24.03.2009
“Derek Bell takes his old company car on a 6 minute 41 second lap of the Nurburgring – awesome driving and some great commentary as the Porsche 956 puts 650bhp to work around the ‘ring!” – Stig
About Steve Davies
Steve is a media, venture, and technology advisor and a former Partner at KPMG Consulting, PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Managing Partner at EIM - his clients range from global web and media companies to small start-ups. He formed Drivers Republic (DR) in 2007, the UK's first digital automotive magazine, with a team of EVO and Autocar writers before creating SkiddMark, and also writes as a guest contributor on Unruly Media’s Meme Machine blog and for Econsultancy’s digital marketing blog.
Subscribe to Steve's podcasts.Tell us what you think..
When you post a comment, it will also appear in your News Feed on Facebook (if you so choose), enabling you to take the conversation to where your friends already are. Thereafter you can continue discussing on Facebook and the conversations between SkiddMark and Facebook will be auto-magically synched, regardless of where the comment was made.
18 Comments
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
March 24, 2009Posted on DR: Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://bit.ly/1GXnm4
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
March 24, 2009Posted on DR: Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://bit.ly/1GXnm4
peme (Per Meldgaard)
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://tinyurl.com/dga96x from: @DriversRepublic
y0z2a (y0z2a)
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://tinyurl.com/dga96x
peme (Per Meldgaard)
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://tinyurl.com/dga96x from: @DriversRepublic
y0z2a (y0z2a)
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 Nurburgring http://tinyurl.com/dga96x
Mark34Bn
March 24, 2009Excellent Video, spent many hours trying to emulate that lap on GT4!
That video camera is huge isn’t it ?!
William
March 24, 2009Brilliant
William
March 24, 2009Brilliant
Mark34Bn
March 24, 2009Excellent Video, spent many hours trying to emulate that lap on GT4!
That video camera is huge isn’t it ?!
Stig
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 C Coupe
It’s June 1981 when Weissach received the green light to create a two-seater racing sportscar complying with Group C regulations. In August, Norbert Singer works with the first 1:5 model in the wind tunnel. On 27 March 1982, Jurgen Barth takes the car with chassis 001 through its paces on the Weissach circuit for the first time.
The rules limit the fuel consumption, at the same time downforce is a decisive factor, which increases the importance of aerodynamics more than ever. Thanks to the layout of the underbody, the 956 generates an ‘aerodynamic ground effect’. Although sliding skirts like in F1 are prohibited in Group C, the new Porsche reaches cornering speeds not previously seen in sportscars. On the Mulsanne straight Porsche calculates a top speed of 350kph.
The 956 features a monocoque chassis made of aluminium. It is the first time that this style of construction is used at Porsche. All suspension components – of which only the lower wishbones are in the air flow – are designed to withstand the high stresses of the strong downforce. The fully synchromesh five-speed gearbox is completely new.
For the engine, Porsche at first sticks with a proven solution. The previous year, the 2.65-litre six-cylinder boxer with a twin-turbo brought the 936 victory at Le Mans.
Initially 1982 is anticipated as a trial year for the 956. However, in the hands of Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass as well as Derek Bell and Vern Schuppan the sportscar turns into a winner. Porsche immediately conquers the world championship for manufacturers and Ickx secures his first sportscar drivers’ world championship title. Jacky Ickx’s final spurt to victory and world champion status at Brands Hatch is unforgettable, where in the last hour he reels in Riccardo Patrese who leads by almost one lap.
During 1983, the full potential of the 956 unfolds. Porsche again wins the World Endurance Championship, Jacky Ickx secures his second consecutive world championship title. At the Le Mans 24 Hour race Hurley Haywood, Al Holbert and Vern Schuppan drive the works 956 with starting number three to victory ahead of team mates Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell. Porsche customer teams secure eight of the top ten places, with Philippe Alliot, Mario and Michael Andretti carrying off third place in their Kremer Porsche.
Porsche build a total of 28 of the 956 Group C racers through to 1984.
