1968 Porsche 908 Langheck
Le-Mans
The FIA (Federation International Automobile) changed the rules for sportscar racing at the end of 1967; prototypes were limited to 3 litres and a new class was created for (seme) production sportscars with a minimum number of 25 built and a maximum displacement of 5 litres. Porsche chose to enter the prototype class and built a new car around a 3 litre boxer engine. The car made its first appaerance on the April test-days at LeMans in 1968 in this sleek longtail guise.
It was dogged with teething problems caused by engine vibrations. In the 24 hours race the vibrations caused alternator problems forcing three of the four entered 908s to retire. The fourth finished third, behind a 2 litre 907. The first success for the 908 came at the 1000km at the Nurburgring in the same year with Siffert and Elford driving the 908 across the finish first overall.
The 908 continued to be successful into the seventies in different shapes and sizes but was always powered by the 8 cylinder engine.
German Supercars - BMW - PORSCHE - AUDI -
copyright 2002