2.8t PORSCHE 935/77A

When FIA decided that the 1976 World Championship for makes should be restricted to Group 4 and Group 5 cars, Porsche decided to develop a race car , being at least related to its road cars. The new very liberal Group 5 rules allowed to transform thoroughly the whole car concept. So, not the 934 - never successful in racing - but the old 2.2t Porsche Carrera RSR served as basis for the new Porsche 935/76. That car, with its flat nose, with extremely flared wheel arches, with a massive rear wing with a turbocharged 2.8 litre engine good for 590 bhp at the maximum 1.5 bar boost, was not available for privateers. In 1976 it won four of the seven rounds of the WCM (Mugello, Vallelunga, Watkins Glen and Dijon, enough to beat the BMW 3.5 CSL for the WCM.
In 1977 Porsche improved the 935/76. On the three factory cars - later called Porsche 935/77 - the solitary turbo was replaced by two small KKK turbocharger, adjustable from 1.2 to 1.5 bar. The fibreglass bodywork was slightly modified by adding cooling dicts either side, going at the underside from the front wheel arc to the rear one. The nose was better profiled and engine capacity was increased from 2.802 litre to 2.867 litre by increasing bore by 0.6mm. The twin turbocharged 935/77 was good for 630 bhp. Apart from those three works cars thirteen other cars with the same body, but with a single turbo, were sold to privateers. Those cars were called later Porsches 935/77A. The factory cars won again four of the nine rounds of the 1977 WSC (Mugello, Watkins Glen, Brands Hatch and Silverstone). Three other rounds were won by privateers using the 935/77A. One round, the Daytona 24 hours, went to a Porsche Carrera RSR, whilst Kremer Racing won the Hockenheim 6 hours with their slightly modified 935/77, called the Porsche 935 K2. Having won all rounds, Porsche won of course the 1977 WCS, just as in 1976.
In 1978 the factory was busy with the development of the new 935 "Moby Dick" and let privateers win seven of the eight WSC rounds with the 935/77A. The remaining round at Silverstone went to the new works "Moby Dick". In 1979, when sport-proto-types were again allowed, the 935/77A won still at Mugello, Silverstone and the Nürburgring 1000-kms. In 1980 a 935/77A could win the Dijon 1000-kms, the car's last great win. In 1981 a by Kremer transformed 935/77A was second at the Mugello 6 hours, and fourth at the Brands Hatch 1000-kms.

3.2t2 PORSCHE 935/78 & 3.2t 935/78-81

In 1977 Porsche clients were unhappy that they had to fight with one turbo against the works cars with two turbos. So, in 1978 Porsche decided to reduce drastically the use of works cars, letting clients win the WCM. A Porsche Cup is installed with a driver's ranking based upon IMSA races and WCM rounds. For the clients fifteen new 935s are built in 1978 (name: Porsche 935/78A), all closely derived from the works 935/77. In concerns cars with chassis numbers 930 890 011 thru 930 890 0037. They are equipped with a twin turbocharged engine. The 930/78 motor is bored out with an extra 2.2mm, bringing the engine displacement up from 2,867cc to 2,994cc. New water-to-air coolers were installed. Power output on the 935/78 was 675bhp @ 8,000 rpm. Twelve  out of fourteen IMSA races were won by the new twin turbocharged client Porsches.
Meanwhile Porsche works on a new car in view of the Le Mans 24 hours, where they have to face the much lighter sport-prototypes of Group 6. The new car - nicknamed as "Moby Dick", officially Porsche 935/78 - used a twin turbocharged 3.2 litre motor, 750 bhp strong at 8,200 rpm. Wheel base was the same as on the 935/77, but the roof was lowered by 75mm. "Massive front and rear bodywork extensions resulted in a drastic visual alteration. These new body parts were permitted because the rules stated that only what was between the front and rear bulkheads had to retain the production car silhouette, therefore allowing Porsche to adopt entirely new front and rear ends. Basically, to take maximum advantage of the fairly ambiguous rules, the 'Moby Dick' was a full space frame racing car onto which the production 930 cabin was riveted, new subframes being designed to carry the bodywork and suspension etc. Just the original doors and roof remained from the standard 930, overall weight dropping from 1977's works 935 by 10kg." Since engine capacity was, turbos included, over 4-litre ballast was to be added to reach the minimum of 1025 kg. Three units were built, but only one was raced. It won the Silverstone 6 hours, but disappointed at Le Mans were it finished only as eighth. At the end of 1978 Porsche announced that it retired as works team from sportscars racing.
Later, in view of the 1981 season, Joest Racing, starting from a 935/78, built two "Moby Dick like" 935s, one, with chassis JR-001 for Jochen Mass, and a second with chassis JR-002 for John Fitzpatrick in the States. Those cars are called Porsche 935/78-81 and used the 3.2-litre engine but with a single turbo. Mass raced the JR-001 at the three first rounds of the 1981 DRM, finishing twice second and winning the third round; Then the (white) car was sold to Gianpiero Moretti of Momo. The car was repainted in red and finished second at the Norisring 200 miles. In 1982 Moretti finished seventh at the Spa 1000-kms and at the Silverstone 1000-kms. The other replica of John Fitzpatrick Racing finished in 1982 and second at the Kyalami 9 Hours. Moretti's replica is actually for sale. Interested? You should not. Originally the car was only a replica. In 1983 Rolf Stommelen was killed in that JR-001 replica when the car burnt out. what now is sold must be ... a replica of a replica!

