<< Prev Page 2 of 2 The new drivetrain was mounted in a regular production RS shell and the first car built over the 1973/74 winter had competed in the previous seasons as one of the works RSRs. An advantage of running in the prototype class was, that there were relatively few restrictions with regards to the aerodynamics. Accordingly, a very deep from air-dam was fitted and a monumentally large rear wing. In order to divert attention from the wing to suggest a closer relationship to the production car, it was painted black. Exceptionally wide rear fenders were also fitted to clear the big Dunlop tyres required to put the power onto the road. During the development process, the fuel tank was moved inside the cockpit. This reduced the effects of the fuel load on the weight balance of the car.
Competing against purpose-built racing cars like the Matra MS670 and Alfa Romeo 33/TT/12, the new Porsche 911 Turbo stood little chance of scoring outright or even class victories. Running the cars did offer the German manufacturer the opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the turbo engine and also prepared them better for a new silhouette class that was being considered by the sport's governing body for the 1975 or 1976 season. Sporting the works Martini colours, the cars were raced in the World Championship rounds by Gijs van Lennep, Herbert Müller, Manfred Schurti and Helmuth Koenig. The best results were a third at Spa and second place finishes both at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Watkins Glen 6 Hours.
Despite the encouraging results, Porsche opted to shelve the cars during the 1975 season and instead focus on the development of a new generation of Group 4, Group 5 and Group 6 cars based on the turbo engine first used during the 1974 season. Known as the 934, 935 and 936 respectively, these cars would go on to dominate sports car racing during the second half of the 1970s. In 1975, Porsche did supply the turbo engine to some of its most loyal customers to prolong the lives of the ageing the 908 sports racers, whose late 1960s eight-cylinder engines were no longer able to match the latest generation of naturally aspirated V8s and V12s. Porsche used four 911 Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1s during the 1974 season, all of which have survived but are only very rarely seen. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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The new drivetrain was mounted in a regular production RS shell and the first car built over the 1973/74 winter had competed in the previous seasons as one of the works RSRs. An advantage of running in the prototype class was, that there were relatively few restrictions with regards to the aerodynamics. Accordingly, a very deep from air-dam was fitted and a monumentally large rear wing. In order to divert attention from the wing to suggest a closer relationship to the production car, it was painted black. Exceptionally wide rear fenders were also fitted to clear the big Dunlop tyres required to put the power onto the road. During the development process, the fuel tank was moved inside the cockpit. This reduced the effects of the fuel load on the weight balance of the car.