being run by amateurs at the Nürburgring in VLN endurance and in the 24h, they were often banned, or at least slowed down by rules.
The 1990s Porsche 911 GT2
based on the 993 is also a successor to the 935, but BPR series and FIA GT rules required a higher weight, and intake restrictors limited power to 550 hp, less than the first 935/76. The Porsche 911 GT1
with its mid-engine and lowered roof has a different concept, though. Starting in 2003, the turbo-charged Porsche 996 of Alzen set new records at the Nürburgring VLN
endurance series (see List of Nordschleife lap times (racing)), with speeds reminding of the 935 era, despite it being also slowed down by minimum weight (1350 kg) and limited boost.
Porsche 930
The 930 was a sports car built by Porsche, 930 actually being the "type number" for the pre-964 generation 911 Turbo produced between 1975 and 1989...
prepared for FIA
Fédération 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...
-Group 5
Group 5 (racing)
Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans
1974 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 42nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 15 and 16 1974. It was the fifth round of the World Championship of Makes.-Pre-race:...
.
Beginning with the 1977 season
1977 World Championship for Makes season
The 1977 World Championship for Makes season was part of the 25th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship racing. It featured a series for Group 5 Special Production Cars, Group 3 & 4 Grand Touring Cars and Group 1 & 2 Touring Cars which ran from February 5, 1977 to October 23, 1977, and...
, Porsche offered the 935 to customers which entered the car in the World Championship for Makes, in the IMSA GT championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
and in the German Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft or simply DRM as it was known, was a touring car and Sportscar racing series...
(DRM). The 935 went on to win the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans
1979 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 47th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 9 and 10 1979.-Pre-race:Due to the construction of a new public road, the profile of Tetre Rouge had to be changed...
overall, and other major endurance races, including Sebring, Daytona, and the 1000 km Nürburgring. Of the 370 races it was entered, it won 123.
Usually, no other make could challenge the Porsche 935, as due to the availability of customer models, each race at the time typically featured at least five 935s. Racing became entertaining for the crowd at the expense of the diversity of makes. The large turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
was used with mechanical fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
which caused turbo lag followed shortly by a fireball spitting from the exhaust and an enormous amount of power (up to 800 hp). The dominance of the 935 was ended by the FIA rules changes coming in effect in 1982, when the six numbered groups were replaced by only three groups, A, B and C.
935/76
For 1976, endurance racing had two World Championships: the 1976 FIA World Championship for Makes1976 World Championship for Makes season
The 1976 World Championship for Makes season was part of the 24th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship racing. It featured a series for production based cars from the following FIA categories* Group 5 Special Production Cars...
for Gr. 5 Special Production Cars, and the 1976 World Sportscar Championship season
1976 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1976 World Sports Car Championship season was part of the 24th FIA World Sportscar Championship. It was a series for open-cockpit sportscars. It ran from April 4, 1976 to September 19, 1976, and comprised 7 races total.-World Championship of Makes:...
for Group 6
Group 6 (racing)
Group 6 was the official designation applied by the FIA to two motor racing classifications, the Prototype-Sports Car category from 1966 to 1971 and the Two-Seater Racing Cars class from 1976 to 1982.-Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars :...
prototypes up to 3.0L. Accordingly, the 935 and the new Porsche 936
Porsche 936
The Porsche 936 was a racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 908, a three litre sportscar prototype which was retired by the factory after 1971...
were the two-pronged Porsche effort for 1976. Each championship had 7 races, with only Dijon hosting both at the same weekend, while on two other weekends, the races were even run in different countries, which forced Porsche to divide its resources. Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
and Jochen Mass
Jochen Mass
Jochen Richard Mass is a former race car driver from Germany.He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix...
were the main drivers, if F1 schedule permitted. Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
, who was recovering from his bad crash in the 1975 Spanish GP, was the backup, along with Manfred Schurti.
