Porsche Hints at New Hypercar Influenced by the Original Street-Legal 917

      Porsche

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      Launched in 1969, the Porsche 917 became one of the most successful race cars of its time. Its design prioritized functionality, featuring sleek aerodynamic lines, a mid-mounted flat-12 engine crafted by Hans Mezger, and a variety of innovative lightweight materials. While some of these characteristics eventually made their way into Porsche's road models, the 917 was originally conceived exclusively as a racing vehicle. About 50 years ago, the first exception emerged on European roads, and Porsche has strongly hinted that another street-legal endurance car is on the horizon.

      Porsche did not create any street-legal 917 models; there was no such variant as a 917 Straße. However, two examples have been modified for road use. One is the 917K with chassis number 037, which was altered for road approval in the 2010s and is believed to reside in Monaco. The other is the example that Porsche is currently showcasing, chassis number 030. This specific 917 was built for endurance racing, yet it only competed once at the 1971 Zeltweg 1000 Kilometers before retiring due to mechanical failures.

      The car returned to Porsche's headquarters but was not re-entered for the next racing season. Instead, it served as a mobile laboratory to test Porsche's ABS system, which made its production debut in the 928 S in 1983. Once it was no longer needed, the 917 was put into storage and eventually acquired by a wealthy Italian enthusiast named Teofilo Guiscardo Rossi di Montelera.

      Count Rossi, as he was commonly known, belonged to the family that owned the Martini & Rossi beverage company, which had its livery featured on various race cars, including the 917 that triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971. His intention was not to store chassis number 30 away for admiration while enjoying vermouth; he aspired to drive it legally on public roads and had the ambition and resources to achieve this.

      Even during the 1970s, registering a race car for road use was a formidable challenge. Germany rejected the idea, France said "non," and Italy, where Count Rossi was likely well connected, declined as well. Unexpectedly, the 917 was registered in Alabama, although there is no evidence that it ever visited the state indicated on its plates. Regardless, it boasted registration, and Count Rossi intended to fully utilize it. For its inaugural journey on public roads, the car left Stuttgart on April 28, 1975, arriving in Paris roughly 400 miles later. Seeing a 917 with Alabama plates on the autoroute must have been quite a spectacle.

      To make the 917 street-legal, Porsche had to add mufflers, extra mirrors, turn signals, and a horn. The company also included a spare tire, while Count Rossi requested Hermes leather upholstery for the seats and suede accents on the dashboard, door panels, and headliner. The wood shift knob and drilled lightweight key remained intact, along with the car's air-cooled flat-12 engine.

      Chassis number 30 has changed hands several times since then. It is still adorned in Martini Silver and has recently undergone restoration, remaining street-legal. Currently registered in the United Kingdom, it resides somewhere in the sunny south of France.

      Porsche notes that the unique narrative of chassis number 30 continues to inspire the brand today.

      “Importantly, as its descendant enjoys success on the track today, the spirit and desire within Porsche that allowed the creation of a 917 for the road all those years ago remain very much alive five decades later, raising the question: what if?” the company suggested.

      Significantly, at the end of the video below, we briefly glimpse the outline of what could potentially be a street-legal version of the 963, which competes in the World Endurance Championship and IMSA. More details are expected this June, presumably during this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, and we are eager to see what Porsche has planned.