3.0t2 PORSCHE 935 K3
3.0t PORSCHE 935 J

Having officially withdrawn from sportcars racing, Porsche continued in 1979 to improve the clients version of the 935. Result were seven cars (all with chassis numbers 930 990 00xx) and all sold to American IMSA racers. They were equipped with a single turbo 680 bhp @ 8000 rpm. Those cars, called Porsche 935/79, used a single KKK K-36 turbo. Weight was the minimal 1025 kg. It was the last version of the 935 as sold by the Porsche factory. Meanwhile, however, privateers such as the Kremer Bros and Reinhold Joest, bought chassis, bodies and engines from the factory and started to assemble their own Porsche 935. Best known are the Porsches 935 K3 sold by the Kremers and the Porsches 935 J sold by Joest Racing.
Of them two Kremer sold the most assembled 935s. In 1979 they built their first 935K3 on a 009 0002 chassis to let it be raced by Klaus Ludwig. With that car he won all but one rounds of the 1979 DRM. With their second K3, built for their own, the Kremers caused a stir by winning the 1979 Le Mans 24 hours (chassis 009 000015) with Klaus Ludwig, Bill and Don Whittington as drivers. That unexpected success was the start for a bulk of orders, especially since the same car won that year also the Watkins Glen six hours in the States. In 1980 the Kremers built replicas of their winning K3s and sold them as customer cars to anyone who wanted to win. In addition to the Kremer K3s they also sold several conversion kits so that 935 owners could convert their own 935s to K3 specifications. Modifications on the bodywork followed the Eckerhard Zimmerman design of DP Motorsport.
Erwin and Manfred Kremer saw their Porsches 935 K3 winning several important races. Among them the Sebring 12 hours in 1979 (with chassis 009 0009), the Monza 6 hours in 1979 (with thr 009 0003, the Mosport and Sears Point rounds in 1980 and the Daytona 24 hours in 1981.Kremer Racing sold also lots of conversion kits. Most cars were equipped with slightly modified 930/78 twin turbo engines or 930/78 single turbocharged 3.2 litre engines. At least 21 Kremer 935 K3, raced between 1979 are known.
Another German tuner of Porsches 935/78A and 935/79 was Reinhold Joest. With his 3.2 litre 935 J, driven by Volkert Merl, he collected at the 1980 DRM more points than any other Porsche race, despite the fact that the car won only once (chassis 009 0001). His most successful car used the 000 00016 chassis. With that car Joest won in 1980 the Daytona 24 hours. The car was driven by himself with Rolf Stommelen and Volert Merl as team mates. It used a 930/77 2.8 litre engine with a single KKK turbo, developing 630 bhp. The same year the same car won also three rounds at the DRM (one with Rolf Stommelen and two with Manfred Winkelhock. In 1981 Dieter Schornstein raced the 000 00016 at the DRM for Vegla Racing Team. Still in 1981 he, Harald Grohs and Walter Röhrl won the Silverstone six hours. Here they used a single turbocharged 3,160cc engine, derived from the Porsches 935/79. 
Among the other tuners we need to mention America's John Paul sr, who let Chuck Gaa and Dave Klym assemble four new Porsches 935 with chassis numbers JLP/1, JLP/2, JLP/3, and JLP/4. The two last were built around a spaceframe chassis. Famous is the JLP/3, equipped with a 3-litre single turbocharged engine, winning in 1982 the Daytona 24 hours, the Sebring 12 hours (with a 2.8t motor), the Riverside 6 hours and Road Atlanta.

