PORSCHE AT THE GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED
Posted 10th July, 2008 in Porsche | Leave a comment
Porsche celebrates 60 years at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 11 – 13) with a high speed demonstration of the latest generation of the iconic 911 sports coupe, which stars alongside a charismatic collection of cars spanning the company’s illustrious heritage.
Acclaimed as one of the best sports cars in the world, Porsche has developed the unique rear-engined concept of the 911 continually over its 45 year evolution so that it remains relevant in changing times. Now, by introducing a wide range of new and truly comprehensive technologies, Porsche has built on the outstanding reputation of the 911 to further optimise the car to today’s driving environment. All-new flat six engines of 3.6 and 3.8-litres capacity featuring Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), and the option of the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch transmission, are particular highlights marking a quantum leap in the car’s development.
The 911 Carrera will be participating in the ‘Sunday Times’ Supercar Run up the hillclimb course, a high-octane display of horsepower that celebrates the ultimate in performance road car engineering. The 530bhp Porsche 911 GT2 – the fastest, most powerful road-going 911 currently on sale - will also star at the Sussex venue.
Uniquely, visitors to Goodwood will once again be invited to experience Porsche power first hand, with high-speed rides on offer in the Porsche Cayenne around a specially-designed circuit located next to the famous speed hillclimb course.
The driver-oriented chassis of the Porsche Cayenne has been designed to combine sports car handling on the road with the added versatility of extreme agility off-road. The grass-surfaced course, around which the 385bhp V8-engined Cayenne S models will power, is intended to demonstrate perfectly the outstanding dynamic ability of the four door Porsche.
Rides in the all-wheel drive Cayenne S will be available in exchange for a donation to the Make a Wish Foundation. Members of the public will be able to jump into the passenger seat alongside a Driving Consultant from the Porsche Driving Experience, and enjoy an exciting high speed run.
Manufacturers and private owners are invited to demonstrate cars of historical significance at Goodwood, relating to the motor sporting disciplines celebrated. Sports car and endurance racing plays a major part in each year’s Festival, and given the unparalleled achievements by Porsche in this field, the world-renowned Porsche Museum team from Stuttgart is showcasing two ground-breaking cars from its past – the 1970 908/03 Spyder and the 1973 917/30.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed each year has an overall motor sporting theme and for 2008 it is ‘Hawthorn to Hamilton – Britain’s Love Affair with World Motor Sport.’ Over the years, many famous British racing drivers have enjoyed success behind the wheel of sports cars from Stuttgart.
A further unique feature of Goodwood is that the event seeks to reunite famous cars with drivers from the original factory teams. This year sees a star-studded line-up of former Porsche drivers assembled together once more. These will include Richard Attwood, the winner of the first Porsche victory at Le Mans in 1970, who will be driving the 908/03 Spyder; Jackie Oliver, who will once again be behind the wheel of a Porsche 917; and Brian Redman will also be reunited with the Stuttgart marque.
Porsche enthusiasts visiting Goodwood will be pleased to learn that there are many more examples of the marque, and former factory race drivers, participating in the Festival of Speed. These will include Derek Bell, five-time Le Mans winner; and Allan McNish, winner of the 1998 Le Mans with the Porsche factory team.
And for visitors wishing to re-fuel themselves, the Porsche Café Le Mans will be once more situated on the outside of the track near the footbridge, offering meals and refreshments.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place in the grounds of Goodwood House, near Chichester, Sussex, between July 11 - 13. Admission is by advanced ticket only. For further information about the weekend’s activities and admission prices, visit goodwood.co.uk, or telephone 01243 755055.
1973 Porsche 917/30 Spyder
Rule changes for the World Championship of Makes eliminated the stunning Porsche 917 during the early 1970s allowing the factory to develop the car for the open-top CanAm championship in North America. Teams from McLaren, Lola and Chaparrals were attracted to the 200 mile Sprint races of the formula and the rule book permitted almost anything, including free engine displacement and the use of turbochargers.
