Modern-day Porsche 935 Makes World Premiere at Rennsport Reunion

2018 continues to be an exciting year for Porsche and its fans, as the marque carries on celebrating its ‘70 years of Porsche Sports Cars’ milestone. Amongst many of the festivities taking place throughout the year, enthusiasts have been treated to the likes of the 919 Hybrid Evo world tour, the 911 Speedster, Project Gold and more discretely, the upcoming 992 generation 911.

As we approach the tail-end of this celebration, Porsche has unveiled another exclusive new car – the Porsche 935 – at the Rennsport Reunion event, taking place at Laguna Seca Raceway in California.

The new 935 is based on the popular 935/78 LM race car from the 1970s which was, given the name ‘Moby Dick’ due to its exterior shape and design – most notably the ‘whale tail’. This reimagined version certainly pays homage to those distinct characteristics, while also serving as the benefactor of modern performance technologies.

At the heart of the car is something from more recent memory – the same 3.8L twin-turbocharged flat-six used in the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2RS. The engine itself remains virtually unchanged for the 935, continuing to produce 700-horsepower to the rear wheels via a 7-speed PDK transmission.

Many of the car’s details are a nod and salute to vehicles from Porsche’s storied motorsport past – both recent and further along. The aerodynamically capped rims mimic those from the 935/78, the LED rear lights on the wing endplates were borrowed from the 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car, the side mirrors are the same used on the current 911 RSR, and the exposed titanium tailpipes are a tribute to the 1968 Porsche 908.

“This spectacular car is a birthday present from Porsche Motorsport to fans all over the world,” says Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars. “Because the car isn’t homologated, engineers and designers didn’t have to follow the usual rules and thus had freedom in the development.”

The Porsche 935 will not be a road-legal car, and due to its non-homologated nature it is not currently eligible for any racing series at this time. This means that the 935 will likely only be seen at private track events or showings for the foreseeable future.

Pricing will start at €701,948 (over $815,500 USD) and there will be a very limited production run of only be 77 units, with delivery expected sometime in mid-2019.

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Technical Specifications per Porsche Newsroom

Concept:

• Single-seater near-standard non-homologated race car.
• Basis: Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991.2)

Weight/dimensions:

• Weight: ca. 1,380 kg
• Length: 4,865 mm
• Width: 2,034 mm (incl. side mirrors)
• Total height: 1,359 mm
• Wheelbase: 2.457 mm

Engine:

• Water-cooled 6-cylinder aluminium twin-turbo rear-mounted boxer engine and rigid suspension; 3,800 cc; stroke 77.5 mm; bore 102 mm; ca. 515 kW (700 hp)
• 4-valve technology with camshaft adjustment and valve-lift switchover
• Vario-Cam Plus
• Electronic engine management (Continental SDI 9)
• DMSB-approved 100-cell metal catalytic converter
• Rear silencer with twin tailpipes mounted centrally, Heritage Design

Transmission:

• 7-speed PDK gearbox with rigid suspension and short throw
• Dual mass flywheel
• Internal pressurised oil lubrication with active oil cooling
• Limited slip differential optimised for racing

Bodywork:

• Weight-optimised bodyshell in aluminium-steel composite design with carbon-fibre Kevlar add-on parts to improve aerodynamics and stability
• Rear wing with lights integrated in endplates
• Enlarged air inlets with integrated LED headlights in 4-point design
• Removable escape hatch in roof complying with FIA Art. 275a
• Aerodynamically optimised side mirrors
• 115-litre FT3 safety fuel cell with fuel cut-off safety valve in compliance with FIA Art. 253 in the front, optional with fast-fill coupling
• Welded-in safety cage
• Recaro racing bucket seat with longitudinal seat adjustment and padding system in accordance with FIA Standard 8862/2009
• 6-point safety harness
• Air jack system (three jacks)
• Fire extinguishing system with electronic release unit

Suspension:

Front axle:

• MacPherson suspension strut; forged suspension links, optimised stiffness with high-performance spherical bearings, centre-locking wheel nuts; 3-way racing dampers, reinforced tie-rod; Electro-mechanical power steering with variable steering ratio; anti-roll bar

Rear axle:       

• Lightweight multi-link suspension, strut ball jointed (Unibal); centre-locking wheel nuts; 3-way racing dampers; anti-roll bar

Brakes:

Brake system:

• Two separate brake circuits for front and rear axles; adjustable via brake balance bar system

Front axle:

• Six-piston aluminium monobloc racing brake callipers with anti-knock-back piston springs; steel brake discs, internally ventilated with 380 mm diameter, racing brake pads, optimised brake cooling ducts

Rear axle:

• Four-piston aluminium monobloc racing brake callipers with anti-knock-back piston springs; steel brake discs, internally ventilated with 355 mm diameter, racing brake pads, optimised brake cooling ducts

Electrical system:

• Instrument cluster consisting of COSWORTH ICD with integrated data logger, sport Chrono watch and boost gauge in a vintage finish
• CFK multifunction steering wheel with pit speed limiter and quick-release coupling
• PSM (Porsche Stability Management) with ABS, Traction Control and Electronic Stability Control (able to be completely switched off)
• Centre console with map switch to adjust the ABS, ESC, TC and switch between preset tyre circumferences
• Porsche Track Precision Race App
• Integrated lap trigger
• Lightweight lithium-ion (Li-Fe-Po-) battery, 60 Ah, leakproof, mounted in passenger footwell
• Emergency cut-off switch in cockpit and outside left of the windscreen
• Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
• Air conditioning

Rims/Tyres:

Front axle:      

• One-piece light-alloy forged wheels
• 11.5J x 18 offset 15.3 with centre-locking nut; Michelin transport tyres 29/65-R18

HA:     

• One-piece light-alloy forged wheels
• 13J x 18 offset -10 with centre-locking nut; Michelin transport tyres 31/71-R18

Colour:

Agate gray water-based paint; optional: Martini livery