3.0 PORSCHE 908-01

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1968: First victory for the 3.0 Porsche 908-01K - chassis 008 - shared by Jo Siffert and Vic Elford, at the qualifications still dominated by a 2.2 Porsche 907K. PICTURES: Manfred Förster & Udo Kinkel.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1968: The Mitter/Scarfiotti Porsche 908-01K - chassis 009 - having qualified as 3rd, was already retired after 3 laps with a chassis failure. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1968 - The Porsche 907K of Hans Hermann and Rolf Stommelen TQ-ed and finished 2nd. If one compares this picture with the one above one sees that the 908-01 was very inspired by the 907. However, position of the driver in the 908-01 was closer to the front and the nose of the 908-01 was shorter than on the 907. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The Porsche 908-01LH - chassis 013 - of Rolf Stommelen and Jochen Neerpasch - chassis 013 - finished as 3rd, 6 laps down to the winning 4.9 JWA Gulf Ford GT40 of Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi. A former factory Porsche 907LH, sold to Squadra Tartaruga finished as 2nd, 5 laps down to the winning GT40. End 1969 the car was re-bodied as a 908 spyder and sold to Gesipa Racing.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The Porsche 908-01LH of Jo Siffert and Hans Hermann at the qualifications, where the car - chassis 015 - got the pole position. PICTURE: Charles Quéquiner.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The same car - chassis 015 - during the race. Some publicity decals of Dunlop, Shell and Bosch were added. During the first hours the car was leading the race. A broken transmission and clutch bothers made that after 4 hours the lead was going over to the Paul Hawkins/David Hobbs JWA Ford GT40. Later the 908-01LH of Joe Buzetta and Scooter Patrick (nr 34) could take the lead back, but problems with the alternator after 115 laps brought the Rodriguez/Bianchi JWA Gulf Ford GT40 definitively in the first place. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French edition), #82, p. 46.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The Porsche 908-01LH with chassis 016 of Gerhard Mitter and Vic Elford qualified as 3rd , but was disqualified after 111 laps after an illegal alternator change.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The Porsche 908-01LH with chassis 014 of Joe Buzetta and Scooter Patrick is leading immediately after the start the 3.0 Alpine A220 (nr 27) of Mauro Bianchi/Patrick Depailler and the Belgian 4.9 Ford GT40 of Willy Mairesse/Jean Blaton. None of those cars reached the finish.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - Again the Porsche 908-01 LH - chassis 014 - heading the Lolas T70Mk3B of Jackie Epstein/ Edward Nelson and Ulf Norinder/Sten Axelsson. The alternator problems, met on 3 of the 4 Le Mans cars where the result of the crankshaft-induced torsional vibrations. PICTURE: Rafa.

MONTLHÉRY 1,000-KMS 1968 -

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - Despite the strict cost controls installed end 1968 by Ferry Porsche, his ambitious nephew, Ferdinand Piech, ordered Hans Metzger to build 5 new Porsches 908-01LH in view of the Daytona 24 hours where one year earlier Porsche scored a 1-2-3 with its 2.2 907LH. On the new cars the flat 8 was coupled no longer to the old 6-gangs 907 gearbox, but to the new 5-gang box. Although a 1-2-3 was realised on the grid, none of the 5 new Porsches reached the finish, all being victims of crankshaft failures. Here the 908-01LH with chassis 022 eliminated after 313 laps. Later the car was re-bodied as a short tail Flunder and updated to 02 specifications by the Porsche factory. The re-bodied 908-02 was still carrying chassis plate 908#022 on delivery. Modifications were completed on November 28, 1969 and the car was delivered in the United States for Solar Productions - the producers of the famous Le Mans movie with Steve McQueen - on December 12, 1969.  

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1969 - The car of Udo Schütz/Gerhard Mitter with chassis 030 was eliminated by accident after 199 laps.

3.0 PORSCHE 908-02

HISTORY OF THE PORSCHE 908-02

From mid-1968 to end 1970 Porsche AG built no less than 28 spyders of its 908, labelled 3.0 Porsche 908-02. They were raced the first time in 1969 at the Sebring 12 hours, and except for the twisty Targa Florio and Nürburgring, they were intended to back-up the new and more powerful Porsche 917. The 908 was a sensuous car featuring a short, cut-away tail section.
Initially, in 1969, the new 908-02 suffered from chassis problems: of the 5 brand new cars entered at Sebring, 2 were retired with a cracked chassis. But the next race, at Brands Hatch, 4 other brand new Porsches 908-02 finished as 1st, 2nd, 3rd an 6th after the chassis bothers were solved. At the Targa Florio the cars did it over, realising again a 1-2-3 and adding now even the 4th place. Of the 6 entered work's cars - completely in the line of Ferdinand Piech's racing policy - 4 were again brand new.
A third major win by the Porsche 908-02 was realised in 1969 at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms. Of the 6 entered cars - among them only 2 new copies (was Ferdinand Piech ill that day?) - all 6 reached the finish, scoring now an unbelievable 1-2-3-4-5-31.
At Le Mans all Porsche efforts went to the 917s and the 908-01LHs. Jo Siffert, hating the long tail coupes, preferred to drive an open 908-02LH. Here the rear section of the body was no longer curbed as on the short tail spiders. Later, Tony Lapine, Porsche's then head designer, would flatten the topside of the spyders to create the 908-02 "Flounder," a car that was the basis for the 917 Can-Am and 917K endurance models. But, in fact, Siffert's Le Mans car, entered hy Hart Ski, was the first Flunder in history. The car qualified as 3rd, just behind the 2 Porsches 917LH, but ahead of all Porsches 908-01LH. It was even leading the race during 2 hours, until the gearbox was broken.

