Colours of Speed – Porsche 917

The year, 2019, was a very important milestone in Porsche’s motorsport heritage, as it represented the 50th anniversary of the introduction of Porsche’s all-conquering 917 race car. The Porsche Museum was, as expected, honoring the 50th anniversary of this racing icon as part of a comprehensive special exhibition entitled “50 Years of the Porsche 917 - Colours of Speed.” A total of 14 exhibits - including ten 917 models and the 908 LH (that almost snatched the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours from Ford). The Porsche 917 made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1969. When the FIA raised the engine capacity limit for the sports car championship to five liters in 1968, Porsche saw their chance: within a year, constructor Hans Mezger created the car. The 917 already achieved the goal of overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971 and later drove up to 1100 turbo horsepower in the Can-Am series. An interesting commemorative book has been published by the Porsche Museum under the same name as the exhibition. With this highly advisable title, the Company Archive presents the background to the origins, technology, drivers, races, and successes of the Porsche 917, focusing on the rainy race won by Hans Hermann and Richard Atwood 50 years ago.

Purchase here: https://shop.porsche.com/gb/en-GB/p/electrified-since-1893-book-MAP09095XXX-B/MAP09095519