Under Group 5
Group 5
Group 5 may refer to:*Group 5 element, chemical element classification*Group 5 , FIA classification for cars in auto racing...
rules, also known as Silhouette rules, several significant modifications were allowed (including bodywork modifications, larger wings, wider axles and water cooling), provided that the basic silhouette of the car remain unchanged when viewed from the front. The 935 engine was a 560 hp (at 7900 rpm) version of the regular 3.0 L flat-6
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
, with 60 mkp torque at 5400 rpm. Boost was between 1,35 and 1,55, consumption 52 litre per 100 km. Capacity was reduced to 2.85 L, and with the turbo charging penalty factor of 1.4, it fit into the 4.0 L class which had a prescribed minimum weight of only 970 kg (2,138.5 lb). Porsche, having lots of experience in lightweight cars, had managed to get the Carrera RSR prototype under 800 kg. The empty 935 tipped the scales at 900 kg, and weight distribution could be balanced with additional 70 kg. Preseason testing at the fast Paul Ricard circuit showed a top speed of 295 km/h.
Also, in addition to the naturally aspirated 340 hp Carrera RSR introduced in 1974, Porsche offered a customer racing version of the 911 Turbo prepared for the more standard Group 4
Group 4 (racing)
The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...
rules, the 485 hp Porsche 934
Porsche 934
The Porsche 934 was a racing version of the Porsche 911 Turbo, prepared to FIA Group 4 rules, similar to the Porsche 935 which was prepared to FIA Group 5 rules.-History:...
. Some customer teams modified their 934 to Gr. 5 rules with body kits supplied by Porsche, these were often designated 934/5. Cologne-based Kremer Racing
Kremer Racing
Kremer Racing is a motorsports team based in Cologne, Germany, founded by racing driver Erwin Kremer and his brother Manfred. They have competed internationally with Porsches for nearly all of their existence, and were even one of the factory-backed squads for many years...
entered a 935 K1 built on a factory shell which in the first race, the 6h Mugello, finished 2nd behind the Martini Racing
Martini Racing
Martini Racing is the name under which various motor racing teams raced when sponsored by the Martini & Rossi distillery that produces Martini vermouth. Martini's sponsorship program began in 1968...
sponsored factory entry of Mass/Ickx. Porsches occupied the first seven places ahead of a BMW in 8th, which according to the 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 scheme meant that Porsche had now 20 points, and BMW 3. The factory 935 also scored pole, fastest lap and win at the 6h Vallelunga, where a BMW was second, though, with the best 934 being only 5th.
After the second race, the CSI rule makers insisted that the whale tail hood of the road-going 930 must fit on the race car. The air-to-air intercooler setup under the rear hood had to be altered to a more compact air-to-water layout, which cost Porsche several weeks of testing and half a Million Deutsche Mark.
The hastily modified 935 set again pole and fastest lap at the 6h Silverstone, but due to a clutch problem at the start, the Martini car could finish only 10th, with the 2nd-placed Kremer 935 collecting valuable points for Zuffenhausen. A private BMW 3.5 CSL
BMW E9
-BMW 2.5CS:The last version of the E9 to be introduced was the 2.5CS in 1974. This was a response to the 1973 oil crisis, such that the buyer could choose the smaller, more economical engine. The engine, from the 2500 sedan, displaced and produced at 6000 revolutions per minute...
had beaten it to the finish by a second. Even more worrisome was the fact that BMW Motorsport had entered also a turbo, a 3.2 CSL driven by Ronnie Peterson
Ronnie Peterson
Bengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver. He was a two-time runner-up in the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship.Peterson began his motor racing career in kart racing, traditionally the discipline where the majority of race drivers begin their careers in open-wheel racing...
and Gunnar Nilsson
Gunnar Nilsson
Gunnar Nilsson was a Swedish racing driver, born in Helsingborg. Before entering Formula One, he won the 1975 British Formula Three Championship....
. That new BMW had qualified only 1 second behind the factory 935, but two seconds ahead of the third placed Kremer 935. The powerful BMW did not last long in the race due to gearbox problems.
Initially, Porsche ran the 935 with the 911's original fender-mounted headlights, in two different guises: a sprint version with a wider version of its wheel arches, and a high speed version with modified aerodynamics. The sprint setup was rarely used. However, after carefully studying the rulebooks, Porsche engineers, namely Norbert Singer
Norbert Singer
Norbert Singer is a German automotive engineer. He has played a key role in every one of Porsche’s 16 overall race victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.Singer was born in Eger , part of Nazi Germany's Sudetenland in 1939....