Forgotten by most autosport historians, as the underdog to the mighty Porsche 917, the 908-02 was a fantastic car. At the Watkins Glen 6 hours it realised again a 1-2-3, already the 4th round won by a 908 spyder (the second by Porsche Salzburg, having already won at the Nürburgring). Meanwhile Tony Dean, the British Porsche importer, entered it at 8 rounds of the CANAM, finishing each round it entered.
By the end of the 1969 Porsche AG sold several of its Porsches 908-02 - some of them transformed in Flun-ders with a flat rear body - to privateers. The car having finished 3rd at Brands Hatch went first to Écurie Ever-green, later to Bosch Racing for the total unknown Niki Lauda; the car having finished 2nd at Brands Hatch and 3rd at the Nürburgring went to Sports Cars Broström from Sweden; the car having finished 2nd at the Targa went to Alex Soler-Roig; the car having finished 5th at the Austrian GP went from Porsche Austria to Asahi-Pentax Racing. The car having finished 7th at Sebring went to Martini International; the car having finished 2nd at the Nürburgring went to German BG Racing; the winner of Brands Hatch (also 4th at the Targa and 5th at the Nürburgring) went to AAW Shell from Finland. All those teams let race their cars at the new Interserie, the European counterpart of the CANAM. But except for a podium for Pedro Rodriguez at the Norisring and for Helmut Marko at Thruxton, no super results were noted.
At the rounds for the 1970 Manufacturer's Worlds, the 908-02 Flunders were no longer winners, but they collected several top-10 places and at Le Mans the Martini 908-02LH finished 3rd. At the 1970 CANAM Tony Dean caused a stir by winning Road America in a tiny 908-02. Porsches 908-02 Flunder were raced until the mid 1970s, even at Le Mans.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The 3.0 Porsche 908-02 with chassis 004, shared by Rolf Stommelen and Joe Buzetta finished as 3rd, 4 laps behind the winning 4.9 JWA Gulf Ford GT40 of Jacky Ickx/Jackie Oliver. PICTURE; Racing Sports Car Archive.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The Porsche 908-02 with chassis 003 of Gerhard Mitter/Udo Schütz, qualified as 2nd behind the #25 Ferrari 312P, finished as 5th, 7 laps down to the winner. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 148.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - Of the 5 brand new Porsches 908-02 entered at Sebring, 2 were eliminated with a cracked chassis. Here the car with chassis 002, shared by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman who had to retire after 133 laps. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 145.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The solid white Porsche 908-02 with chassis 001 (#28), here driven by Hans Hermann, and the sister car with chassis 005 (#30) here driven by Vic Elford, wait to pass the Escuderia Manana Porsche 906 shared by Armando Capriles and Alfredo Atencio. The #28 should be eliminated after 97 laps by a cracked chassis. The #30 of Elford/Attwood finished 7th, the Porsche 906 11th. Another 908-06 witch chassis 004 and #27 finished as 3rd.  PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 146.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The #30 Porsche 908-02 with chassis 005 and shared by Vic Elford and Richard Attwood finished 7th. PICTURE: Sports Cars Racing Archive.

BRANDS HATCH 500 MILES 1969 - For the race at Brands Hatch Ferdinand Piech let manufacture 4 new copies of the 908-02. They finished at ranks 1-2-3-6. Here the Porsche 908-02 with chassis 011, which won the race in hands of Jo Siffert and Brian Redman. It was the first victory in a long row of the new 908 spyder.

TARGA FLORIO 1969 - No less than 6 Porsches 908-02 were entered by Porsche Engineering System at the Targa Florio, among them 4 new cars. Here the #266 - chassis 014 - of Gerhard Mitter and Udo Schütz having won the race ahead of 3 other Porsches 908-02. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 151.

TARGA FLORIO 1969 - At the wheel of the #270 with chassis 013 Italy's Umberto Maglioli could have won his 4th Targa Florio. A prolonged pit stop and a light colision after 4 laps by co-driver Vic Elford and the #180 2.5 Alfa Romeo 33/2 made Maglioli's hope idle. He and Elford finished 2nd. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 153.