3.2t2 PORSCHE 935 K4

In 1979 Porsche stopped the development of its 935, considering that with the 935/78 and 935/79 the ultimate stage in Group 5 racing was reached. Only Erwin and Manfred Kremer believed that it was still possible to go one step further. Indeed in 1982 the 935 has to fight against high-tech prototypes such as the Porsche 956 and the Lancia LC1, so 1981 should be the year to build a radical new 935, able to fight with the fastest prototypes.  
It is completely wrong that the Kremer K4 should be somewhere a further evolution of the Kremer K3. That's absolutely false. The K4 is indeed no extrapolation of the 935/78A (as was the K3) but of the 935/78 Moby Dick. The Kremers made a new chassis in aluminium. "That chassis was constructed as a complete aluminium tubing space frame. It used a wider front track, and the under body featured ground effect tunnels. These tunnels were concealed by full body width, upward slanted, slats at the back. The front fenders were even wider and the font spoiler more swept back. Rear fenders were a one piece unit incorporating the rear wing on one central mounting and a secondary rear window. Large section sills joined front fenders to rear and an outlet duct for the front radiator situated on the front lid, and full width doors. Max Crawford re-engineered the Porsche K4 for John Fitzpatrick Racing."
Of their K3 they retained only the roof, the doors and some essential mechanic parts. They let Ziimmerman design the body work, strongly inspired by that of the Moby Dick. Aerodynamics and ground effect were revisited by Don McLoughlin of AIR Company. Development of the engine was done in co-operation with the motorists at Zuffenhausen. Bore was lowered with 0.7mm, stroke with 0.4mm, what resulted in a 3,163cc engine (3,211 for the Moby Dick). Water-to-air coolers were replaced by air-to-air intercoolers.
The 3.2 powerplant was an improvement by Porsche's Max Crawford who maintained the twin turbochargers, succeeding to increase the power from 750 bhp @ 8200 rpm to 810 bhp @ 8000 rpm, maintaining the compression rate on 7.0:1. In total two units were built. The first, with chassis K4/01 was raced up from mid-1981 at the DRM by Bob Wollek, who won one round (the Nûrburgring Tourenwagen Grand Prix) and finished four times as runner-up. At the end of the season the car - officially a 3.2t2 Porsche 935 K4 - to America's Interscope; Colour was changed from Jägermeister orange into midnight blue. At the 1982 IMSA series John Fitzpatrick won at Lime Rock, won at Elkhart Lake the Road Atlanta, won at Mid-Ohio and finished as third at the 1982 Brands Hatch 1000-kms. In 1983 the K4/01 won the Riverside 6 hours.
The second unit, with chassis K4/02 was sold early 1981 to the Whittington Bros, but could not be brought home at the Daytona 24 hours, at the Sebring 12 hours and at the Watkins Glen 6 hours. First finish was at Mosport with a third spot overall. In 1982 the Daytona 12 hours could not be finished, but the car was third at the Sebring 12 hours.
As racer the Kremer K4 was a terrible beast, going as fast as the fastest Porsches 956, and accelerating quicker than anyone else. But after the 1983 season none of the Porsches was still in for overall victory, despite the fact that 935 were raced in the IMSA series until 1986.   

1.7t(2) ZAKSPEED FORD CAPRI TURBO

In 1977 Ford Germany launched the production of its new Capri MkIII. Sales, however, were far under the expectations. So it was decided to go back into compe-tition and to show that a silhouette Capri could beat the widely admired silhouette Porsches. Ford Cologne had given full evidence of the Capri's capacities by entering a Capri RS2600 at Le Mans in 1972 and 1973. In 1972 the three works Capris qualified at La Sarthe faster than any Porsche 911S and any BMW 2800 CS. Two of them finished as ninth and tenth, just behind five Ferraris 365 GTB/4. Three weeks earlier, at the Nürburgring 1000-kms they did already the same, finishing as seventh and eighth and beating all Porsches 911S and BMWs 2800 CS. In 1973 the caused stir was even greater when, at the Le Mans 24 hours, one of the works Capris, after six and seven hours a Capri touring car headed all Ferraris 365 GTB/4 and all Porsches 2.8 Carrera RSR! Unfortunately the deep fuel crisis of end 1973 and early 1974 made Ford Deutschland decide to stop its racing efforts and to close the racing department in Cologne. 
A come-back in racing thus was hampered by the fact that Ford Deutschland had no longer own facilities. Mid-1977 it was decided that Zakspeed would be asked to make a silhouette Capri, especially since he has great experience with the construction of the Group 5 Div 2 Zakspeed Ford Escort.
The new Ford Capri Turbo was intended to race in the very popular DRM, thus rather in sprint races than in endurance races. "Although Group 5 was the natural home of Porsches and BMWs, the MKIII Capri had potentially favourable aerodynamic characteristics - the slippery shape, a long body that would provide high downforce and a steeply raked windscreen. Ford felt this would enable them to compete alongside more prestigious competitors in the "silhouette" formula.
With Gr.5 regulations, only the silhouette of the car above the wheel arches and a few other body parts had to be maintained from the production line model. The engine had to be based on a production unit from the same manufacturer and located along the same axis. Also, the suspension layout had to be as per production model. Aside from this, pretty well any other mechanical or aerodynamic modifications were permitted. This gave Ford-Cologne's competition department Chief Engineer, Thomas Ammerschlager and Zakspeed team chief Erich Zakowski broad scope to produce a pure racing car."
Together with chief mechanic Helmut Barth and engineer Bruno Bunk, Zakowski started with the construction of a lightweight spaceframe chassis. Total weight of the tubular chassis with a high torsion resistance was 75 kg. Engine was the 16 valves 4-cylinder 1,745cc Ford Cosworth DBA coupled on a KKK turbocharger., Initially that motor developed 552 bhp for a 790 kg total weight. Later power was increased to 602 bhp, the rear wing and rear diffusers were revisited and the aerodynamics improved.  End-1979 the Div 1 Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo entered its first race at the one but last DRM round. The car finished third. In 1980 won five rounds at the DRM, beating the complete Porsche army, having dominated the series since years. An off-series sprint race at Donnington was also won by the new lightweight Capri. In 1981 the Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo, now equipped with a twin KKK, won with Manfred Winkelhock at the wheel seven rounds out of thirteen at the DRM, finishing first in Division 1, but the championship's title went to Klaus Ludwig, having collected with the ... little Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo more points in Division 2. Zakspeed gave at any rate full evidence that the more powerful Porsches 935 were no longer unbeatable in Group 5 sprint races.