, discovered a loophole regarding the modifications of fenders that gave them the liberty to remove the headlights to reduce drag and create more downforce, to which the venting slits contribute. This flat nose (also known as the slant nose), with headlights in the front spoiler, became the distinguishing feature of the 935 and was later offered on the roadgoing 930 as the Flachbau, or "flatnose", part of Porsche's Sonderwunsch, or "special wish" program. Also, the 935 now had extended long tail rear fenders, similar to the low drag setup seen years ago on Carrera RS. These fenders also offered more space for engine periphery and efficient cooling.
1976 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1976 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monaco on May 30, 1976.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Niki Lauda - 1:29.65*Fastest lap: Clay Regazzoni - 1:30.28 on lap 60-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
, Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
and Manfred Schurti stepped in to drive the 935 which by now had the new look it became famous with. Probably with the help of higher turbo boost, Stommelen qualified the 935 on Pole with a stunning 7:37,5 (see List of Nordschleife lap times (racing)), while the BMW turbo did not take part. The fastest of only 9 race laps was just over 8min, though, as the engine was not sorted out set, and vibrations caused ignition failure. Again, a reliable Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport is a motorsport team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. From the early days of its establishment, the team has operated an automobile racing squad for BMW, and has remarkable results in touring car and sports car racing scenes....
-entered normal BMW CSL took the win, with the customer 934 of Loos salvaging valuable second place points for Porsche.
The 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans
1976 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 44th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 12 and 13 1976.-Race:The regulations for Le Mans were changed again, with the fuel limitations removed and Group 5 cars were allowed to compete with Group 6 cars. Porsche entered two 936s and one 935, while...
counted towards neither World Championship, but Le Mans is often considered the real championship. For that race, it was possible to use the 935's well-tested original engine setup. The main battle was between the sportscars, with a Renault Alpine setting the pole. The 935 driven by Stommelen/Schurti qualified 3rd and despite the weight and drag of a Group 5 silhouette, finished 4th overall, with one of the Porsche 936
Porsche 936
The Porsche 936 was a racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 908, a three litre sportscar prototype which was retired by the factory after 1971...
taking the win.
At Zeltweg, Ickx was back, setting the pole, but the throttle link broke before mid race. Derek Bell
Derek Bell (auto racer)
Derek Reginald Bell MBE is a former racing driver from England who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning five times at Le Mans. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams...
set fastest lap in the Kremer 935, but nonetheless two BMW Coupés won ahead of a private 934. Porsche had still a narrow lead in the points standings, but only the best 5 of the 7 events would count. BMW had now 3 wins compared to Porsche's two, which meant that Porsche had to win the final two races. The new engine setup was tested at Weissach in a modified 934 while the race cars were shipped overseas. At Watkins Glen, the regular race chassis 002 of Mass/Ickx needed an extra stop for new pads at the Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
derived brakes, and the test chassis 001 of Stommelen/Schurti won, with the best BMW being 4th. Porsche now had 3 wins and two seconds equaling 90 points, which meant that only another win could add 5 more points to their tally. BMW had also 3 wins, but only one second and a fourth, equaling 85 points. Without a competitive third brand, the winner of the final round would take the World Championship.
In Dijon, the turbo of BMW Motorsport was back, now with 3.5L, and this time the fast Swedes Peterson/Nilsson put it on pole, half a second ahead of Ickx. Again, the transmission was not as strong as the Bavarian Motor Works 750 hp engine, failing before the first of the 6 hours had passed. Three 935 plus two Gr. 5 spec 934/5 won ahead of the best normally aspirated BMW. The 935 and 936 had each won its Championship, and Le Mans, too. The age of turbo engines had begun in endurance racing.
935/77A Customer
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
-based rivals Georg Loos and Kremer Racing
Kremer Racing
Kremer Racing is a motorsports team based in Cologne, Germany, founded by racing driver Erwin Kremer and his brother Manfred. They have competed internationally with Porsches for nearly all of their existence, and were even one of the factory-backed squads for many years...
entered 935 in the 1977 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft or simply DRM as it was known, was a touring car and Sportscar racing series...
which introduced the Group 5 rules. As the naturally aspirated BMW Coupés
BMW E9
-BMW 2.5CS:The last version of the E9 to be introduced was the 2.5CS in 1974. This was a response to the 1973 oil crisis, such that the buyer could choose the smaller, more economical engine. The engine, from the 2500 sedan, displaced and produced at 6000 revolutions per minute...
and Ford Capri
Ford Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
had pulled out of the Div. I (over 2.0 litre) of the DRM, these Porsche had no serious competition in the big Division until other turbo-charged cars showed up, like the BMW-powered Schnitzer Toyota Celica, or the Zakspeed Ford Capri.
