Frank-Steffen Walliser Traces Moby Dick to New 911 Turbo

Past to Present

Frank-Steffen Walliser is an important name in Porsche hierarchy, having been the person responsible for the company's GT racing efforts before becoming the head of both the 911 and 718 models this past year. The Stuttgart native did his internship, graduate studies, and doctorate with Porsche, making him quite qualified to speak in depth recently about the brand's GT history and what continues to make it such a big success.

Photos: Porsche

Benchmarking

Unsurprisingly, that conversation begins with a discussion of the Porsche 935/78, better known as Moby Dick. Which just so happens to be present at the time. "It’s the brawniest version of the 935 and at its core still a 911—to my mind, an eternally fascinating race car," Walliser said. "When we developed the new 935, presented in 2018 as a Clubsport car, we first set up a table and benches around Moby Dick and just soaked it up. Literal benchmarking, if you will."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Moby Dick's link to the 992 Turbo right here in Rennlist.com.

Track to Street

Walliser is also quick to point out the trickle-down effect cars like Moby Dick have had to production versions of Porsche's models. "We’ve repeatedly developed groundbreaking technologies for motorsports that we’ve then managed to adapt for use in road cars. Of all the innovations, the turbocharger has been the most impressive example. Still considered exotic racing technology when it was introduced, it quickly established itself as the standard across a wide range. From the racetrack to the road—it’s true technology development at Porsche."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Moby Dick's link to the 992 Turbo right here in Rennlist.com.

Usable Performance

The conversation naturally begins to lean toward the new 911 Turbo S, which has received quite a substantial power boost. But surprisingly, that wasn't the primary developmental objective. "Day-to-day usability, for sure. This quality distinguishes the 911 Turbo from all other high-performance sports cars. There are also winter tires for it, making it an eminently controllable all-year car for the long haul. At the same time—and this was the second development goal—it has to render you speechless from time to time. With a bevy of new features—the optional sports suspension and sports exhaust system, for instance—we’ve given the turbo even better performance."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Moby Dick's link to the 992 Turbo right here in Rennlist.com.

Question of Character

The developmental process begins, however, with a question of character. "For me, it’s always a bit more in the direction of a driving machine," Walliser said. "But this question stays with you throughout the entire development process; it’s something of a continuous tightrope act. We hammer away at it in discussions, tests, and fine-tuned over a period of two to three years. What degree of sportiness do we want to give it, and how much day-to-day usability do we want to retain? What sound underscores its character and what noise level do we find unpleasant over longer distances?"

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Moby Dick's link to the 992 Turbo right here in Rennlist.com.

Constantly Evolving

And that leads us to the inevitable comparison between the legendary Moby Dick and the new kid on the block. "They are both, by definition, turbochargers, but that’s about it. The responsiveness of a current turbo is beyond comparison with the early versions. Moby Dick was harder to drive, a monster with rudimentary wastegate-controlled turbochargers. The performance of the new 911 Turbo, by contrast, is highly accessible." And that, friends, is the very definition of evolution.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Moby Dick's link to the 992 Turbo right here in Rennlist.com.

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