3.5t2 BMW M1 TURBO GROUP 5 & M1 GROUP 5

Since, except for some rare occasions, the victorious 1.7t Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo was not entered in endurance racing, there was nobody to stop the Porsches 935 pulverising the rest of the field. So spectators as well as organisers expected that BMW should enter up from 1979 a Group 5 version of their M1 in order to counter the Porsches. Unfortunately the FIA rules stipulated that one was only allowed to make a silhouette version from a street car once at least 400 streetcars of a specific type had been built. At BMW they had, however, delivery problems, since Lamborghini - responsible for the manufacturing of the rolling chassis of the BMW M1, was unable to respect the time schedule for delivery. That implied that the 400 units were only reached mid-1979. At that moment Porsche had already withdrawn its works versions of the 935, letting its costumers defend the WCM title. So, at BMW, they were not real hot to build a works Group 5 version of their M1: if such car should have beaten the Porsches spectators should conclude that such was an easy game in absence of Porsche works cars.
Although the competition version of the street car, the 3.5 BMW M1 Group 4, developed 470bhp @ 9000 rpm (with a top speed of 310 kph and a 0-60 mph in 4"3) it was impossible to enter them on a regular base at the rounds of the WCM, where they were no match for the Porsches 935. Nevertheless the Group 4 obtained a couple of spectacular racing successes: in 1979 a Group 4 "art car", painted by Andy Warhol at a price of £ 5,000, finished sixth overall at the Le Mans 24 hours. In 1980 class wins were scored at the Nürburgring 1000-kms (3rd OA with a works G4), at the Dijon 1000-kms (6th OA) and at the Mugello 6 hours (6th OA). In 1981 the Group 4 BMW M1 scored seven new class wins: at the Daytona 424 hours (6th), Mugello 6 hours (5th), Monza 1000-kms (6th), Riverside 6 hours (7th), Nürburgring 1000-kms (14th), Mosport (5th) and Road America (9th). At Le Mans the Group 4s were beaten by the Ferraris 365 GTB/4. At the DRM Helmut Henzler won a round at Wunsdorf at the wheel of a BASF sponsored GS Sport BMW M1 Group 4. In 1982 another four class wins were scored.
One had to wait December 1980 before the FIA homologated the BMW M1. That was much too late, and BMW's new sport director, Dieter Stappert, decided to abort the works 3.5t2 BMW M1 Turbo Group 5 project, having been started up by Jochen Neer-pasch in 1979. Still hoping (in vain) that FIA should accept the homologation, John Gentry of England's March - earlier a BMW associate in F2 racing - started already in 1979 the production of a total new aluminium monocoque chassis, much lighter and stronger than the one used on the Group 4. "The striking bodywork was fabricated from a mixture of lightweight aluminium and composite and resembled the production M1 in just its basic outline, this thanks mainly to a massive new front spoiler, stretched tail and extended wings." Motor was a 480 to 500 bhp BMW 6 cylinders in line, as tuned by Rand Linger of Freiburg. The new car (#82) was intensively tested at Goodwood, Snetterton and Silverstone in view of the 1979 Le Mans 24 hours, when it became obvious that FIA refused homologation in Group 5. Of the three units one was raced in 1979 by March Engineering. If failed to qualify for the Le Mans 24 hours and failed to finish at Brands Hatch and Vallelunga. In 1980 the car didn't finish at the Daytona 24 hours and was destroyed at the Brands Hatch 1000-kms. The car was rebuilt on the chassis of the third unit, entered the Le Mans 24 hours and the Silverstone 6 hours, but failed once more to finish. The second unit was sold in the States to Jim Busby, but failed four times out of five to finish. The cars were dramatically underpowered
In 1980 Schnitzer Racing started the production of its own BMW M1 Turbo Group 5. They built a chassis with aluminium and airfare elements and opted for a kevlar body. Schnitzer new that BMW had been busy to develop an experimental twin turbocharged 3.2 litre motor and that it was already bench tested. It's probable that he fit such motor in the #51 which he let be raced at the 1981 DRM by Hans-Joachim Stuck. The press announced 1000 bhp, but the factory corrected that figure in 850 bhp. On his web site Schnitzer speaks now from 800 bhp, what's probably more realistic. The car won only one round at the DRM, but the most important: the Norisring 200 miles.
Other privateers such as GS Sport (Sauber), ORECA, Emka racing transformed in 1981 the chassis and the body of former Group 4s, but not the motor, being in most cases a slightly modified normally aspired 3.5 Linge motor (only 500 bhp strong). Such a car is named the BMW M1 Group 5. Despite a srong underpowering such cars did well at the WCM. At the Monza 1000-kms ORECA's BMW M1 Group 5 finished fourth overall. At the Silverstone 6 hours Emka Racing's Group 5 was brought home as sixth.
At the 1981 Nürburgring 1000-kms the GS Sport (Sauber)BMW M1 Group 5 finished as winner when after 2h16min of racing the chequered flag was dropped due to a fatal accident by the legendary Swiss racer Herbert Müller. Of the four Group 5 BMWs M1 having started at the 1981 Le Mans 24 hours, none was brought home.

