Porsche 911 GT1

Production period:	1996 to 1998
Class :	race car
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	Boxer : 3.16-3.22 liters (400-440 kW)
Length:	4890 mm
Width:	1990 mm
Height:	1140 mm
Wheelbase :	2500 mm
Curb weight :	950-1250 kg

The Porsche 911 GT1 is a racing car that was designed to compete in the GT1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and sold for homologation purposes as a road car. 

History

Unlike its sister models, the 911 GT2 and 911 GT3, the GT1 was not created on the basis of a production vehicle for a roadworthy race car, but was instead produced in limited numbers as a homologation model for road usage. Despite its name, it is not a true Porsche 911 because it has a water-cooled mid-engine rather than the typical air-cooled rear engine. This also has a CFRP body that is entirely self-contained and significantly flatter. The body of the "Elfer" is made of hot-dip galvanised sheet steel, despite its design being mostly based on 911s of the kinds 993 and 996.

The Porsche 911 GT1 was designed from 1996 primarily for racing and built for homologation in small numbers as street-legal supercar to be used in the US, in Le Mans and the European BPR Global GT Series and from 1997 the FIA GT To be admitted to the championship . Required for this were 25 copies, the FIA, however, was accommodating. The engine, as usual a six-cylinder boxer, but a water-cooled Biturbomotor with 440 KW (600 HP), based on the engine of the successful group C race cars Porsche 956 C and / or Porsche 962 and was, like with racing carsstandard in this category, installed in front of the rear axle . A fixed rear wing provided the contact pressure necessary for driving stability at speeds of more than 300 km / h. The Porsche 911 GT1 was produced from 1996 to 1998 in various versions:

The first variant of 1996 was still built on the basis of the Porsche 993. From the front to the B-pillar , the body shell of the Porsche 993 was taken over - due to the crash regulations for homologation series ready for streetcars . From the B-pillar a tubular frame was added. In addition, the appearance was adapted by taking over the headlights and tail lights of the Porsche 993 type. From this vehicle only 2 cars were built as street version. From 1997 due to the model change to 996 headlamps, taillights and other external features were adapted to the then current type.

The 1997 released Porsche 911 GT1 Evo presented itself with a far-reaching revised body and a new floor under the car front, which ensured an improved downforce. The front axle is new, but with 1502 mm has the same track width as in the predecessor. Numerous details were revised by the Porsche engineers , especially with a view to improved service friendliness. On March 7, 1997  the two rolled KKK charged loaders type K 27, but again by a large 35.7 mm in diameter air restrictor braked to 400 kW (544 hp) at 7200 rpm and 600 Nm strong 911 GT1 Evo. From 1997 to 1998 Porsche built a total of 21 vehicles, some of which were also approved for road use.

After the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR appeared in the FIA GT Championship in 1997 and proved to be faster, the updated version GT1 '98 was used in 1998 . This was even flatter than the previous version. Nevertheless, the GT1 '98 lost all the races of the 1998 FIA GT Championship against Mercedes, but won due to its reliability in the third attempt happy in Le Mans against the faster but less reliable opponents. Among them was also Toyota with the GT-Onewho never got over second place there. In 1999, no more races were contested, as they developed the successor for 2000, which never came to racing, but later went into production as the Porsche Carrera GT . Thanks to a change in the rules and regulations of the FIA, only one street-legal car of this type had to be built.