Porsche 917LH LM Psychedelic Martini #3 Gerard Larrousse 1970

[JR98]

The Porsche 917 is one of Porsche's most legendary racing cars, winning Le Mans in 1970 and 1971, ending the Ford GT40's 4 year dominance of the race which started in 1966. There were 4 versions of the 917 created to race in various racing series, although the car was most prominent in the World Sportscar Championship.

The original 917 featured a removable long tail but had stability problems at speed so 2 new versions were created. The 917 Kurzheck (917K) was a short tail version, more suited for twisty circuits, while the 917 Langheck (917L) was more suited for high speed circuits like Le Mans. Together, these 2 cars dominated the 1970 and 1971 WSC seasons.

The original 917 featured a 520BHP 4.5 Flat 12 in 1969 but it was soon replaced by a 4.9 Flat 12 producing 600BHP. The 917K dominated the shorter tracks such as Sebring, Brands Hatch, Monza and Spa-Francorchamps.

But the big prize was obviously Le Mans and this is why they created the 917L. It's low drag meant it had a much higher top speed than the 917K but this came at a price, as it was almost uncontrollable when it debuted in 1969 due to the lack of downforce, so much so that they produced aerodynamic lift at high speed (Which causes stuff like this).

For 1970, major improvements were made to the 917L so it was now stable, but John Wyer Automotive (who co-developed the 917) prefered the security of the 917K, and for 1971 the cars were so stable it was possible for drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel at over 240 MPH.

At Le Mans in 1970 there was also a "Psyechedilic Martini" car run alongside the normal factory efforts. This car was very distinctive, featuring a unique purple/green livery and was only raced once. The car, driven by Gerard Larrousse, managed to finish second overall, just 5 laps behind the Salzburg 917K driven by Hans Hermann.

There was also the 917PA Spyder raced in Can Am and the "Pink Pig" 917/20, as well as the 917/10 and 917/30 Can Am Spyders (which produced over 1000HP).

The 917 is one of the most iconic sports racing cars of all time, largely for its high speeds and high power outputs, and was made into a movie star by Steve McQueen in his 1971 film Le Mans. 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of the 917, and Porsche held a special celebration at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Specifications:
Wheelbase: 2,300 mm
Engine: Porsche 5.0 Flat 12
Gearbox: 5 Speed Manual
Power: 600 BHP
Torque: 400 FT-LBS
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Weight: 930 KG
Top Speed: 240 MPH

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