Monday 6th August 2012

Spotted: Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

Like being at La Sarthe, only with a tax disc...

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You only need the briefest of glances at a 911 GT1 Strassenversion like this to know that it's a whole heap of awesome - the scoops, slats, wings and general sleek racing car demeanour see to that.

But it gets a whole lot cooler when you find out that, beneath that vaguely 911-esque bodywork, lies a rear end - and most importantly an engine - that derives from the legendary Group C Porsche 962. And you can't say that about a Corsa VXR...

The original 911 GT1 appeared in 1996, and GT racing rules (and Le Mans regs) merely stipulated that a single roadgoing car be created. For 1997, however, the FIA GT World Championship required a minimum of 25 examples (including race cars) to be built. Hence the Strassenversion of the 1997 GT1, complete with then brand-new 'fried egg' 996 headlamps.

The car for sale here is purported to be the very last of the road car production run, which we assume is why it says it's a 1998 car (the 1998 GT1 that actually won Le Mans was a very different machine from the 1997 car, with extensively modified bodywork and a new sequential gearbox).

As is so often the case with extreme homologation specials, it's done a barely-used 4,900km in its life, probably due to the fact it's just so darn impractical. Because, you see, this is not an everyday car. The windows barely open, the steering lock is suited more for circuit work than the supermarket car park (likewise the ground clearance), the turbo lag is reputed to be frankly hilarious, and it's probably more accurate to talk about 'vision' spots as opposed to 'blind' spots.

And that's the thing: if you're going to go to the trouble of getting something like this, why not go the whole hog and get a full-on racing car - something like this rather natty 936-based Porsche-Kremer CK5 Group C car?

On the other hand, if you are a card-carrying Porsche fanboy, and you simply must have it in your collection, we definitely see the appeal... even at $2,325,000 (£1.5m)...

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PORSCHE 911 GT1 STRASSENVERSION
Engine: 3,163cc flat 6-cyl twin-turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 544@7,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 443lb ft@4,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1998
Recorded mileage: 4,900km
Price new: c. £550K
Yours for: £1,500,000

See the original advert here.

[LouD86]

Wow, just wow!

[suffolk009]

I saw them race at Le Mans. Awesome.

Does the road car look like it needs slightly bigger wheels and tyres?

[b14]

Looks like a bad replica of a Porsche racer! The racers were beautiful, not sure Porsche got the road car quite right...

[r129sl]

suffolk009 said:

Does the road car look like it needs slightly bigger wheels and tyres?

Indeed, Porsche probably got it all wrong with the wheels and tyres. No surprise really: I mean, what do Porsche know about anything? Presumably they should have sent it to Kahn Design.

[SWoll]

r129sl said:

suffolk009 said:

Does the road car look like it needs slightly bigger wheels and tyres?

Indeed, Porsche probably got it all wrong with the wheels and tyres. No surprise really: I mean, what do Porsche know about anything? Presumably they should have sent it to Kahn Design.

No need for the sarcasm... Not a fan of big bling wheels here either but can see his point regarding the wheels/tyres looking a bit lost in those arches.

Stunning car, but would personally take a Carrera GT as my favourite Porsche of all time.

[will_]

Second part of the link appears to be to the Bitter for £6k?

[jamespink]

SWoll said:

r129sl said:

suffolk009 said:

Does the road car look like it needs slightly bigger wheels and tyres?

Indeed, Porsche probably got it all wrong with the wheels and tyres. No surprise really: I mean, what do Porsche know about anything? Presumably they should have sent it to Kahn Design.

No need for the sarcasm... Not a fan of big bling wheels here either but can see his point regarding the wheels/tyres looking a bit lost in those arches.

Stunning car, but would personally take a Carrera GT as my favourite Porsche of all time.

I have no doubt the guys at Porsche have given it the technically perfect set of wheels but the rear does look a bit lame in isolation

[BarbaricAvatar]

Not particularly brilliant in my opinion. The cars were built merely to satisfy the rules for going racing so will probably make for poor road-driving.
Nice for the road-racer look but only posers need apply, because if you own a race track then it'll be far better to track down one of the remaining 1997 race cars.

[marshall100]

Absolutely would.

In the meantime, I'll keep it slightly more down to earth and dream about a 968 club sport barn find.

[British Beef]

Too valuable to use on track days and too impractical to drive on the road.

It would look nice in my garage though!!!

Im sure an investor or a sheik will snap it up, and in 10 years it will still have done 4900km.

[tch911]

Surely a much cooler prospect (IMHO) and a darned sight cheaper, no?

http://www.duncanhamilton.com/porsche-962c-chassis...

[suffolk009]

jamespink said:

SWoll said:

r129sl said:

suffolk009 said:

Does the road car look like it needs slightly bigger wheels and tyres?

Indeed, Porsche probably got it all wrong with the wheels and tyres. No surprise really: I mean, what do Porsche know about anything? Presumably they should have sent it to Kahn Design.

No need for the sarcasm... Not a fan of big bling wheels here either but can see his point regarding the wheels/tyres looking a bit lost in those arches.

Stunning car, but would personally take a Carrera GT as my favourite Porsche of all time.

I have no doubt the guys at Porsche have given it the technically perfect set of wheels but the rear does look a bit lame in isolation

Blimey!

I wasn't suggesting that it needs BIG wheels, just that when you look at it next to the race car, the road car wheels and tyres don't seem to fill the arches. That was all.

[Pistonwot]

A real sportscar, handsome.
Its a breath of fresh air to see a proper Porsche, I want to see Porsche make more cars like this,,,, exciting, impractical and above all else inspiring.
Mega car

[M@1975]

Impractical, stupid, over the top, unusable, the sort of car people openly point at and stare. Yes, all of which make it damn near perfect in my book.

[JudgeMental]

tch911 said:

Surely a much cooler prospect (IMHO) and a darned sight cheaper, no?

http://www.duncanhamilton.com/porsche-962c-chassis...

[pwrc]

i'd go for the clk-gtr street version

[dylan39]

The rolling diameter of the wheels is about the same. The profile of the tyres being increased to deal with 'real' roads (not race-tracks)
The reson the arches look bigger on the street version is the vents to reduce wheel arch pressure (and passively cool brakes) - On the race version the arches are completely different and are an 'over-panel' - the vent still features, but is behind the external bodywork.

[Kaizer]

This and the Merc CLK GTR are one of me favourite cars.

Hypercar as they should. Hugely impractical, not that comfortable and most of all, a scary beast of a car to drive.

Edited by Kaizer on Monday 6th August 12:31

[melvster]

Incredible car, if i was in the position to buy such a car, i think this would be my choice.




http://www.anamera.com/en/detail/car/183093/index....

[Pistonwot]

dylan39 said:

The rolling diameter of the wheels is about the same. The profile of the tyres being increased to deal with 'real' roads (not race-tracks)
The reson the arches look bigger on the street version is the vents to reduce wheel arch pressure (and passively cool brakes) - On the race version the arches are completely different and are an 'over-panel' - the vent still features, but is behind the external bodywork.

Dont humour "them" they dont understand,,,, theyve missed the point long ago and have continued on well past the point of no return.