TARGA FLORIO 1969 - The Porsche 908-02 with chassis 015 which finished 3rd with Rolf Stommelen and Hans Hermann as drivers. Here Stommelen waiting before the start. Another 908-02, now with Willi Kauhsen and Karl von Wendt as drivers finished 4th. Gérard Larousse/Rudi Lins finished after a series of electrical problems 21st at 2 laps, whilst the Richard Attwood/Brian Redman was the lonely Porsche 908-02 pairing failing to finish due to a broken driveshaft. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 152.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The winning 3.0 Porsche 908-02 with chassis 006 - having been not raced earlier - was entered by Porsche Salzburg of Louise Piech-Porsche, the mom of Ferdinand Piech and sister of Ferry Porsche for Jo Siffert and Brian Redman. On both pics we find the British ace at the wheel. PICTURES: Manfred Förster (above) and Champion, August 1969, #53, p. 50.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The solid white Porsche 908-02 with the red triangle just before the small windshield - chassis 018 - was the other new car entered. Shared by Rolf Stommelen and Hans Hermann the car finished 2nd. With 2 new cars on 6 taking the 2 first places it enforced Ferdinand Piech's belief that the factory had to enter fresh cars at each new race. BLACK & WHITE PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 162. COLOURED PICTURE: Födisch Jörg-Thomas and Behrndt Michael, ADAC 1000km Rennen, Nürburgring Langstrecken-WM 1953-1991, Köningswinter: Heel Verlag GmbH, 2003, rear cover.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The Porsche 908-02 with chassis 010 finished earlier 2nd at Brands Hatch (and 21st at the Targa Florio). At the Eifel the car was raced by Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens, finishing 3rd. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The #6 Porsche 908-02 (chassis 004), brought home as 4th by Rudi Lins and Richard Attwood, was entered by Porsche Salzburg. Earlier it finished 3rd at the Sebring 12 hours. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The Porsche 908-02 with chassis 011, brought home as 5th at the Ring by Willy Kauhsen and Karl von Wendt won earlier at Brands Hatch and finished as 4th at the Targa Florio. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The Porsche 908-02 with chassis 015 finished earlier 3rd at the Targa Florio. It qualified as 3rd on the Ring and was driven by Gerhard Mitter and Udo Schütz. Immediately after the start in Indianapolis style - having replaced the too dangerous Le Mans start procedure of the former years - Gerhard Mitter was the first away. Before the end of the first lap he was passed by Siffert, but could hold off Chris Amon in the Ferrari 312P Berlinetta.  During the following laps Mitter was passed by the Ferrari coming closer and closer to the leading Porsche of Siffert. After 7 laps difference between the 2 first was down to 5 seconds. Mitter followed already at 25 seconds in 3rd position. Shortly after the first pit stops - with 5 Porsches 908-02 and the Ferrari 312P all in the pits - Schüt suffered from a broken ball bearing front left. Repairs took so much time that the car dropped eventually in 31st position. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1969 - Since Porsche AG had decided that no other factory cars should be entered than the 2 Porsches 917LH and 3 Porsches 908-01LH, Jo Siffert, hating the long tail coupes, decided to drive the lonely 3.0 Porsche 908-02LH, the long tail spyder with chassis 028, entered for the first time by Hart Ski. He qualified the car as 3rd, just behind the 2 factory 917LHs, but ahead of all Porsches 908-01LH, ahead of the JWA Gulf 4.9 Fords GT40 and ahead of the 3.0 Ferraris 312P Berlinetta entered by SpA SEFAC. After the 2nd and 3rd hour he was even leading the race until clutch problems enforced him and team mate Brian Redman to a prolonged pit stop, dropping to 11th in the standings. One hour later the car was retired with a broken gearbox.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1969 - Mechanics withdrawing the Siffert/Redman Porsche 908-02LH (chassis 028), entered by Hart Ski Racing. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1969-1970, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1969, p. 168.

ROAD AMERICA CANAM 1969 - Tony Dean, the British importer of Porsche, owned 2 Porsches 908-02. The one with chassis 014 - having won the Targa Florio! - was raced by himself at the CANAM series. He finished 5th at Road America, 6th at Bridgehampton, 7th at Michigan, at Laguna Seca and at Riverside, 8th at Texas and 9th at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. It was the lonely car in the series to finish each time it entered. Eventually Tony Dean was 8th in the final ranking. At the Watkins Glen 6 hours he shared his 014 Porsche with Vic Elford and finished 2nd overall.

