The Group 6 Porsche 936 was the successor to the 908/03 and the turbocharged 917. While the 917 had a 5.4-litre flat-12 biturbo engine, the 936 got a 2.1-litre flat-6 single turbo engine. The reason for the 2.1-litre displacement was to fit inside the 3-litre class (turbocharged cars had a coefficient of 1.4). Despite the small capacity, the engine developed more than five hundred horsepower. Imagine such power in a ~700 kg/1540 lb car!
In 1977, Porsche returned to Le Mans with the 936/77. Its body was smaller, lower, shorter and further refined aerodynamically. The engine now featured two turbochargers and delivered 20 more horsepower. At one of the most dramatic races in history, Jacky Ickx, Jürgen Barth and Hurley Haywood slayed the armada of four Renault works cars and two factory-supported “Mirage” with Renault motors. In the year 1981, the 936 celebrated a sensational comeback with another overall Le Mans victory.
For the 1978 Le Mans, Porsche created two new 936/78. The first one was built using chassis 936-001, which had already served for the 936/76 and 936/77. The second car was built on a new chassis and numbered 936-003. Because of the new water-cooled 24-valve engine, the 936/78 came with huge NACA ducts on the sides for the radiators and a new rear end with hanging spoiler.
Because the traditional pre-test is cancelled in 1981, Porsche is forced to start at Le Mans without testing. None the less, the race ends successfully: Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell win almost an hour ahead of the second placed competitor – right in time for the 50th anniversary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, and 30 years after Porsche’s first start at Le Mans.
Chassis #000 00023 gets a check out on the autobahn by the Kremer brothers prior to Le Mans. Manfred Kremer...
The inspired engineer behind so much of Porsche’s success, Helmuth Bott has long remained the company’s eminence grise, but little...
Peter Falk sits on the sill of the famous #23 Porsche 917 KH Coupé, winner of the 1970 Le Mans...
Porsche Historic Grand Prix Zandvoort The crowds attending the Masters Historic racing weekend at Zandvoort were treated to a festival...
There can be few people better qualified to write about a race car than those who drove that car in...
#5 Porsche 908/3 – Juan Fernandez/Francesco Torredemer/Eugenio Baturone – NRF The 1972 season broke, ushering in with it a new...
Le Mans 24 Hour, 10/11 June 1978: The Porsche 935/78 ‘Moby Dick’ pulls away at the start of the race...
A great many of Derek Bell’s racing achievements were achieved while behind the wheel of a Porsche racing car and...
Le Mans 24 Hours, 31 May-1 June 1986: Start of the race – Porsches dominate the lead group In Part...
Norbert Singer, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1996 Norbert Singer must rank as one of the most successful race engineers...
Le Mans: The Official History 1970–79 by Quentin Spurring © Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale This edition of Quentin Spurring’s fabulous series...
The 1970 #23 Porsche 917 KH at the Le Mans 50 years victory celebration at the Museum on 13/14 June...
Racing Porsche with Style © Stéphane Coradi This is Stéphane Coradi’s third publication, and the third of his books that...
(From L-R) 1995 Porsche WSC-95 in which Tom Kristensen registered his first Le Mans win (1997) and the first Porsche...
This large poster announced the 50th anniversary of the first victory by the Porsche 917 at the 1970 Le Mans...
The Porsche 936 was a racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 908,...
Same onboard video with Jurgen Barth as the one i’ve posted before but afterwards is the pre-race etc...
Jacky Ickx drives the Porsche 936 & 956 at Fuji Speedway For more than 30 years, Jacky Ickx raced over...
Porsche 936 Martini Racing Amazing Sound! This 6 cylinder 540bhp (403Kw) Porsche 936 Martini Racing was introduced in 1977. It...
Porsche 936 – Goodwood Festival of Speed Watch the Porsche 936 racing at the Festival of Speed 2013. The car...
Porsche 936/76 Specifications Specs 936 Spyder (1976) Engine: 6-cylinder boxer engine (four-stroke) + one exhaust gas turbocharger Displacement: 2142 cc...
Porsche 936/77 Specifications Specs 936/77 Spyder (1977) Engine: 6-cylinder boxer engine (four-stroke) + two turbochargers Displacement: 2142 cc Bore ×...
Porsche 936/78 Specifications Specs 936/78 Spyder (1978) Engine: 6-cylinder boxer engine (four-stroke) + two turbochargers + two intercoolers Displacement: 2140...
Porsche 936/81 Specifications Specs 936/81 Spyder (1981) Engine: 6-cylinder boxer engine (four-stroke) + two exhaust gas turbochargers with two intercoolers...
Porsche & Le Mans Newly released “Racing with Giants” video features archival footage of Le Mans past and present, along...
In 1977, Porsche’s “improvised” Type 936/77 took on the full-court press of four Renaults at Le Mans. Retirements and technical...
936 Beginnings The Porsche 936 was an odd car for Porsche. It was the result of an almost overnight decision...
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? Enjoy this throwback to 2023’s premier celebration...