The DRM was a drivers championship, and with equal Porsche customer machinery, no driver could dominate, with meant that despite the customer 934 of 1976 and the 935 since 1977 dominating their Division, the championship was often decided in favour of a small Division pilot. Kremer went on to develop yet another special 935, the K2, and also ran the optional 3.0L engine offered by Porsche, which was connected with a 60 kg more minimal weight, though.
Slightly modified, Porsche sold also customer cars in 1978 and 1979.
935/77 Works
Due to lack of competition in 1976, Porsche decided not to defend its sportscar championship, leaving it to the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33. It would be demoted to a European series in 1978 before being discontinued.The factory continued to develop and occasionally race a single new 935 in the 1977 World Championship for Makes season
1977 World Championship for Makes season
The 1977 World Championship for Makes season was part of the 25th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship racing. It featured a series for Group 5 Special Production Cars, Group 3 & 4 Grand Touring Cars and Group 1 & 2 Touring Cars which ran from February 5, 1977 to October 23, 1977, and...
, in case BMW or another brand would bring a competitive turbo. Customers were not happy that the factory would race them with a newer car, but as the 935/77 was often unreliable, it could be beaten in five of the nine WCM events.
In the WCM season opening 24h Daytona, the old car was entered, but tyre failures caused an DNF, with an old RSR taking the win. The new car body was changed significantly to lower drag, resulting in a 10 km/h higher top speed at Paul Ricard, where it covered 3500 km in tests at speed, lapping 3,4 secs faster. The front fenders, which in 1976 had followed the hood, now protruded above the hood line, and accommodated also the mirrors. The rear fenders were altered, but the biggest change was the addition of a second rear window above the standard one. This allowed cleaner air flow to the rear wing under which the single turbo was later replaced by two KKK units. This improved throttle response and also power, but several head gasket failures meant that Porsche had some home work to do for 1978.
The works 935/77 qualified 6th at the 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans
1977 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 45th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 11 and 12 1977.-Race:The Porsche 936 turbo won again in 1977 against the Renault and Mirage Renault, with extraordinary driving efforts by Jacky Ickx...
, behind the Renault Alpines and the 936s, but engine troubles ended the race early. As in 1976, a 936 won after the turbo powered sportscars chased each other into troubles. This time, a customer 935 even finished third overall.
935/77 2.0
At the time, Zakspeed
Zakspeed
Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
-Ford and Schnitzer
Schnitzer
Schnitzer is a German word meaning "carver" and is the surname of:* Eduard Schnitzer , physician, naturalist and governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria on the upper Nile* Florian Schnitzer, German ice hockey player...
-BMW were in transition from the naturally aspirated 2.0 4cyl with about 300 hp to 1.4 litre turbo engines with 350 hp and more. These engines would later would move on to Formula One, with the BMW powerplant winning the 1983 F1 championship, and becoming the strongest F1 engine ever, at up to 1500 hp.
In the first outing at Norisring
Norisring
The Norisring is a street circuit in Nuremberg, on the former Nazi party rally grounds site of the NSDAP party conventions. As the city's German name Nürnberg would lead to confusion with the already famous Nürburgring, the old name Noris was chosen for the simple track which is nowadays approx...
in early July 1977, both the Baby and Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
had problems due to heat. Skipping the Diepholz airfield round, Porsche sorted the car out for the DRM support race of the 1977 German Grand Prix
1977 German Grand Prix
The 1977 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 31, 1977. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at the dangerous Nürburgring in 1976, the German Grand Prix was moved to and held every year except for 1 at Hockenheim until 2007, and this was the second year the race...
at the fast Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
(long version). In changing weather conditions, Jacky Ickx set pole by almost three seconds and won with 50 seconds, setting fastest lap in the process. With its mission accomplished, the Porsche 935/77 2.0 (chassis 935/2-001) was retired to the Porsche Museum.