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS 1969 - At the Watkins Glen 6 hours Tony Dean shared his second Porsche 908-02, with chassis 015, Porsche with Vic Elford and finished 2nd overall. The same car, then still owned by Porsche AG finished 3rd at the Targa Florio and was, in hands of Gerhard Mitter, long time 3rd at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS 1969 - Having been entered at the Sebring 12 hours, where the car witch chassis 002 failed to finish, the Porsche 908-02 Flunder was transferred to Porsche Salzburg of Louise Piech-Porsche, sister of Ferry Porsche and mother of Ferdinand Piech. Driven by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman, the car not only set the pole, but also won the race. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS 1969 - Joe Buzetta and Rudi Lins finished 3rd with this 908-02 - chassis 001 - entered by Porsche Salzburg.

WATKINS GLEN CANAM 1969 - By winning the Watkins Glen 6 hours Jo Siffert earned $ 5,000 US. By finishing 6th at the CANAM race with the same 908-02 Flunder - chassis 002 - he earned $ 3,750 US.

BUENOS AIRES 1,000-KMS 1970 - Not counting for the Manufacturer's World Championship, the "Temporada", on January 11 seemed for most privateers, having bought a 908-02 from Porsche AG, a unique opportunity to test their cars, famous for their reliability. At the start we find among others Juan Fernandez with his 021, having been never raced before, but entered by the Escuderia Monjuich. Paired to Jose Juncadella in the #14 yellow and green car he'll finish as 8th. Alex Soler Roig/Jochen Rindt will finish as second in their #12 908-02  entered by the Escuderia Nacional with chassis 013.

BUENOS AIRES 1,000-KMS 1970 - Present too is Alain de Cadenet in the Porsche 908-02 Flunder with chassis 008, bought by his team Evergreen. He and Carlos Pairetti will finish as 5th. Also present are Tony Dean/Eduardo Capello with the 908-02 of the Brit, the car with chassis 014. They'll finish 3rd. The A.A.W. Shell 908-02 with chassis 011, shared by Hans Laine and Gijs van Lennep wil be brought home as 9th. Another 908-02 Flunder with chassis 019, bought by Hans-Dieter Dechent, having Gerhard Koch as team mate will finish 10th. That means that no less than 6 private owned Porsches 908-02 will finish among the top-10. Above a static model of the Evergreen Flunder, as entered at the 1970 Buenos Aires Temporada. One month later the same car was entered at the Daytona 24 hours, where Alain de Cadenet and Carlos A. Pairetti will qualify as 26th, however with possibility to start, due to a blown engine during the qualifications. The lonely other Porsche 908-02 at the start in Daytona will be the A.A.W. Shell car of Hans Laine/Gijs van Lennep, abandoned after 385 laps, also with a blown engine. At the BOAC 1,000-km the Evergreen 908-02 Flunder, now shared by Alain de Cadenet and Jorge Omar del Rio, will not finish with a broken gearbox during the ultimate stages of the race. However, the car will be classified as 19th.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1970 - Four private owned Porsches 908-02 are found at the start. One of them - in fact an as Flunder re-bodied 908-01 - is entered by Solar Productions, the makers of the film Le Mans, for Steve McQueen and Peter Revson. The car with chassis 908-022 (not to confound with 908 02 022, bought by Gesipa Racing Team) will finish at an unexpected 2nd place, only 18 secs down to the winning Ferrari 512S. "With the front-running 917s and their Ferrari 512 counterparts experiencing problems, the McQueen/Revson duo was ahead of Sebring's field with less than an hour to go. Mario Andretti, who had held the number-one position in his Ferrari until it broke with about an hour and a half remaining, was slapped into the highest place. The 512 was left with problems and sent on its way. With only 30 minutes remaining, Andretti was once again in front. However, his stay there was brief as he ducked into the pits for fuel, thus putting McQueen and Revson in front. Using all of his considerable talents, and every bit of performance he could squeeze from his machine, Andretti passed the Porsche for the win, literally in sight of the checkered flag." PICTURE: Racing Sports Car Archive.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1970 - The "Martini" Porsche 908-02 with chassis 005 of Richard Attwood/Gérard Larousse qualified as 18th, but was disqualified after 31 laps for an illegal push. Both drivers will pass later on the #46 sister car. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1970 - Having qualified as 17th and having achieved 229 laps - enough for a 10th place overall - the A.A.W. Shell Porsche 908-02 with chassis 011 will be not qualified, since it was no more raced at the chequered flag. Earlier the car didn't finish at the Daytona 24 hours. The car was destroyed at practice at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms in a fatal accident where Hans Laine (SF, 25) was burnt to death. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

BOAC 1,000-KMS 1970 - Two Martini sponsored Porsches 908-02  at Brands Hatch. One of them was the Flunder owned by Hans-Dieter Dechent with chassis 019. The other, in front, could be Tony Dean's 015. [Until the Francorchamps 1,000-kms there is no official International Martini Racing Team, only Martini as sponsor]. The 015, driven by Gerhard Koch and Gérard Larousse finished as 6th. The other, the Flunder, couldn't start, due to a blown engine during the qualifications.

