Revisiting Six of Porsche's Le Mans Winners

Special Anniversary

50 years ago, Porsche secured its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the 917 KH, a milestone that represents one of the automaker's most important successes in motorsport. To mark this occasion, the Porsche Museum recently took its first Le Mans winner, along with five others, back to the original location in France to mark this special anniversary.

Photos: Porsche

Start of a Legend

Porsche is the most successful brand in the almost 100-year history of Le Mans. The sports car manufacturer from Zuffenhausen has had close ties to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for more than six decades, a period that has seen a total of 19 overall victories and countless class successes. That all began on June 14, 1970, when the automaker secured its very first victory.

Photos: Porsche

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Trip Back in Time

That original race-winning 917 KH from 1970 was joined by the 917 KH from 1971, the 936/81 Spyder from 1981, the 962 C from 1987, the 911 GT1 1998, and the last overall winner, the 919 Hybrid from 2017. All of those six cars were able to drive on the straights and around the corners of Le Mans as well as through symbolic elements such as the Dunlop Bridge.

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Meeting of the Minds

In addition, some of the folks who contributed to those successes came together for the very first time: Hans Herrmann, who brought the first overall victory to Zuffenhausen in 1970 together with Richard Attwood, and his original car from back then met Timo Bernhard, the last Porsche Le Mans overall winner, and the Porsche 919 Hybrid from 2017. At the 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans three years ago, Timo Bernhard took the flag in the Porsche 919 Hybrid together with his teammates Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley after a dramatic race.

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Stark Contrast

These two race cars clearly show the progress that has taken place over the course of the decades between them. The number 23 917 KH, entered by the Porsche Salzburg team, weighs only 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds) and was powered by a 4.5-liter 12-cylinder engine that drove the rear wheels with 572 horsepower. The engine had to be warmed up for around 10 minutes before the car was ready to race. The synthetic resin skin is just 1.2 mm thick. Inside it is so tight that the driver's helmet could touch the roof. 

Photos: Porsche

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Massive and Modern

The 919 Hybrid is massive by comparison and takes two technicians and one race engineer around two hours in order to prepare it for a race. The record winner was a rolling test best for future Porsche technologies: a two-liter V4 turbocharged gas engine with 368 kW (almost 500 horsepower) for the rear wheels paired with an electric motor with 294 kW (over 400 horsepower) for the front axle - making the hybrid Porsche an all-wheel-drive car. The car features a lithium-ion battery, which in turn is fed by the braking energy at the front axle and by exhaust gas energy. The driver does not really have a lot of space in the 919's cabin either but is much better protected. 

Photos: Porsche

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Only Getting Started

Porsche's Le Mans entries continue to evolve and change, and this year included a pair of special 911 RSR models finished in red-white-and black-white liveries that pay tribute to that original victory 50 years ago. Because at the end of the day, Porsche's legacy at Le Mans is only getting started.

Photos: Porsche

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