Porsche Race Cars: From the 550 Spyder to the 963

By CarWhere Research · Updated

Porsche's race cars run from the 1953 550 Spyder to the 963 hybrid prototype racing today. The twelve cars covered here account for 14 overall Le Mans wins, from the 917's first in 1970 to the 919 Hybrid's third straight in 2017, plus wins at Daytona, Sebring and the Targa Florio, Can-Am titles and Safari Rally podiums.

Each page below covers one Porsche race car: when it raced, how many were built, its engine and chassis, the results that defined it, and why it still matters. Every figure is tied to a numbered source — Porsche Newsroom and Porsche Museum material first, official race results next, and dated auction records where a car has changed hands in public.

Le Mans prototypes and hybrid racers

The cars that won Porsche its reputation in endurance racing, from the 917 to the hybrid 919 and the LMDh 963.

Porsche 9171969–1975Porsche 917 history: 25 cars built for 1969 homologation, Le Mans wins in 1970 and 1971, and the 1,200 hp 917/30 that won Can-Am in 1973.Porsche 9561982–1984Porsche 956 Group C racer (1982–1984): 2,649 cc turbo flat-six, 620 hp, four straight Le Mans wins (1982–1985) and Bellof's 6:11.13 Nordschleife lap.Porsche 9621984–1994Porsche 962 and 962 C (1984–1994): twin-turbo Group C/IMSA prototype, about 700 PS in 962 C form, Le Mans wins in 1986, 1987 and 1994 (Dauer 962 LM).Porsche 911 GT11996–1998Porsche 911 GT1 (1996–1998): mid-engined twin-turbo GT racer, 550 hp GT1 '98 won Le Mans 1998 1-2; 23 Straßenversion road cars with 544 bhp.Porsche 919 Hybrid2014–2017Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 (2014–2017): 2.0 L V4 turbo plus 400 hp front-axle hybrid, 900+ hp total, three straight Le Mans wins (2015–2017), six WEC titles.Porsche 9632023–Porsche 963 LMDh hybrid prototype: 4.6 L twin-turbo V8, about 500 kW (680 PS) in race trim, three straight Daytona 24 wins (2024–2026), 2024 WEC title.

Sports racers of the 1950s and 1960s

Lightweight mid-engine cars that won their classes — and sometimes outright — at the Targa Florio, Sebring and Le Mans.

Porsche 550 Spyder1953–1956Porsche's first purpose-built race car: 89 Type 550s from 1953 plus 40 550 As, 110 hp from 1.5 liters, and the 1956 Targa Florio overall win.Porsche 904 Carrera GTS1964–1965Porsche 904 Carrera GTS history: 106 four-cylinder cars built for 1964 homologation, Porsche's first fiberglass body, and the 240 hp 904/8 works racer.Porsche 906 Carrera 61966Porsche 906 Carrera 6 history: 65 built in 1966 for Group 4, a 210 PS 2.0 L flat-six, 580 kg, and an overall win at the 1966 Targa Florio.Porsche 9081968–1971Porsche 908 history: the 3.0 L flat-8 prototype of 1968–1971 that won the 1969 makes title, and the 545 kg 908/03 that won the 1970 Targa Florio.

Production-based racers and rally cars

Race and rally cars developed from the road-going 911.

Porsche 9351976–1981Porsche 935 history: the 911-based Group 5 racer homologated in 1976, the 845 hp 935/78 Moby Dick, the 1979 Le Mans win and the 77-unit 2018 935.Porsche 911 Safari1971–1978Porsche's 911s in Kenya's 5,000 km Safari Rally: 5th in 1971, 2nd in 1974 with a Carrera RS, and 2nd and 4th in 1978 with two 250 hp 911 SC Safaris.

Porsche Race Cars: From the 550 Spyder to the 963 FAQ

What was Porsche's first overall Le Mans win?

The 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, won by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood in the Porsche Salzburg 917 #23. A 917 won again in 1971, setting a distance record of 5,335 km.

Which Porsche race cars won Le Mans overall?

Of the cars covered here: the 917 (1970, 1971), the Kremer 935 K3 (1979), the 956 (1982–1985), the 962 C (1986, 1987) and the Dauer 962 LM (1994), the 911 GT1 '98 (1998) and the 919 Hybrid (2015–2017) — 14 overall wins in total.

Has a 911 ever won Le Mans outright?

A 911-based car has: the Kremer 935 K3 won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans overall. The 911 GT1 '98 that won in 1998 carried the 911 name but was a mid-engined, carbon-chassis car built by Porsche's racing department.

What is the most powerful Porsche race car?

The turbocharged 917/30 Can-Am spyder of 1973 is credited with about 1,200 hp. Among modern cars, the 919 Hybrid Evo lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 5:19.55 in 2018.

Can you buy a Porsche race car?

Historic race cars do change hands at public auction: a 1970 917K sold for $14,080,000 at Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach auction in August 2017, and an ex-works 1958 550 A Spyder for $5,170,000 at Bonhams Scottsdale in January 2018. Each model page lists the dated sales it cites.

More Porsche research

Sources

Every figure in the summaries above is cited on its model page, which lists its own numbered sources: Porsche Newsroom, Porsche Museum and Porsche Classic pages, official race results and dated auction records. Wikipedia is used only where no primary source was found and is labeled as a secondary reference.

Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.