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-KMS 1970 - Only 2 Porsches 908-02 Flunder were entered at the Belgian endurance race. The International Martini Racing Team #5, entered for Hans-Dieter Dechent and Helmut Marko - probably chassis 019 - finished as 11th. The other Martini entry - probably chassis 005 - for Gérard Larousse and Rudi Lins finished 9th. PICTURE: Hubin Michel, Championnat du monde 70, Sport-Prototype-GT, Paris/Verviers: Marabout, 1970, p. 88.

TARGA FLORIO 1970 - Gérard Larousse and Rudi Lins finished 13th in their Porsche 908-02 - probably with chassis 005. Here the car is shadowed by the Hans Laine/Gijs van Lennep Porsche 908-02 with chassis 020, watched by a crowd of Sicilians - and wonder upon wonder, there is a safety barrier. Laine/Van Lennep finished 4th. Earlier, at the BOAC 1,000-kms the same AAW Shell car - the fastest of all 1970 908-02s - finished also 4th. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1970-1971, #18, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1970, p. 191.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - The Porsche 908-02 Flunder of the Asahi Pentax Team - chassis 016 - driven by Sepp Greger and Helmut Leuze finished as 8th. The car was also entered twice at the 1970 Interserie. At the Hockenheim Südwest Pokal of July 5 Leuze finished 13th, at the Hockenheim 300-mi on October 11, as 6th. At the Zolder 500-kms (April 10) the car finished as runner-up to the winning Ferrari 512S of the Gelo Racing Team. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - A comparison between the courbed body of the Gesipa Porsche 908-02 (with chassis 022) and the straight body of the above Asahi-Pentax 908-02 Flunder shows clearly the difference between the 2 types of body. Shared by Jürgen Neuhaus/Helmut Kelleners/Dieter Basche the Gesipa car finished 11th (although it didn'cross the finish line). The Gesipa Porsche was entered at the Thruxton Interserie race, where Michel Weber finished 6th. Dieter Basche was earlier 10th at the Hockenheim Südwest Pokal at Hockenheim. At the Hockenheim 300-mi Weber was 5th.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - That's the only picture I found of the #11 BG German Porsche 908-02 Flunder with chassis 013. At the Eifel it was raced by Karl von Wendt (the owner) and Gerhard Koch, finishing 7th overall. The car entered also a round of the Interserie where Willi Kauhsen finished 9th at the Hockenheim Sudwest Pokal. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - International Martini Racing Team entered at the ADAC 1000 Kilometer Rennen 2 Porsches 908-02 of the Flunder type. Different sources don't agree which car the #1 of Gérard Larousse and Helmut Marko - having finished 5th - was. It can be the 019 bought from Hans-Dieter Dechent (the renumbered 009), which was a Flunder since its first race of the season. However, others put that it is the 005 having been raced earlier in the old no-Flunder configuration. If it is the 005, then the car must have been re-bodied. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1970-1971, #18, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1970, p. 191.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - The second International Martini Racing Team Porsche 908-02 at the start of the ADAC 1000 Kilometer Rennen was undoubtedly the Flunder with chassis 023. This car, shared by Rudy Lins and Willy Kauhsen, finished 6th. Here the same car at another race. Martini Flunders were also entered at the new Interserie, the European CANAM. The 005 was 17th at the Norisring (Helmut Marko), 7th at the Südwest Pokal (Larousse), and 4th at Keimola (Larousse). The 019 was 9th at the Südwest Pokal (Willi Kauhsen) and 6th at Keimola (Helmut Marko).

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1970 - The #27 Porsche 908-02LH Flunder of Rudi Lins and Helmut Marko, with chassis 005, finished after superb motoring as 3rd, just behind the 2 Porsches 917. PICTURE: Rafa.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1970 - The #29 Porsche 908-02LH Flunder, entered by Solar Productions for Herbert Linge and Jonathan Williams, is the same re-bodied car having finished 2nd at the Sebring 12 hours, thus the ex-Porsche 908-01 with chassis 908 022. Despite the heavy weight of the cameras in front and in rear - taking shots for the Le Mans movie with Steve McQueen - and despite the several pit stops to change the cameras, the car finished as an honourable 9th (however without being classified for insufficient distance - only 7 cars reached the minimum).

ÖSTERREICHRING 1,000-KMS - At the last roind of the 1970 Manufacturer's Worlds on October 11 the International Martini Racing Team was present with its 2 Flunders. Reinhold Jöst and Gerold Pankl finished 5th overall with the #5 Porsche 908-02 Flunder with chassis 023. The other car, shared by Gérard Larousse and Rudi Lins did even better and finished 3rd. PICTURE: L'Automobile, November 1970.

