Monday 6th January 2014

The 911's Alter Ego: Time For Tea?

Enough Porsche Le Mans history already; now it's onto the rallying success

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This is clever timing from Porsche. With the 2014 Dakar just underway, it publishes a video starring its 953, the car that took victory thirty years ago. Just to remind us all that 911s can do off-road as well as track racing, deliver thrills on the road, win car of the year competitions et cetera et cetera...

The vid is fronted by Jeff Zwart, a 911 rallyist and seven-time winner of Pikes Peak. The car itself is an odd looking thing, Rothmans livery and big spoiler redolent of the track racers with a jacked up ride height giving away its true purpose. The interior is a fantastically confusing array of gauges and dials flung around the old 911 cabin.

So the 953 may not be conventionally pretty, but it was of course very successful and significant; after winning the 1984 Dakar and, the same 4WD system was upgraded and gave Porsche Dakar victory in '86 with a 959 too. And with no 953, there wouldn't be the 911 Carrera 4s that are now so popular.

Oh, and it sounds brilliant as well.

Enjoy

 

[WMP]

I don't think this is really an alter ego, the 911 has arguably a longer pedigree in rallying than on the track.

Ask Monkey's mate Mr Tuthill and look up videos of tarmac spec German GT3's ripping up the forests of central Europe for evidence of rallying prowess beyond those shown on this video.

I for one am looking forward to this 'Safari spec' 911/991 being unveiled in Beijing!

[McWigglebum4th]

WMP said:

I for one am looking forward to this 'Safari spec' 911/991 being unveiled in Beijing!

No it will be yet another SUV that can hark back to the rally days of the 911 in the same way that an evoque harks back to a series 1 landrover

[Mermaid]

WMP said:

I for one am looking forward to this 'Safari spec' 911

Safari, 911's - here we are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr2mP2THKuo&fea...

[Hammerhead]

Oooft! That 953 sounds amazing.

[993RSGT3]

for anyone unfamiliar with Jeff Zwart, see http://blog.caranddriver.com/rennsport-randomness-...

Porsche nut, brilliant film maker/photographer (see Bull Publishing for some of his work)

One of the good guys!

[MogulBoy]

A very nice little film.

[firebird350]

Nah! Prefer the Prodrive-campaigned 911 SC RS rally cars myself - as driven by Henri Toivonen, Billy Coleman etc, although my favourite piece of 911 rallying is of that of Roger Clark (in the same Rothmans car as the above drivers) slinging the tail-happy Porsche around the 1984 RAC Rally without pace notes. Not the easiest of cars to manhandle on 'blind' special stages!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0gKMGJHVCU

[PPPPPP]

firebird350 said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0gKMGJHVCU

Great links on this thread

[soad]

Hammerhead said:

Oooft! That 953 sounds amazing.

Indeed.

[mrh1275]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEOKck7WWvU

[Goofnik]

WMP said:

I for one am looking forward to this 'Safari spec' 911/991 being unveiled in Beijing!

The best kind of sideways is rear-engined sideways.

If Porsche builds it, will Chris Harris replace his E30 with said rally 911?

[firebird350]

Another clip of Roger Clark on that '84 RAC Rally in the Rothmans Porsche 911 SC RS - this time on the Sutton Park spectator stage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du1SQ019TTI

[squirejo]

Nice film, cool driver but anyone interested in rally 911's should acquaint themselves with Tuthills. Based in Banbury, probably the finest producer of such cars in the world. Don't believe me? Worth checking out the field and drivers in the recent Safari Rally amongst other jewels on their website.

http://www.francistuthill.co.uk/news_more.asp?News...

[Alex Langheck]

'Quick Vic' Elford managed to persuade Porsche to campaign the 911 in Rallying/Motorsport - and it was pretty successful.

Even now, factory Porsche driver Romain Dumas is quite often out in either an historic 911, or his GT3 Cup. Marc Duez will use a Porsche in next weeks Monte.

Edited by Alex Langheck on Monday 6th January 21:58

[P4ROT]

soad said:

Hammerhead said:

Oooft! That 953 sounds amazing.

Indeed.

Agreed! I bet the GT2 rally car is...a bit of a 'handful'

[garypotter]

Any car in Rothmans colours just works for me, and I do not smoke!! please let them advertise on race cars grrrrrrr.............

[V8KSN]

Great clips linked on this thread

[DP33]

That thing sounds pukka. Good of Land Rover to put up the location for the shoot too!

Great thread (and story) though.

[jwigglesworth]

Nice video- I just wish someone would shoot the sound editors so that all these videos/films/tv programs aren't spoiled by the crappy "music". Contrary to popular belief, most people do have an attention span longer than a gnats crotchet.
Sorry- rant over now
You had to be a proper driver to drive those cars. Nice that they are still wheeled out & used in anger.