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  Porsche 956      

  Article Image gallery (278) Chassis (16) Specifications User Comments (1)  
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Country of origin:Germany
Produced from:1982 - 1985
Numbers built:27
Successor:Porsche 962C
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:June 02, 2014
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Click here to download printer friendly versionWith the 935 and 936 Porsche dominated international sportscar and prototype racing in the second half of the 1970s. Racing in the Group 5 and Group 6 classes respectively, the two cars shared a Turbocharged six cylinder engine. Installed in the 936 for the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, the engine displaced 2.65 litres and was equipped with water-cooled heads and four valves per cylinder. Designated 935/76, this engine powered the 936 to a third victory at Le Mans.

At the end of the 1981 season drastic rule changes left Porsches prototype racer obsolete. A new system of Group A, B and C classes were setup for 1982. Group A and B cars required a limited production run to be eligible. Group C cars on the other hand were prototypes and restricted only by a number of set dimensions. Another important aspect of Group C racing was the fact that only a limited amount of fuel was available per car per race, effectively restricting the engines' performance.

Two weeks after the 1981 Le Mans victory, Porsche started work on a prototype racer to suit the Group C regulations. It was the first all new racer Porsche constructed in over a decade and was quite a departure from the 936, which shared many components with Porsche's prototypes of the late 1960s. The only proven part of the new '956' was the aluminium flat 6 engine, which had powered the 936.

For many years Porsche had relied on a triangular spaceframe structure for their products, but to keep up with the competition a completely new aluminium monocoque chassis was designed for the 956. The monocoque supported the front suspension and a rear subframe. The engine and rear suspension were mounted on the subframe. Suspension was by wishbones all-round with the rear coil-spring / shock absorber unit mounted on top of the gearbox to keep them out of the airflow.

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  Article Image gallery (278) Chassis (16) Specifications User Comments (1)