BOSCH RACING TEAM PORSCHE 908-02 FLUNDER - The car with chassis 008 was raced in the new Interseries. At the Hockhenheim Südwest Pokal Niki Lauda was 12th. At Keimola the Austrian ace - still unknown at that time - had to retire the car. At Thruxton he was 5th. The car entered also a round of the Manufacturer's Worlds at Zeltweg. There Niki Lauda and Peter Peter were 6th overall. Here a later picture of the car.

ROAD ATLANTA 1970 - Just as in 1969 Tony Dean entered the CANAM series with a Porsche 908-02, now with chassis 011. It was the former A.A.W. Shell car bought shortly after the Sebring 12 hours, when Aarnio A. Wihuri bought a new 908-02 (chassis 022) for Hans Laine and Gijs van Lennep. With the 011 Tony Dean entered 8 of the 10 rounds, failing only once to bring the car home (at Mid-Ohio). At Road Atlanta he caused a stir by winning the race, ahead of all "big bangers". For the 908 spyder it was the 5th important victory in the car's career. Dean finished as 6th in the overall ranking.

ODACISA MADRID 6 HOURS AT JARAMA 1970 - Having already won the first edition of the Spanish endurance race on October 26, 1969, with Jochen Rindt as team mate in the Escuderia Nacional 908-02 (chassis 013), Alex Soler-Roig made now team with Jürgen Neuhaus and his Gesipa Rivets Team Porsche 908-02 with chassis 908 02 022. By winning the race the Spanish ace offered Porsche its 2nd major victory of the year [In the States Steve McQueen won 3 sprintraces with the re-bodied 908-02 Flunder with chassis 908 022]. The Porsches 908-02 made it a 1-2-3 at Jarama. Here a superb static model of the winning car.

ODACISA MADRID 6 HOURS AT JARAMA 1970 - Second place went to the Escuderia Nacional Porsche 908-02 with chassis 013. The car was raced by Prince Jorge de Bagration and Reine Wisell (who had experience with the Broström Porsche 908-02 he raced at the Interseries). Here a static model of the car.

ODACISA MADRID 6 HOURS AT JARAMA 1970 - Third place went to the Porsche 908-02 of the Escuderia Montjuich with chassis 021, and shared by Juan Fernandez and Jo Siffert. Again a static model of the car.

3.0 PORSCHE 908-03

In hands of the master himself - thus of Ferdinand Piech, the father of the 909 Bergspider, better known as the 'plastic Porsche' - the Porsche 908-03 was a real master piece, in history of motosport much more im-portant than the legendary 917. By the end of the 1969 season Piech had decided to sell the stock of 908-02 prototypes to privateers. He knew very well that it rarely happens that a private team can beat a factory car. Yes, it happened, e.g. at the 1966 Targa Florio when Willy Mairesse and Herbert Müller could beat with the Filipinetti Porsche 906 all the work's Porsches. But it never happened again. Indeed, after a superb 1969 season in hands of Porsche Engineering System and Porsche Salzburg, the 908-02 won 4 of the 6 rounds of the Manufacturer's Worlds where it entered, having been only been beaten at Le Mans by 120 metres and at Zeltweg by the new 4.5 Porsche 917LH. As could be expected privateers reached with the ex-factory 908-02s only 3 times the podium - the victories of Jarama and Road Atlanta having been off-championship. Now that the 908-02 was no longer a potential winner in the most important endurance races, a new weapon was to be found for the twisty circuits of the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring, where the new 917K was too heavy to win.
It's important to understand that nor the 908-01, neither the 908-02 was the predecessor of the 908-03, but the 2.2 Porsche 909 Bergspyder, having been built in 1968 in view of the European Hillclimb Championship, being very popular from 1965 to 1969. The title was contested by work's cars of Ferrari, Abarth, BMW and Porsche. In 1965 the title was won by Italy's Lodovico Scarfiotti in a factory 2.0 Ferrari Dino 206P, ahead of the 2.0 Porsche 904 Bergspyder of Gerhard Mitter. The next year Mitter was rather lucky to win the cham-pionship, since Ferrari was swept by a series of general strikes. So Scarfiotti missed rounds #2 and #3.
In 1967 Ferrari - too much involved in its struggle with Ford - abdicated, but Abarth (240HP) and BMW (258HP) had built "Bergspyders" of less than 510 kg, inspired by the 904 mountain car. Porsche answered with its 2.0 910 Bergspyder, equipped with a flat 6-cylinder engine of 255HP for a dry weight of less than 450 kg. The new car won the 8 rounds of the European Hillclimb Championship.