2.1t TOYOTA CELICA LP TURBO

"The German Schnitzer tuning company built the Toyota Celica LB Turbo to compete against the Porsche 935s in the Group 5 category of the World Championship For Manufacturers and also Division 1 of the German national championship (known as the DRM). It was based on the road-going Celica Hatchback 2000 GT model. As with all Group 5 cars (Group 5 being a silhouette formula), extensive modifications were made to the bodywork. As per the regulations, only the bonnet, roof, doors and rail panel were left unmodified. The rest of the body was re-styled and constructed from lightweight GRIP (glass fibre reinforced plastic)."
"Modifications included wider body sills in front of and behind the door panel and a gently sloping nose beyond the bonnet which encased the double headlamps and square grille. The LB weighed in at 860 kg compared to 1116 kg for the road-going model. To power the Group 5 racer, Schnitzer used the Toyota 18R type G engine equipped with a special 16 valve cylinder head which the German company made. The engine was bored out to 2090 cc and a Kugelfischer fuel injection system was installed. In addition to this a KKK Turbo charger was fitted and the combination produced a high performance engine developing an impressive 560 bhp."
"The LB debuted in a round of the DRM which supported the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim on July 30th 1977. The effort was supported and sponsored by Toyota Germany and Rodenstock. The car was surprisingly quick in the hands of Harald Ertl but was forced to retire on lap 4. Schnitzer entered the LB in two more DRM rounds in 1977 at Zolder in August where it retired early again, and at the Nurburgring in October finishing 4th overall behind the Gelo, Kremer and Max Moritz Porsche 935s. On the 16th of October, the car returned to Zolder for the non-championship ADAC Trophy and scored it's only outright victory."
"For 1978, the car was re-sprayed in a red and white livery - most likely in deference to Toyota's increased involvement in the project. The team retained sponsorship from Rodenstock but brought in a new driver, Rolf Stommeln who had been the overall DRM Champion in the Gelo team Porsche 935 the previous year. Harald Ertl stayed with Schnitzer but moved to Division 2 in a BMW 320. The Porsche 935s continued to dominate Division 1 however and, following a string of retirements, the best result for the LB was 8th place at Mainz-Finthen on 18th June. The car was also entered in to the Nurburgring 1000kms WCM race on 28th May, jointly piloted by Stommeln and Ertl. After qualifying in 6th position, the car retired again after just 4 laps. Despite the speed of the car and some promising moments, the story of the Celica LB Turbo is one of dissapointing results."

 1.4t FORD ESCORT MKII RS BDA TURBO

From 1973 until 1976 the Division 2 at the DRM was completely dominated by the Escorts. In 1973 and 1974 that was the Zakspeed Ford Escort MkI RS BDG, derived from the Escort Mk1 Group 2 as raced at the European Touring Car Championship. The car was initially equipped with a 1,975cc 90.0mm x 77.3 four cylinder Cosworth BDG engine, developing 280 bhp @ 9250 rpm. Up from 1975 Mampe-Zakspeed opted for the new Ford Escort MkII RS BDA, using the 1,997cc  x 77.6 DOHC four cylinder Cosworth DBA engine, good for 285 bhp @ 9000 rpm. The Group 5 cars were equipped with a lightweight silhouette body allowing both in front as in rear a wider spur. With a weight of 850 kg they were extremely competitive at the DRM sprint races. In 1976 the MkII won in Division 2 no less than eight of the ten rounds, offering Zakspeed's Harald Ertl the champion's title.
In 1977 the Escort MkII was at once completely dominated by the new BMW 320i, having replaced the BMW 2002 - Escort's former direct competitor. It was obvious that the Escort MkII lacked at once seriously power. Since at Zakspeed they were already busy to assemble the new Ford Capri Turbo for the following season. In 1977 only one rounnd out of ten went to the Mampe-Zakspeed Escort MkII RS BDA. The same year the first BMWs 320 Turbo made their appearance on the tracks. With their 500 bhp the Escorts and their 285 bhp were no longer a match for the newcomers from Bavaria. 
By the end of 1978 - when the 1.4t Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo was already active - Erich Zakowski decided to install a similar turbocharged engine in his Mampe-Zak-speed Escorts. The new Ford Escort MkII RS Turbo, now equipped with the 1,427cc turbocharged Cosworth DBA, developing 440 bhp, had a serious weight handicap compared to the all new  Zakspeed Div 2 Ford Capri Turbo weighting 50 kg less. The car, driven by Armin Hahne, finished still second at the one but last round of the 1978 DRM, but was up from now superseded by the li'l Capri. In 1980 the Zakspêed Escort Turbo was sold to Mario Ketterer who scored one third and two fifth places in Division 2 at the DRM. From 1980 to 1982 Wolfgang Boller continued to drive an Escort MkII RS Turbo. In 1980 he realised at the DRM four times a fourth place and five times a fifth place with it. In 1981 he realised at the DRM one fourth, one fifth and two sixth places with the good old ex-Zakspeed Escort Turbo (being all the time maintained by Zakspeed Racing). 