Technical Specifications (1983 model):
* Engine: Six-cylinder four-stroke, horizontally opposed engine, dry sump
* Power: 640bhp at 8,200rpm
* Displacement: 2,649 cc
* Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection (Motronic Sport), 99-litre safety fuel tank
* Transmission: Five-speed fully synchronised transmission with oil cooling
* Clutch: Single-plate dry clutch
* Chassis: Aluminium monocoque, riveted with integrated safety bar
* Body: Kevlar body reinforced with carbon fibre
* Front axle: double wishbone with titanium springs, Bilstein shock absorbers fitted externally
* Rear axle: double wishbone with titanium springs, Bilstein shock absorbers fitted internally
* Brakes: Hydraulic dual-circuit disc brake with twin pliers and ventilated by wheel carriers
* Wheelbase: 2,650mm
* Length: 4,800mm
* Width: 2,000mm
* Weight: 820kg
* Performance: Top speed in excess of 350km/h (217.5mph)
1983 Porsche 956 C Coupe
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/normal.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=racinghistory-1983-956ccoupe&lang=none&filetype=normal[/img]
NB: 956 Nurburgring video best viewed in HQ…
Stig
March 24, 2009Porsche 956 C Coupe
It’s June 1981 when Weissach received the green light to create a two-seater racing sportscar complying with Group C regulations. In August, Norbert Singer works with the first 1:5 model in the wind tunnel. On 27 March 1982, Jurgen Barth takes the car with chassis 001 through its paces on the Weissach circuit for the first time.
The rules limit the fuel consumption, at the same time downforce is a decisive factor, which increases the importance of aerodynamics more than ever. Thanks to the layout of the underbody, the 956 generates an ‘aerodynamic ground effect’. Although sliding skirts like in F1 are prohibited in Group C, the new Porsche reaches cornering speeds not previously seen in sportscars. On the Mulsanne straight Porsche calculates a top speed of 350kph.
The 956 features a monocoque chassis made of aluminium. It is the first time that this style of construction is used at Porsche. All suspension components – of which only the lower wishbones are in the air flow – are designed to withstand the high stresses of the strong downforce. The fully synchromesh five-speed gearbox is completely new.
For the engine, Porsche at first sticks with a proven solution. The previous year, the 2.65-litre six-cylinder boxer with a twin-turbo brought the 936 victory at Le Mans.
Initially 1982 is anticipated as a trial year for the 956. However, in the hands of Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass as well as Derek Bell and Vern Schuppan the sportscar turns into a winner. Porsche immediately conquers the world championship for manufacturers and Ickx secures his first sportscar drivers’ world championship title. Jacky Ickx’s final spurt to victory and world champion status at Brands Hatch is unforgettable, where in the last hour he reels in Riccardo Patrese who leads by almost one lap.
During 1983, the full potential of the 956 unfolds. Porsche again wins the World Endurance Championship, Jacky Ickx secures his second consecutive world championship title. At the Le Mans 24 Hour race Hurley Haywood, Al Holbert and Vern Schuppan drive the works 956 with starting number three to victory ahead of team mates Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell. Porsche customer teams secure eight of the top ten places, with Philippe Alliot, Mario and Michael Andretti carrying off third place in their Kremer Porsche.
Porsche build a total of 28 of the 956 Group C racers through to 1984.
Technical Specifications (1983 model):
* Engine: Six-cylinder four-stroke, horizontally opposed engine, dry sump
* Power: 640bhp at 8,200rpm
* Displacement: 2,649 cc
* Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection (Motronic Sport), 99-litre safety fuel tank
* Transmission: Five-speed fully synchronised transmission with oil cooling
* Clutch: Single-plate dry clutch
* Chassis: Aluminium monocoque, riveted with integrated safety bar
* Body: Kevlar body reinforced with carbon fibre
* Front axle: double wishbone with titanium springs, Bilstein shock absorbers fitted externally
* Rear axle: double wishbone with titanium springs, Bilstein shock absorbers fitted internally
* Brakes: Hydraulic dual-circuit disc brake with twin pliers and ventilated by wheel carriers
* Wheelbase: 2,650mm
* Length: 4,800mm
* Width: 2,000mm
* Weight: 820kg
* Performance: Top speed in excess of 350km/h (217.5mph)
1983 Porsche 956 C Coupe
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/normal.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=racinghistory-1983-956ccoupe&lang=none&filetype=normal[/img]
NB: 956 Nurburgring video best viewed in HQ…
circleporsche (Circle Porsche)
March 25, 2009Just think to yourself “I’ve always wanted to drive a 956 on the Nurburgring”…http://bit.ly/1GXnm4
circleporsche (Circle Porsche)
March 25, 2009Just think to yourself “I’ve always wanted to drive a 956 on the Nurburgring”…http://bit.ly/1GXnm4
Archie
March 28, 2009this is just like GT4! if only they still did this for real
Archie
March 28, 2009this is just like GT4! if only they still did this for real
Monza
April 3, 2009Astonishing, but even more amazing…How fast was Ickx going ?
Monza
April 3, 2009Astonishing, but even more amazing…How fast was Ickx going ?