Porsche used its new found skills with forced induction to attach two exhaust-driven turbochargers to the flat-twelve engine of the 917. The result had a displacement of 5.4 litres and produced between 1,100 bhp and 1,400 bhp making it one of the most powerful racing cars ever built.
The car, which weighs a mere 800kg, accelerates from a standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in just 2.4 seconds, by which time the driver has not even shifted into second gear! It reaches 200 km/h (124mph) in 5.6 secs, and passes the 300 km/h (186mph) mark in 11.3 secs.
The 917/30 went on to dominate in the 1973 CanAm with the top four places in the final points being taken back to Stuttgart and Porsche factory driver, Mark Donohue, setting a closed circuit record of 222 mph (355.85km/h) around the Talladega Oval, Alabama. A time that still ranks as one of the fastest race laps ever.
Only two examples of the 917/30 were built, and one of them has been the star of the Porsche Museum since 1975. It was completely restored in 2000, with the work not confined to the plastic body. Experts from Bosch optimised the engine’s throttle response by updating the control units. This also meant that the 24 spark plugs do not need to be changed so often. Purists may regret this departure from the original specification, but it does mean that the 917/30 can participate fully in renowned historic car events such as the Festival of Speed at Goodwood.
Technical Data
Engine Twelve-cylinder, air-cooled, two-valve, opposed-piston, turbo engine, four cog-wheel overhead camshafts.
Power 1,100bhp at 7,800 rpm
Displacement 5374 cc
Fuel System Indirect mechanical fuel injection, 400-litre fuel tank
Transmission Four-speed gearbox, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential.
Chassis Light metal tubular spaceframe, plastic body, independent suspension, coil springs, vented disc brakes
Dimensions Wheelbase 2500 mm, length 4262 mm, weight 800 kg
Performance Top speed approximately 385 km/h (239 mph)
1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder
Although Porsche concentrated primarily on development of its twelve cylinder 917 from the middle of 1969, the eight cylinder 908 was also developed further. This 908 received a completely new tubular frame based on that of the 909 Bergspyder and its three litre engine was moved forward by mounting the gearbox ahead of the differential to achieve more equal weight distribution.
Thus Type 908/03 was basically conceived for tight twisty circuits that demanded high levels of manoeuvrability. Consequently, the size of the sports car was kept to a minimum and it weighs a mere 540 kilos. The driver’s seat is even mounted on the right-hand side to ensure better weight distribution on the predominately clockwise circuits the car was to race on.
The flat-eight three litre engine produced 350hp enabling the 908/03 to obtain a top speed of approximately 275 km/h (172 mph), but it was the car’s agility that was to ensure success during its racing career.
As pre-determined by its extreme ‘fitness for purpose’, in 1970 and 1971 the Porsche factory only entered the 908/03 in four races, yet managed to win three of them. Taking its debut victory in the 1970 Targa Florio (Jo Stiffert/Brian Redman), the only thing as impressive as the car’s speed around the tortuous mountain circuit in Sicily was the conspicuous paint schemes of the factory cars. That year’s Nürburgring 1000km race saw the 908/03 again finish first and second, securing the World Championship for Makes for Porsche.
The 1971 Nürburgring 1000km saw three out of the four 908/03s which started, finish in the first three places. The 908/03 continued to win in the hands of privateer teams for many years and even finished first overall in the 1980 Nürburgring 1000km.
Technical Specification
Engine: Eight-cylinder, horizontally-opposed pistons, air-cooled, two valves per cylinder, four chain-driven overhead camshafts
Output: 350bhp at 8,400rpm
Displacement: 2,997cc
Fuel System: Mechanical fuel injection, 120-litre fuel tank
Transmission: Five-speed gearbox, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Chassis: Aluminium, tubular space frame, plastic bodywork, independent suspension, coil springs, disc brakes
Dimensions and weight: Wheelbase 2,300mm, length 3,540mm, weight 540 kg
Performance: Top speed 275 km/h (172 mph)
Chassis number: 908 03 009
[Source: Porsche]
Add Your Comments