The Porsche 908/3 Is the Greatest Sports Racer Ever MadeDaniel PundMay 9, 2024 at 1:00 PMPorsche 908/3: the Greatest Sports Racer Ever MadeJeremy CliffPart endurance racer and part hill-climb special, the stripped-down Porsche 908/3 is the embodiment of Porsche’s obsession with weight savings.Jeremy CliffOnly an opening for driver and engine pierces the 908/3’s smooth body.Jeremy CliffThe 3.0-liter flat-eight engine rides the driver’s back like an aluminum and magnesium backpack. The rollover protection is insubstantial. Like its contemporary, the legendary 917, the 908/3 used a lightweight laminated-wood shift knob. The small shift-pattern placard reminds drivers that this five-speed is not a dogleg transmission. Hidden behind the handsome five-spoke wheels is one of the 908/3’s more novel weight-saving innovations: cross-drilled brake rotors.Jeremy CliffDrivers loved the nimble and well-balanced 908/3. It was built to contest the two races for which the 917 was deemed too large and heavy: the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring 1000 km. Factory 908/3s contested only four races total, winning three. The car pictured here, chassis 009 from Porsche’s historic collection, didn’t win the Targa Florio, but the car Jerry Seinfeld owns did in 1970, with Jo Siffert and Brian Redman piloting.Jeremy CliffJerry Seinfeld “The greatest four-wheeled thing I have ever felt. Not a monster like the 917. This is pure early-philosophy Porsche-iness. Minimalism. Balance. Handling. Everything in philharmonic harmony. It disappears beneath you, and the sensation is low-level flight with the greatest steering and handling of all time.portrait by marina de santisUsing the basic architecture of the 911’s flat-six, the 3.0-liter DOHC flat-eight makes about 350 hp at 8400 rpm. The bold, graphic livery of this 908/3, and the two other 1970 Gulf team cars, is the work of Porsche’s styling department. The 908/3 tips the scales at only about 1200 pounds, thanks to an aluminum space frame and a body that weighs just 26 pounds.Jeremy CliffHow far forward does a 908/3 driver sit? The pedals mount ahead of the front wheels, and the front-suspension anti-roll bar runs just under the tachometer.Jeremy CliffJohn Wyer Automotive was the primary factory team for the car, hence the Union Jack decal and Gulf sponsorship.Jeremy CliffThe little black arrow shows the direction to rotate the wheel nut. During long Targa Florio laps, drivers would have no choice but to change blown tires themselves.Jeremy CliffThe smooth nose and upswept tail generate 200 pounds of downforce on the rear at 155 mph and only 85 pounds in front.Jeremy CliffThere is no need for bodywork behind the rear tires, and so it does not exist.Jeremy CliffYou Might Also LikeYou Need a Torque Wrench in Your ToolboxTested: Best Car Interior CleanersThe Man Who Signs Every Car
The Porsche 908/3 Is the Greatest Sports Racer Ever MadeDaniel PundMay 9, 2024 at 1:00 PMPorsche 908/3: the Greatest Sports Racer Ever MadeJeremy CliffPart endurance racer and part hill-climb special, the stripped-down Porsche 908/3 is the embodiment of Porsche’s obsession with weight savings.Jeremy CliffOnly an opening for driver and engine pierces the 908/3’s smooth body.Jeremy CliffThe 3.0-liter flat-eight engine rides the driver’s back like an aluminum and magnesium backpack. The rollover protection is insubstantial. Like its contemporary, the legendary 917, the 908/3 used a lightweight laminated-wood shift knob. The small shift-pattern placard reminds drivers that this five-speed is not a dogleg transmission. Hidden behind the handsome five-spoke wheels is one of the 908/3’s more novel weight-saving innovations: cross-drilled brake rotors.Jeremy CliffDrivers loved the nimble and well-balanced 908/3. It was built to contest the two races for which the 917 was deemed too large and heavy: the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring 1000 km. Factory 908/3s contested only four races total, winning three. The car pictured here, chassis 009 from Porsche’s historic collection, didn’t win the Targa Florio, but the car Jerry Seinfeld owns did in 1970, with Jo Siffert and Brian Redman piloting.Jeremy CliffJerry Seinfeld “The greatest four-wheeled thing I have ever felt. Not a monster like the 917. This is pure early-philosophy Porsche-iness. Minimalism. Balance. Handling. Everything in philharmonic harmony. It disappears beneath you, and the sensation is low-level flight with the greatest steering and handling of all time.portrait by marina de santisUsing the basic architecture of the 911’s flat-six, the 3.0-liter DOHC flat-eight makes about 350 hp at 8400 rpm. The bold, graphic livery of this 908/3, and the two other 1970 Gulf team cars, is the work of Porsche’s styling department. The 908/3 tips the scales at only about 1200 pounds, thanks to an aluminum space frame and a body that weighs just 26 pounds.Jeremy CliffHow far forward does a 908/3 driver sit? The pedals mount ahead of the front wheels, and the front-suspension anti-roll bar runs just under the tachometer.Jeremy CliffJohn Wyer Automotive was the primary factory team for the car, hence the Union Jack decal and Gulf sponsorship.Jeremy CliffThe little black arrow shows the direction to rotate the wheel nut. During long Targa Florio laps, drivers would have no choice but to change blown tires themselves.Jeremy CliffThe smooth nose and upswept tail generate 200 pounds of downforce on the rear at 155 mph and only 85 pounds in front.Jeremy CliffThere is no need for bodywork behind the rear tires, and so it does not exist.Jeremy CliffYou Might Also LikeYou Need a Torque Wrench in Your ToolboxTested: Best Car Interior CleanersThe Man Who Signs Every Car
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