 2.0 BMW E21 320i & 1.4t BMW E21 320i TURBO

The Group 5 version of the BMW E21 320i was introduced in 1977 as a replacement to the already obsolete BMW 3.0 CSL becaming nicknamed as the Flying Brick in reference to the blocky bodyshape. The 320i was powered by a Formula 2 engine that was tuned to 300 bhp by BMW Motorsport. As Group 5 racing tourers, the BMW 320 models also cut a dash with their heavily flared wheel arches and large front spoiler and rear wings. Underneath the bonnet nestled a thoroughbred BMW Formula 2 racing engine, a 2-litre in-line four-cylinder. Needless to say, such power could only be translated to the road with the help of a racing chassis and all-round aerodynamic assistance. But it wasn't just the car and its technology that were spectacular: the drivers at the wheel of the three BMW works cars also created a stir on and off the race track. Known as the BMW Junior Team, the three up-and-coming drivers Eddie Cheever, Marc Surer and Manfred Winkelhock were a trio of hot-blooded young talents who took on the established competition in the German Motor Racing Championship. At the time, this event was a showcase for the world's best touring car drivers and works teams. Yet the BMW Junior Team, who would rise to ever-higher challenges in this series, were mixing it with the front-runners right from the start.A total of 28 Group 5 BMW 320i units were built in 1977/78. BMW Motorsport GmbH delivered the touring cars as sport kits to racing teams around the world.
At the 1977 DRM the successes of the Ford Escort MkII were immediately stopped since the 320i won the title and nine of the ten rounds. In endurance the car - only a 2-litre version, fighting against the mighty Porsches! - was not only entered by BMW Motorsport Gmbh (obtaining a third place at the Hockenheim 6 hours), but only by Faltz (realising the 4th spot at the Silverstone 6 hours), the second at the Mosport 6 hours) and by McLaren North-America (preparing a turbo version for the 1978 IMSA Series). In 1978 the 320i won Group 5 Div 2 at all seven rounds with an overall third place at the Mugello 6 hours, Dijon 6 hours, Silverstone 6 hours and Watkins Glen 6 hours. In 1979 a privateer's 320i finished sixth at the Nürburgring 1000-kms.
Already at the end of the 1977 season BMW released its BMW E21 320i Turbo, appearing for the first time at Brands Hatch. At the heart of this lightweight brute - 885 kilos all up - was the BMW four cylinder 1.4 litre engine with a KKK inter-cooled turbo producing (initially) approximately 410 bhp at 9400 rpm. This engine was the unit that was developed for the BMW Formula 1 cars and was the first turbocharged engine to win an F1 World Championship. Power was fed through a 5 speed Getrag gearbox via a rare Torence differential. To reign in this performance ATE Racing discs are fitted all round. Later power was increased up to 500 bhp with a slightly modified engine. In the States a two-litre turbocharged engine was used by McLaren North-America, good for 650 bhp. [Those 2.0t cars are named IMSA BMW 320i Turbo] The all new BMW 320i was the first touring car able to beat such Group 5 icons as the Porsches 935.
In 1978 BMW entered no longer works cars via its BMW Junior Team, but let the new car being raced by private teams. At the DRM - meanwhile much more popular than the WCM endurance rounds (except for Le Mans and the ADAC 1000-kms - the 1.4t 320i Turbo was raced by Schnitzer Racing, Heidegger and Wurth-Hat Team. The Turbo won seven rounds out of eleven. Three others went to the 320i, one to the new Div 2 Zakspeed Ford Capri. The title went to Ertl of Schnitzer Team. At the 1978 IMSA the 2.0t IMSA BMW 320i Turbo finished twice second, at Mid-Ohio and Road Atlanta, and won at Sears Point and Mosport ahead of all Porsches 935! In 1979 the IMSA 2.0 Turbo won again at Road Atlanta plus a round at Hallett. The McLaren semi-works car finished as runner-up at Laguna Seca, Lime Rock and Brainerd. Its little sister, the 1.4t BMW Turbo won in 1979 with Manfred Winkelhock two rounds at the DRM, but the title went to the Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo. In 1980 Team Schnitzer entered two 320 Turbos at the DRM. Hans-Joachim Stuck won four rounds out of thirteen, but the title went to Hans Heyer with his Lancia Beta Montecarlo. In 1981 several privateers entered still a 320i Turbo, but more than one podium was no longer realised.