In 1968 it was known that Ferrari was busy to build a very special mountain car, derived from its old Dino 206P. It was the 2.0 Ferrari 212E, equipped with a 300HP flat-twin cylinder engine. In order to counter that initiative Ferdinand Piech devoloped in 1968 his 2.2 Porsche 909 Bergspyder, using plastic and titan compounds to reduce its weight as much as possible. The car, using an improved 275HP 6-cylinder motor, similar to what was used in the 2.2 Porsche 907LH, was an improvement of the 910 Bergspyder. As on the 910 Berg, bodywork was low and squat but even more streamlined, with a pair of small downward pointing "spoilerettes" on the nose and two up-tilting flaps on the tail. Beneath was a tubular space-frame that placed engine and driver relatively far forward. In fact, the driver's legs actually extended over the centerline of the front anti-sway bar. Titanium was used extensively om the all-coil suspension and for the fuel tank. Dry weight was under 400 kg.
Starting the 1968 new season, the Prancing Horse, struggling with child diseases of its 212E, didn't show at all. Meanwhile Lodovico Scarfiotti, depressed by the tragical death of Ferrari team mate Lorenzo Bandini at the Monaco GP, decided to quit Ferrari and to drive the mountain championship for Porsche. On June 8, 1968 "he was practicing at Rossfeld, virtually in the shadow of the site of Hitler's infamous Eagles Nest at Berchtesgarten, when his Porsche 909 slammed off the road into a clump of trees. A stuck throttle was blamed for the accident which claimed Scarfiotti's life." Gerhard Mitter won all rounds. When in 1969 Peter Schetty showed up with the long expected 212E, Porsche decided that it had nothing more to prove in hillclimb racing, so that Schetty won all rounds except the last one. Gerhard Mitter from his side declared that he had enough from the hills after what happened with Scarfiotti.
By installing the 3-litre motor of the 908-01 in the slightly modified Bergspyder 909 the new 3.0 Porsche 908-03 was born: with its 350 HP for 500 kg a deadly weapon on twisty circuits. Is polyurethane body, for instance, weighed a miniscule 26.5 lbs.
Shortly after the Targa Florio and the ADAC 1,000-km Rennen, for which the 908-03 was intended, Gerhard Mitter - who never drove the new machinery - passed away on August 1 during practice for the German F2 Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.

The Porsche 909 Bergspyder - better known as Ferdinand Piech's "plastic Porsche" - next to the Porsche 908.02 with chassis 014 having won the 1969 Targa Florio. The 909 had a racing weight of 565 kg (1246 lbs). Its body had a weight of ... 12 kg (26.5 lbs). PICTURE: Ultimatecar.com.

CRAZY TARGA FLORIO 1970 - At the wheel of the 3.0 JW Gulf Porsche 908-03 with chassis 003 Jo Siffert is on his difficult way to victory.

TARGA FLORIO 1970 - Again Jo Siffert at the wheel of the JWA Gulf Porsche 908-03 with chassis 003. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French edition), #102, p. 58.

   RACING HISTORY OF THE PORSCHE 908-03
It's difficult to understand the sharp intermural competition between the two factory clans: John Wyer, supported by Ferry Porsche, and KG Salzburg, supported by his Austrian sister and her son Ferdinand Piech. After the serious financial efforts to build 25 Porsches 917 Ferry Porsche defended a policy of lowering the costs of the racing department. For Ferdinand Piech, however, costs are something to ignore. What counts for him is winning. Having won all races at the Targa Florio since 1966, Piech comes to the Piccolo Madonie with a complete army of Porsche cars. There are 5 brand new Porsches 908-03, all derived from his 909 Bergspyder. Of them 3 will be raced by JWA Gulf, 1 by KG Salzburg. The remaining one functions as spare car. But even the 909 came from Germany to Sicily, together with a factory 917K. Piech wishes not only that the Targa is won with brio, he wishes also that "his" KG Salzburg car (Elford/Hermann) wins. The competition with JWA Gulf, however, is so intense that Piech keeps it hidden for Wyer that the new Porsches 908-03 consume lots of oil. Only on his own #20 car there is an extra reservoir. 
At the Targa the car to beat is the 5.0 Ferrari 512S - a work's entry - of the local hero Nino Vaccarella, knowing the circuit better than anyone else. Only during a short period Vaccarella leads the race, both on the road and on time (the cars starting one per 30 seconds). There can be no doubt that the heavy 512S is not well-adapted to the twisty track in the Sicilian mountains. Nevertheless Vaccarella will finish 3rd, 2 of the 3 JWA Gulf Porsches 908-03 taking the 2 first places, followed by the AAW Porsche 908-02 and the 3rd JWA Gulf 908-03. Winners are Siffert/Redman with the #12, followed by Rodriguez/Kin-nunen in the #40. Rallyman Björn Waldegaard and all-rounder Attwood are 5th in the #36. The KG Salzburg #20 is written off during the first lap when Elford hurts a border, finishing his race in the wall. Immediately after the race Piech claims that KG Salzburg will race at the Ring the car with chassis 008 having won the Targa.

