<< Prev Page 2 of 2 Lessons learned from the season that started so well, but ended in disappointment were incorporated in the 83G. Closely resembling its predecessor, the revisions of the 1983 model were in the details. Four cars were built to GTP specification and one to Group C spec with a smaller fuel tank for Nissan. Three of the GTP cars were bought by Al Holbert, who raced two cars with the Chevrolet V8 and one powered by a Turbocharged Porsche flat-six. Especially the Porsche engined machine (83G/04) was very successful, winning every race it participated in that season, bringing the IMSA Championship to Holbert. At the start of that season the same car, under new ownership, scored a victory in the Daytona 24 Hours race.
For 1984 March again did one better with the 84G, again a subtle evolution. Seven were sold and received engines as varied as the Chevrolet V8, a Buick V6 Turbo, the Porsche flat-six and a Mazda rotary. The dominance this season was complete and March Chevrolet drivers Randy Lanier and Bill Whittington were crowned IMSA Champions. There was a big, German problem looming on the horizon however that was about to end March' dominance. Ironically it was the flat-six engined March that helped Porsche develop their own GTP car, the 962. Introduced halfway through the season, the Porsche 956 based prototype racer racked up five victories in the hands of Al Holbert and Derek Bell.
The final evolution based on the 82G came in 1985 and building on the success of the previous season March managed to sell 11 examples of the 85G. Among the customers were BMW and again Nissan, who ordered three Group C spec chassis. Powered by a twin-Turbo V6 engine, one of the 'Nissans' scored a World Championship victory at a rain-soaked Fuji. The major European manufacturers withdrew from the race because their tyres were not up to the monsoon conditions, unlike the Bridgestones fitted to the March Nissans. Kazuyoshi Hoshino put a startling performance by lapping the entire, down-sized field at a startling pace. Another 85G managed to clinch the GTP class honours at Le Mans in 1986.
After four successful years, the 'lobster claw' was finally abandoned and replaced by the all new 86G. This car was jointly commissioned by Nissan and BMW for use in Group C and IMSA GTP respectively. Only one example was sold to a customer, which would be the last Group C/GTP car built by March. In the following seasons the British company worked exclusively for Nissan until they were replaced by Lola in 1989. The first generation March GTP cars were among the finest machines of their era and the only really successful privately developed prototype racers of the last decades. All other top level sports racers in the Group C / GTP era and since have had some sort of factory backing. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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Lessons learned from the season that started so well, but ended in disappointment were incorporated in the 83G. Closely resembling its predecessor, the revisions of the 1983 model were in the details. Four cars were built to GTP specification and one to Group C spec with a smaller fuel tank for Nissan. Three of the GTP cars were bought by Al Holbert, who raced two cars with the Chevrolet V8 and one powered by a Turbocharged Porsche flat-six. Especially the Porsche engined machine (83G/04) was very successful, winning every race it participated in that season, bringing the IMSA Championship to Holbert. At the start of that season the same car, under new ownership, scored a victory in the Daytona 24 Hours race.