1.4t ZAKSPEED FORD CAPRI TURBO

In 1977 Ford asked Zakspeed to build for thema silhouette Ford Capri Turbo, able to beat the Porsches in Division 1 and the works BMWs 320i in Division 2. They were not interested in endurance racing having lost the largest part of its attendance (after the withdrawal of Ferrari, Matra and Alfa Romeo), but in the DRM becoming extremely popular. Ford's order implies that two different cars must be built, one for the over two litre class and one for the under two litre class. Both, however, can use the same body and a similar cockpit. Even the chassis will be the same on both cars. It concerns a space frame chassis from welded alloy piping. Other characteristics, similar on both cars are: (1) Quick lift jacks; (2) Kevlar 49 plastic coachwork with skeletal Capri steel cockpit area; (3) MacPherson/live axle suspension, alloy hubs, brakes as late works; (4) Side rads and coolers, Garrett twin intercoolers at front; (5) Deep front spoiler and separate rear wing.
The Div 2 Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo is ready one year earlier than its big brother. First outing is the 1978 Hockenheim round on July 29, 1978 where the car fails to finish. At the next round at Zolder the car finishes third and at the last round on the Nürburgring it realises its first victory. In  1979 the first DRM round at Zolder the two cars - one for Harald Ertl, sponsored by Sachs, and one for Hans Heyer, sponsored by Mampe, take the two first places. The four following rounds are also won by the new cars. After five rounds Heyer won three times, Ertl twice. Up from round #4 a third car is entered. It will be driven by Ford's guests such as Dieter Quester, Walter Nussbauer, Jochen Dauer, Klaus Niedzwiedz, Siegried Müller jr and Hans Soldeck. Three other rounds will be won by Hans Heyer, bringing Zakspeed's total up to eight out of eleven rounds. Heyer wins the division 2 championship. 
In 1980 six rounds are won in division 2, but the title goes to Hans Heyer who switched to the new Lancia Beta. In 1981 Klaus Ludwig sweeps the DRM series, winning eleven out of thirteen rounds. Up from 1982 the meanwhile extremely popular DRM is killed when FIA decides that Group 5 cars have to be raced together with prototypes. Nevertheless the car can beat twice those prototypes. In 1983 only one car is entered, by Jorg von Ommen, but the golden era of the silhouettes is over. A fourth, seventh and eighth place are the last results of a fantastic car, having written glorious pages in the history of autosport.

