<< Prev Page 2 of 2 To rectify the aerodynamic problems, Porsche fitted four coupes with revised rear ends that were equipped with an ingenious moveable wing system. When the pressure on one side of the car increased the wing on that side flattened and the one on the other side angled up to level the force on both sides. These four were also the first to be equipped with the revised aluminium spaceframe. They were ready in time for the Le Mans race, which was postponed to September from the traditional June date. After qualifying on top, two 908s led the race for the first two hours, but then fell victim to the engine and gearbox related problems and were forced to retire. A frequently patched up 908 still managed to finish third.
Throughout the winter Porsche not only worked on developing the 908, but also on a 5-litre racer that would fit in the five litre sportscar class. Dubbed the 908/2, Porsche's three litre racer for 1969 was quite an improvement over the first generation 908s used. The most notable change was the introduction of a Spyder body perfectly suited for higher downforce races like the Nürburgring 1000 km and Targa Florio. Similar in design to the one fitted in the old 2.2 litre eight cylinder engine, a new crankshaft was developed, which cured the vibration issues. The six speed gearbox was discarded and replaced by a far more reliable five speed box.
These changes were as welcome as they were successful and Porsche dominated the 1969 season. Wash-out victories were scored at Brands Hatch, Monza, the Nürburgring, Spa and in the Targa Florio. Especially the 1-2-3-4-5 place finish in the 1000 km race on the treacherous Nürburgring track showed Porsche's might. For Le Mans three longtail coupe bodied 908s were prepared complete with all the modifications found on the successful Spyders. They were joined by the new 917s, which suffered a similar fate as the 908 had a year earlier with early retirements. In the closest ever Le Mans finish one of the 908 coupes finished just a few yards shy of the winning Ford GT40.
Although the 908 was even further developed for 1970 in the shape of the 908/3, Porsche put most of their effort in developing the 917 sportscar. In it's highly successful year the lightweight 908/2 proved to be superior to its peers from Ferrari and Matra despite it's relatively standard engine compared to the Formula 1 derived powerplants in the Italian and French racers. Sadly the eight cylinder prototype racers will always be in the shadow of the 12 cylinder 917, which brought the first Le Mans factory to the Stuttgart based manufacturer. The 908/2 will remain as one of the most underestimated of its era, because a Le Mans victory still outweighs wins in all other races of a season combined. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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To rectify the aerodynamic problems, Porsche fitted four coupes with revised rear ends that were equipped with an ingenious moveable wing system. When the pressure on one side of the car increased the wing on that side flattened and the one on the other side angled up to level the force on both sides. These four were also the first to be equipped with the revised aluminium spaceframe. They were ready in time for the Le Mans race, which was postponed to September from the traditional June date. After qualifying on top, two 908s led the race for the first two hours, but then fell victim to the engine and gearbox related problems and were forced to retire. A frequently patched up 908 still managed to finish third.