Especially built for 2 races - the Targa and the Ring - the new Porsches 908-03 meet no opposition at the Nürburg-ring, where the KG Salzburg cars finish as 1st and 2nd, the #22 of Elford/Ahrens beating the #15 of Hermann and Attwood.  Then follow a work's Ferrari 512S and Filipinet-ti's similar car.
At Porsche the tension between Ferry Porsche and nephew Piesch grows to a zenith in 1971. Eventually the ambitious engineer will quit the factory in the course of the year. That implies that hardly any improvement was made on the Porsches 908-03 during the year. Meanwhile Ferrari developped its super car, the 3.0 312PB, with its 450HP for 625 kg faster than the ex-Bergspyders. But also at Autodelta they worked tremendously hard on improving the 3.0 Alfa Romeo T33/3. At the Targa - their own territory - the Porsches 908-03 are slower than the Alfas. All 3 are eliminated by accident, Alfa Romeo taking the 2 first places. At the Nürburgring the lonely Ferrari 312PB sets the pole, followed by an Alfa Romeo T33/3 and the first Porsche 908-03. Immediately after the start Ickx is pulling away from the field and seems on his way to an easy victory with the 312PB when at once, team mate Clay Regazzoni is victim of a steaming radiator. At the end of the season it's at once obvious that Piech didn't make an all-rounder with his 908-03, only a car able to win the Targa Florio and the Ring. At the start of the 1972 Porsche is at once nowhere with its former Bergspyder, especially now that the FIA banned the 5-litre sports cars from the track. In 1972 Ferrari will win all rounds of the FIA Manu-facturer's Championship it entered and Porsche decides to retire from competition. Even a miracle car as the 908-03 is of little help when at once the technical progress is stopped.
The high potential of the 908 becomes obvious when in 1972 a 3-year old 908-01LH finishes as 3rd at Le Mans (where Ferrari is absent). In 1974 Reinhold Jöst will install a turbo in a 4 year old 908-03 to finish 4th at Le Mans 1975. Even in 1980 the Jöst Porsche 908-80 will be competitive, finishing 2nd at Le Mans. Earlier the car won the Nürburgring 1,000-kms.  The same modified turbo charged 908-03 will lead in 1981 during the 2 first hours of Le Mans. All that, however, proves less that the 908-03 was a fantastic race machine, than it proves the whole poverty of post-1974 endurance racing, after all the major manufacturers withdrew from competition.

At the 1970 Targa Florio the #20 Porsche 908-03 with chassis 007 failed even to complete the first lap, when Vic Elford missed a curb at the end of the long straight of Cerda. The #12 JWA Gulf Porsche 908-03 with chassis 008 won the race.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - After 17 laps, out of 44, Brian Redman was leading the race with the JWA Gulf Porsche 908-03 with chassis 010, 60 seconds ahead of the Salzburg entries.  When he came in for refuelling his team mate Jo Siffert pressed the starter but the engine wouldn't fire. It took 10 minutes to get the reluctant #20 Porsche started, by which time Elford, in the #22 KG Salzburg had lapped it. Siffert was really in trouble for he had got only as far as Hocheichen when the engine had tightened up. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - Pedro Rodriguez rushed ahead at the start. First time past the pits the Mexican's #21 Porsche 908-03 with chassis 009 was 14 secs ahead of Giunti's Ferrari 512S. Later Siffert, in the #20, passed the Ferrari and grabbed the lead on lap 10. Both Porsches came together in the pits for refuelling after 11 laps. Siffert's team mate Kurt Ahrens got away at the same time as Rodriguez's team mate Leo Kinnunen. The 2 drivers diced it out and the Finn got in trouble on an airborne section, and went into a bank, badly damaging the car. Fortunately Kinnunen was unhurt.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - Vic Elford presses on the Salzburg Porsche 908-03 with chassis 008 to clinch the Constructor's Championship for the marque. He and Ahrens played their part in bringing Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen's 1970 total to 6 Championship wins. The Elford/Ahrens car with chassis 008 won, now for KG Salzburg. Either the same car with a JWA Gulf body won the Targa Florio.

STATIC MODEL of the #15 Porsche 908-03 of Hermann/Attwood at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms of 1970. If one compares with the picture below, the colour is definitively wrong.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - Immediately after the start we find 3 Porsches 908-03 in front. The #15 of Hermann/Attwood is a yellow Porsche - with chassis 003 - and certainly not in the strange colour of the static model above. PICTURE: Manfred Förster.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1970 - Hans Hermann and Richard Attwood drove an exemplary race to take 2nd place in their KG Salzburg Porsche 908-03 with chassis 003. Both Salzburg Porsches stopped for oil 7 laps before the end of the 1,000-kms race. PICTURE: L'Année Automobile 1970-1971, #18, Lausanne: S.A. Edita, 1970, p. 199.