1.4t(2) LANCIA BETA MONTECARLO

In 1978 Lancia - having won earlier the Rally World Championship with their charismatic Stratos - decided to enter one year later the WCM with anew car: a silhouette Group 5, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo. The project to build the new car was in hands of Cesario Fiorio of the racing department: Lancia Corse. He contacted the Dallara Automobil Company of Varano in Italy to do the job, especially since they built earlier the Lancia Stratos which won the Giro d'Italia Automobil (a kind of renewed Mille Miglia) in 1976. The fibreglass body was designed by the famous Pininfarina having access to a wind tunnel. "Under the Group 5 regulations significant modifications were allowed to the bodywork - with the proviso that both the silhouette and wheelbase of the production vehicle were maintained. As with other Group 5 cars of the time, notably the Porsche 935/78 and the Zakspeed Ford Capri, the final shape of the racing car was somewhat different to the road car. A lowered centre section of the production Montecarlo was augmented by front and rear space frames wrapped in lengthened and streamlined bodywork. At the rear, the bodywork incorporated huge widened wheel arches and an aerodynamic wing. The front section was lengthened with the addition of a spoiler to generate more 'downforce'. The overall length was some 785 mm greater than the production vehicle and 285mm wider. This gave the car a Cd value of 0.32 as compared to 0.44 for the Porsche 935. Despite the modifications, the Gr. 5 Montecarlo weighed-in at around 740 kg or 300 kg less than the production car."
Motor development was in hands of Abarth, starting from the 1,425cc engine of the street car. By using a Kugelfisher fuel injection and a KKK turbo they reached 370 bhp at 1.2 bar and 420 bhp at 1.5 bar by a compression ratio of 7.0:1. Later Abarth built four units with a twin turbocharged 1,733cc motor, developing 520 bhp, but Cesare Fiorio refused to use such engine, since he wished to align the new car in the 2-lite class (on using turbocharged engine one had to multiply the cylinder capacity by 1.4). An unitary steel chassis was made by Dallara. Engine was transversally mounted on the chassis. Front suspension used McPherson struts, lower A-arms, coil springs, tubular shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar. Rear suspension was made by Chapman struts, lower A-arms, trailing arms, tubular shock absorbers, and an anti-roll bar. 
The car was presented to the press on December 18, 1978 at the Pininfarina factory. Since testing started only on February 1979, the car could not be entered at the Daytona 24 hours and the Sebring 12 hours. Initially the new Lancia Beta Montecarlo used a normally aspired Abarth 131 engine of 220 bhp at its first test outing. On April 24, at Vallelunga, during a second test session the race engine was used. In total eleven units were built. By the end of the 1980 season Abarth decided to a 2mm oversized bore, increasing the engine displacement to 1,429cc. With that motor Lancia could enter a car in the over 2-litre class (since 1429 x 1.4 = 2000.6 cc!) By using a twin turbo - in order to obtain a better driveability - on the 1,425cc power increased to 473 bhp. The biturbo was used in 1980 for all WCM rounds until the 1981 Nürburgring 1000-kms. Later they returned to the single turbo.
In 1979 Lancia Corse raced the three first units delivered by Dallara (chassis 1001 to 1003) in the typical black and white zebra livery.  Target was to enter the new car at the Mugello 6 hours (second round of the 1979 WCM) for its first racing outing, but the car was not ready. Also at the third round, the Dijon 6 hours, Dallara was not ready. So the maiden race was on May 6, at the Silverstone 6 hours. Ricardo Patrese qualified the car as seventh (and first under two-litre), but it was retired after only four laps with a headgasket failure due to a blown radiator cap. At the Nürburgring 1000-kms the Patrese/Röhr works car qualified again as selectventh, but was retired with four laps to go due to a lack of oil pressure.  At the Coppa di Cita d'Enna - no WCM round - Patrese and Giancarlo drove the works car, always the one with chassis 1001, but now with red flames. THe car started from the pole and finished as second OA. At the Brands Hatch 6 hours, a WCM round, Patrese and Walter Rohl qualified as fifth and brought the car home in fifth position and as class winner. At the Vallelunga 6 hours two cars were entered, but both failed to finish. Eventually the same two cars, with detuned engines of 360bhp, entered off-WCM the Giro d'Italia Automobil, to win the two first places on the road. Gilles Villeneuve shared the winning car with Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdorfer.
In 1980 Lacia Corse was eventually ready to go after its first and extremely ambitious objective, nl. to win nothing less than the WCM. The two works cars, both twin turbocharged - one in blue and white (cf. #33), the other in white and red (cf. #2) - entered by Lancia Corse were now backed up by a private entry, that of the Swiss Jolly Club in the Italian colours (cf. car #26). At the Daytona 24 hours the works cars were not present, but Jolly Club's Lancia finished tenth overall, winning the under-two-litre division. First big stir came at round #2, the Brands Hatch 6 hours, and despite the presence of eight sport-prototypes and thirteen Group 5 Div 1 cars, the twin turbocharged works Lancias finished as first and second, followed by Jolly Club's as fourth. The next round, at the Mugello 6 hours, the Lancias did their 1-2-4 over, beating the "unbeatable" (sic) Porsches 935 a consecutive second time. Cesare Fiorio was a master tacticien: by letting Patrese/Cheever drive the #33 with the 1,429cc engine, Lancia won 20 points in Group 5 div 1 ànd 20 points in Group 5, div 2, what cost Porsche five important points for the WCM. At the Monza 1000-kms the works Lanciias finished third and fifth, winning again the Div 2 class. Next round was the Silverstone 6 hours the works Lancia of Alboretto/Röhrl gave four Porsches 935 a clear beat, but finished fourth OA - again as class winner - headed by the American JLP Porsche winning with its third place the Div 1 class. At the Nürburgring 1000-kms the works Lancias won once more Div 2, finishing as fourth and sixth, and letting again all Porsches 935 except one behind. At the 1980 Le Mans 24 hours, the two works Lancias have to retire, but Jolly Club's wins the Div 2 class. At the Watkins Glen 6 hours the Lancia Beta Montecarlo realises the best performance of its racing career: it beats the eleven best American Porsches 935, realising a new 1-2, whilst the Jolly Club car finishes sixth. At the Mosport § hours three of those Porsches can take revenge, but the fastest works Lancia finishes fourth and again as first in Div 2. By beating all Porsches 935 once more at the Vallelunga 6 hours and finishing as Div 2 winner (and third OA), Lancia was the surprising winner of the 1980 WCM. This victory was confirmed by finising the 1980 Giro d'Italia Automobil with a new 1-2.
To crown the fantastic 1980 season was the title won by Hans Heyer at the DRM. He bought an ex-works Lancia Beta Montecarlo, won two rounds out of thirteen and collected enough top-10 place to win the DRM. Up from 9 he raced a new car with chassis 1008. 
In 1981 the works cars are raced under the Martini colours. That year the WMC went over six rounds where the five best results were considered. Martini entered two or three cars per round. At the Daytona 24 hours the two Martini cars ran in problems, but the Jolly Club unit finished fourth, winning Div 2. At the Monza 1000-kms the Martini cars and Jolly Club's were all eliminated, but a private entered Lancia Beta Montecarlo (a 1979 version with chassis 1004) finished seventh and first in Div 2. At the Silverstone 6 hours the two Martini works cars were eliminated in accidents, but by finishing seventh the Jolly Club car wins again Div 2. At the Nürburgring 1000-kms two bi-turbo Martini Lancias use the 1,429cc engine, competing in Group 5 Div 1 where they will try to finish ahead of the Porsches 935, whilst a third Martini Lancia will try to win Div 2. After the deadly accident of Herbert Müller the race is interrupted with the Stuck/Piquet BMW M1 winning Group 5 Div 1 ahead over the Wollek/Henn/Yates Porsche 935 and the first Martini Lancia of Heyer/Ghinzani. Only half of the points are attributed. That means that Porsche collects not the full 10 points, but only 7.5. By finishing tenth OA the Div 2 Martini wins its class and collects the full 10 points. With two rounds to go Lancia counts 70 points against 67.5 for Porsche. Next round is the Le Mans 24 hours where Martini aligns three cars. This time they cannot be helped by the Jolly Club entry, since the Swiss car uses Abarth's 1.7-litre turbocharged engine as a Group 5 Div 1 car. After 24 hours the fastest Div 1 Porsches finish fourth and sixth, winning their class and the 20 points. But the first Martini Lancia, finishing eighth OA wins Div 2, and also 20 points. With a last round to go - Watkins Glenn - Lancia needs to win if they wish to do their WCM victory of last year over. And the Martini Lancias do what they have to do: they make it a 1-2 OA, beating all American Porsches 935 and winning for the second time the WCM ahead over Porsche. At the DRM, however, Hans Heyer wins two rounds, but looses his title.