Porsche racing history · 1966
Porsche 906: Carrera 6 History, Specs & Wins
By CarWhere Research · Updated
The Porsche 906, sold as the Carrera 6, is a 1966 sports racing car. It uses a 2.0 L flat-six from the 911 family tuned to 210 PS, inside a fiberglass body that brings the car to about 580 kg. Porsche built 65, more than the 50 needed for Group 4. A 906 won the 1966 Targa Florio outright.
The 906 replaced the 904 for the 1966 season and moved Porsche from a road-registrable GT toward a purer racing car. Porsche announced it in January 1966 as the Carrera 6. The name refers to its six-cylinder engine, a racing version of the 2.0 L Type 901 flat-six developed for the 911. A light fiberglass body kept the weight near 580 kg.
Porsche needed 50 cars for Group 4 sports car homologation, which took effect in May 1966, and ended up building 65. Against bigger-engined cars, the 906 regularly won its class and sometimes won outright. The best result was the 1966 Targa Florio, where a privately entered car beat the field on Sicily's mountain roads. At Le Mans the same year, 906s finished fourth through seventh overall, a strong result for a 2.0 L car.
906 history, year by year
- 1966 — Porsche announces the 906 Carrera 6 in January, with a 2.0 L flat-six derived from the 911's Type 901 engine.[1]
- 1966 — The 906 finishes sixth overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona, winning its class. At Sebring, Hans Herrmann and Herbert Müller finish fourth overall and also win the class.[1]
- 1966 — Group 4 homologation takes effect in May, after Porsche passes the 50-car minimum.[1]
- 1966 — On 8 May, Willy Mairesse and Herbert Müller win the Targa Florio overall in a Scuderia Filipinetti 906.[1]
- 1966 — At Le Mans, 906s finish fourth to seventh overall.[1]
How many 906s were made?
| Model / variant | Years | Units | What the figure counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 906 Carrera 6 (all) | 1966 | 65[1] | Secondary-source figure. Group 4 required at least 50, and some sources give different totals. Porsche has not published a figure that we could verify. |
Road-car totals for every Porsche model: Porsche production numbers.
Porsche 906 Carrera 6 specs
| Sales name | Carrera 6[1],[2] |
|---|---|
| Engine | Type 901/20 air-cooled flat-six (911-derived)[1] |
| Displacement | 1,991 cc[1] |
| Power | 210 PS at 8,000 rpm[1] |
| Weight | About 580 kg[1] |
| Body | Fiberglass coupe body[1] |
| Top speed | About 280 km/h at Le Mans[1] |
| Homologation | Group 4 sports car, minimum 50 built, effective May 1966[1] |
906 race results and wins
| Year | Event | Result | Car / drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 24 Hours of Daytona | 6th overall, class win[1] | 906 — — |
| 1966 | 12 Hours of Sebring | 4th overall, class win[1] | 906 — Hans Herrmann / Herbert Müller |
| 1966 | Targa Florio | 1st overall[1] | 906, Scuderia Filipinetti — Willy Mairesse / Herbert Müller |
| 1966 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 4th–7th overall[1] | 906 (works prototypes and a Group 4 car) — — |
What made the 906 significant
- Porsche counts the 906 Carrera 6 among its five lightest models.[2]
- One 906 wore a livery of ZDF's "Mainzelmännchen" cartoon characters and was used by the German broadcaster to film races at the Hockenheimring.[2]
- Its 1966 Targa Florio win is one of the few outright wins of that era for a 2.0 L car over larger-engined rivals.[1]
The 906 and Porsche's road cars
The Porsche 906 Carrera 6 was built to race. For the road cars that share its engineering, history and factory records, start here:
Porsche 906 Carrera 6 FAQ
How many Porsche 906s were made?
Secondary sources put production at 65 cars, built in 1966. Group 4 homologation required at least 50. Porsche has not published a figure that we could verify.
What engine is in the Porsche 906 Carrera 6?
It uses the Type 901/20, a racing version of the 911's 2.0 L air-cooled flat-six. It displaces 1,991 cc and makes 210 PS at 8,000 rpm.
What did the Porsche 906 win?
Its biggest win was the 1966 Targa Florio, which Willy Mairesse and Herbert Müller won outright in a Scuderia Filipinetti car. The same year it won its class at Daytona and Sebring, and 906s took fourth to seventh overall at Le Mans.
How much does a Porsche 906 weigh?
About 580 kg, thanks to its fiberglass body. Porsche lists the 906 among its five lightest models.
Related Porsche race cars and specials
Porsche history, specs and production research
Sources
Dates, production counts, specifications and results on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.
- Porsche 906 — Wikipedia (secondary reference)
- Climbing hills the Porsche way — Porsche Newsroom
Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera and Speedster are trademarks of their owner.