935/78 "Moby Dick"
Porsche 928
The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT car sold by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some...
and Porsche 924
Porsche 924
The Porsche 924 is an automobile produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1976 to 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 replaced the 914 as the company's entry-level model, and was the model that finally retired the 912. In production terms, the 924 was the first Porsche model powered by a...
models, similar to Volkswagen, which had replaced the Beetle with the Golf. Due to the head gasket failures of the 1977 biturbo, Porsche parted with their air cooling tradition and introduced water-cooled cylinder heads in the 1978 engine, and equipped them with four valves, too. The capacity was enlarged to 3.2 L, increasing its output to typically 750 hp. The weight, which was less important on the Le Mans straights, had to be 1030 kg now. As this track was run clockwise, the driver seat was moved over to the right side for better weight distribution and sight in right-hand corners, like Dunlop, Tertre Rouge and Mulsanne, another distinctive feature of the 1978 model.
The new car again took full advantage of a new loophole in the Group 5 rules, introduced for BMW, allowing to cut the floor to accommodate the exhaust of the front engine. As this rule applied also for the rear engine Porsche, the whole floor pan of the 911 was cut away, and the body was lowered by 10 cm (3.9 in). The gearbox was mounted upside down to reduce the angle of the drive shafts. As the rules did not limit the forward extension of the rear aerodynamic devices, Porsche even added fairings to the doors, bridging the gap between the front and rear fenders. These were shortened later, covering only the front third of the doors. Because of its white color and long tail shape optimised for low drag, the 935/78 was often nicknamed Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
.
With this version, Mass/Ickx won the test race, the 6h at the fast Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
, the pole (1:22,38) and fastest lap (1:23,98 or 202,519 km/h) being only 4 secs slower than the corresponding times of James Hunt in the 1977 British Grand Prix
1977 British Grand Prix
The 1977 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1977. It was won by James Hunt driving a McLaren M26, and marked the debut of Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve...
which covered only a quarter of the distance.
At the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 46th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 10 and 11 1978.-Race:In 1978, the Renault V6 turbo, which had lost in 1976 and 1977 to the Porsche 936, finally managed to beat the German cars. Each company had brought no less than four cars, which after...
, the 935 qualified third, barely beaten by a Renault Alpine and a 936. Compared to 1976, lap times were 15 seconds quicker now. With its 3.2L engine, it was the fastest car on the straight in Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
at 235 mph, easily passing the prototypes of Renault Alpine as well as the teammate 936, as these Group 6 cars had 2.1L engines, equal to normal 3.0L. The engine had to be replaced before the race, though, and with ensuing problems early in the race, Moby Dick was no contender, finishing 8th behind three customer 935. In its third attempt, Renault finally managed to beat Porsche, and then went on to focus on F1. Two of the three 936 and another Alpine occupied the other three places, which meant that the best naturally aspirated sportscar finished only 9th. Before being retired to the museum, the Moby Dick was also entered at Vallelunga and at the Norisring, the annual highlight of the DRM series, but the twisty track around the Nuremberg Reichsparteitag grand stand is quite the opposite to the Le Mans circuit the car was made for, including being run counter-clockwise around two narrow lefthand turns. The car did not finish there.
Awaiting rule changes taking effect in 1982, Porsche did not officially enter in 1979 or 1980, granting only some limited support to customer efforts with the 935, 936 and even decade old 908 and 917, mainly in form of spare parts, engines and know-how which by then was rather dated, too. Factory racing was mainly done with the Porsche 924
Porsche 924
The Porsche 924 is an automobile produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1976 to 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 replaced the 914 as the company's entry-level model, and was the model that finally retired the 912. In production terms, the 924 was the first Porsche model powered by a...
turbo variants called Carrera GT, with few success.
Private non-factory built replica cars of the 1977 body style and the "Moby Dick" were entered in DRM and IMSA in following years by Joest Racing
Joest Racing
Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest...
and Moretti racing.
935 K3 and K4 by Kremer
Kremer Racing
Kremer Racing is a motorsports team based in Cologne, Germany, founded by racing driver Erwin Kremer and his brother Manfred. They have competed internationally with Porsches for nearly all of their existence, and were even one of the factory-backed squads for many years...
from Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Parallel to the factory in 1976, they had built a 935 K1, and in 1977, modified their customer 935 to the K2. For 1979, they introduced the 935 K3 (for "Kremer Type 3"; the derivative of the successful K2). Driven mainly by Klaus Ludwig
Klaus Ludwig
Klaus Ludwig is a German race driver.- Biography :Unlike Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, Harald Ertl, Hans Heyer and Jochen Mass, he has never raced in single seaters...
, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, beating all prototypes, in heavy rain, which is usually considered a disadvantage for race cars with windshields. Coming in second was a factory spec model, driven by Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
, and supported by team owner Dick Barbour and actor Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
.
Facing strong competition in the 1980 DRM by the big Zakspeed
Zakspeed
Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
Ford Capri, the K4 was introduced in mid 1981, for 400 000 Deutsche Mark. Porsche supplied an 3,1L engine with 750-800 hp at 1,5 bar boost for 91 000 DM in total.
Success and legacy
Through 1984 the 935 won over 150 races worldwide, including more than 20 class wins. It scored outright wins in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans1979 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 47th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 9 and 10 1979.-Pre-race:Due to the construction of a new public road, the profile of Tetre Rouge had to be changed...
, and won the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
and the 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...
six times each. It was also undefeated in the German DRM between 1977 and 1979, posted victories in the IMSA GTX class, and won many races on the famous 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...
Nordschleife, including three 1000km Nürburgring
1000km Nürburgring
The ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring is an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.- History :...
. The 935 also took Porsche to victory in the FIA World Championship for Makes each year from 1976 to 1979. In 1980 and 1981, Lancia won the title with their Beta Montecarlo 1.4t, by regularly winning the sub 2.0L category, and occasionally defeating Porsche in the big category. In 1982 Alan Jones the 1980 World Formula 1 Championship drove it to victory in the 1982 Australian GT Championship
Australian GT Championship
The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races...
where it was unbeaten for the whole season. In 1983 the same car in the hand of Rusty French won the championship as well
The Moby Dick engine was the basis for an all-watercooled 2.65L engine intended for the Indy 500, but rule makers there, remembering the dominance of the Porsche 917/10 turbo and 935, limited its boost so it would not be competitive against domestic machinery. Instead, the engine was used in the 1981 Le Mans winning 936/81, and in the 956 and 962C which would dominate the mid 1980s. Since 1999, this engine block forms the basis of the successful GT3 models.
After Group 5 was discontinued by FIA after 1982, the 935 continued to race in IMSA's GTP category, usually entered by smaller privateer names, who were not permitted by IMSA regulations to race the new Group C Porsche 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
. Due to this, 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...
was introduced to the US market in 1984, fitted with the 935 air-cooled single-turbo engine. By 1985 the days of the 935 were mostly over, as it could hardly be modified to a groundeffect design, with the rear-mounted flat 6 prohibiting a diffuser, an issue which also affects modern 911 race cars. Only a handful of 935's remained, and the car was no longer competitive with the new GTP cars. The 935 was seen in two races in the 1986 season.
The 4-wheel-drive Porsche 959
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....
, and its racing counterpart Porsche 961
Porsche 961
The Porsche 961 was a racing car built by Porsche and based on their 959 sports car. It was intended for Group B sports car racing, complementing the purpose-built 956 and 962C which ran Group C in the World Sports-Prototype Championship. The 961 project was short lived, running only three races...
, can be considered a high-tech successor to the 935, but Group B never got a circuit racing series, and was only used in rallying before being banned there due to its danger. The 1980s had few racing opportunities for turbocharged 911, which often were fitted with 935-style bodywork. Being run by amateurs at the Nürburgring in VLN endurance and in the 24h, they were often banned, or at least slowed down by rules.
The 1990s Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 911 GT2
The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration...
based on the 993 is also a successor to the 935, but BPR series and FIA GT rules required a higher weight, and intake restrictors limited power to 550 hp, less than the first 935/76. The Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 911 GT1
The Porsche 911 GT1 was a car designed for competition in the GT1 class of sportscar racing, which also required a street legal version for homologation purposes...
with its mid-engine and lowered roof has a different concept, though. Starting in 2003, the turbo-charged Porsche 996 of Alzen set new records at the Nürburgring VLN
VLN
The VLN, properly the Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring is an organisation of motorsport clubs of which each hosts one event of a ten-race series held on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the "VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring"...
endurance series (see List of Nordschleife lap times (racing)), with speeds reminding of the 935 era, despite it being also slowed down by minimum weight (1350 kg) and limited boost.