Porsche has unveiled a surprise new race car at the Rennsport Reunion motorsport event at Laguna Seca Raceway. Inspired by the legendary 935/78 Le Mans racer nicknamed “Moby Dick” due to its elongated shape, massive fairings and white base colour, the Porsche 935 is a new limited edition clubsport track car based on the GT2 RS road car.
“This spectacular car is a birthday present from Porsche Motorsport to fans all over the world,” said Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars. “Because the car isn’t homologated, engineers and designers didn’t have to follow the usual rules and thus had freedom in the development.”
Like the 935/78, the body is mostly constructed out of lightweight carbon-fiber composite parts. Several of its components were also designed as a tribute to other competition-winning Porsche race cars. The LED lights have been adopted from the 919 Hybrid LMP1, while the side mirrors are taken from the 911 RSR and the titanium tailpipes echo those on the 1968 Porsche 908. The aerodynamically optimized wheels also mimic those on the 935/78.
These race car references have also been carried over to the cockpit. The knob on the gearshift lever has a laminated wood design reminiscent of racers such as the 917, the 909 Bergspyder and the Carrera GT super sports car, while the carbon steering wheel and the color display behind it have been taken from the 2019 911 GT3 R. The car has also been fitted with a safety cage, racing bucket seat, a six-point harness, and air conditioning. A second seat for the passenger is available as an optional extra.
Being based on the GT2 RS, the Porsche 935 is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine that produces 690 hp and is mated to a seven-speed PDK transmission. Porsche hasn’t released any performance specifications but confirmed the 935 weighs 3,042 lbs and features a high-performance braking system with six-piston aluminum monobloc racing calipers up front. Like the road-going GT2 RS, the 935 also has Porsche Stability Management, traction control and an anti-lock braking system. These assists can be adjusted separately or switched off completely depending on the driving situation.
Production of the Porsche 935 will be limited to 77 examples. Prices start at €701,948 ($816,840) excluding VAT Europe, with US pricing to be announced at a later date. In the US, GT2 RS-based race car will be imported and sold by Porsche Motorsport North America. Customer deliveries will begin in June 2019.
