Porsche racing history · 1982–1984
Porsche 956: Group C History, Specs & Le Mans Wins
By CarWhere Research · Updated
The Porsche 956 was Porsche's first Group C prototype and its first car with an aluminum monocoque and ground-effect underbody. Its 2.65-liter turbo flat-six made 620 hp. It won Le Mans four years running (1982–1985), took every World Sportscar Championship title from 1982 to 1984, and set a 6:11.13 Nordschleife lap in 1983.
In August 1981 the FIA announced Group C, a new prototype class for the World Sportscar Championship from 1982. Its rules focused mainly on fuel consumption: 100 liters on board, at least five stops, and no more than 600 liters for a 1,000 km race. Under project leader Norbert Singer, Porsche designed the 956 around a shaped underbody that sucked the car to the track. It was also Porsche's first race car with an aluminum (duralumin) monocoque. Jürgen Barth gave chassis 001 its first test drive at Weissach in March 1982.
The 956 won its first Le Mans, in 1982, with a 1-2-3 finish in race-number order. Customer teams got their own cars in 1983 and 1984. Porsche-powered cars took nine of the top ten places at Le Mans in 1983, and Joest won with a 956 in 1984 and 1985. In 1984, IMSA safety rules moved the front axle forward and turned the design into the 962. Stefan Bellof's 1983 lap of the Nordschleife in a 956 stood as the record for 35 years.
956 history, year by year
- 1981 — In August, the FIA announces the Group C prototype class for the World Sportscar Championship, starting in 1982.[1]
- 1982 — First test at Weissach in March, with Jürgen Barth driving chassis 001. At Le Mans, works 956s finish 1-2-3. Porsche wins the drivers' and manufacturers' titles.[1],[2]
- 1983 — Stefan Bellof laps the Nordschleife in 6:11.13 in qualifying for the Nürburgring 1000 km. 956s take nine of the top ten places at Le Mans, and customer cars arrive.[1],[3],[4]
- 1984 — A New-Man Joest 956 wins Le Mans, and Porsche again sweeps the World Sportscar Championship titles. An IMSA rule change leads to the longer-wheelbase 962. The PDK dual-clutch gearbox is first race-tested in a 956 at Imola.[1],[5],[6]
- 1985 — Joest wins Le Mans again with a 956, the model's fourth straight win there. Bellof dies on September 1 at Spa-Francorchamps.[3],[7]
- 2018 — Bellof's Nordschleife lap record falls to the 919 Hybrid Evo after 35 years and 31 days.[8]
Porsche 956 specs
| Engine | Turbocharged 6-cylinder boxer (flat-six) with progressive injection[1],[9] |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 2,649 cc (2.65 L)[9] |
| Power | 456 kW (620 hp)[1],[9] |
| Top speed | 360 km/h (Porsche Museum figure); 350 km/h measured on the Mulsanne Straight[1],[9] |
| Chassis | Duralumin (aluminum) monocoque, Porsche's first[1],[10] |
| Aerodynamics | Ground-effect underbody tunnels[1],[9] |
| Gearbox | Newly developed five-speed; PDK dual-clutch first race-tested in a 956 in 1984[1],[6] |
| Class | Group C (FIA World Sportscar / Endurance Championship)[1] |
| Years raced | 1982–1986 (a Joest 956 finished 3rd at Le Mans in 1986)[2],[11] |
956 race results and wins
| Year | Event | Result | Car / drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 1st overall (1-2-3 finish)[2],[12] | 956 #1 (chassis 956-002) — Jacky Ickx / Derek Bell |
| 1982 | FIA World Sportscar Championship | Drivers' and manufacturers' titles[1] | 956 |
| 1983 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 1st overall (956s 1st–8th and 10th)[4] | 956 #3 — Al Holbert / Hurley Haywood / Vern Schuppan |
| 1983 | Nürburgring 1000 km (qualifying) | Nordschleife lap record, 6:11.13[1],[3] | 956 (chassis 007) — Stefan Bellof |
| 1983 | FIA World Sportscar Championship | Drivers' and manufacturers' titles[1] | 956 |
| 1984 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 1st overall[5] | 956 #7 (New-Man Joest) — Henri Pescarolo / Klaus Ludwig |
| 1984 | FIA World Sportscar Championship | Drivers' and manufacturers' titles[1] | 956 |
| 1985 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 1st overall[7] | 956 #7 (New-Man Joest) — Klaus Ludwig / Paolo Barilla / John Winter |
What made the 956 significant
- It was unbeaten at Le Mans from 1982 to 1985, and its 962 successor won again in 1986 and 1987.[12]
- Porsche counts the 956/962 family as its most successful race car. Porsche's tally for the family includes seven Le Mans wins (counting the 1994 Dauer 962 LM), 43 WEC race wins, 52 IMSA race wins and five Daytona 24 Hours wins.[12]
- It was Porsche's first race car with an aluminum monocoque and ground-effect aerodynamics. Even at 620 PS, it was two seconds a lap quicker in testing than the 1,000 PS 917.[10],[13]
- Stefan Bellof's 6:11.13 was the first Nordschleife lap at an average above 200 km/h. It stood until the 919 Hybrid Evo's 5:19.55 in 2018.[3],[8]
- The 956 was the first race car to test the Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK), technology now offered across Porsche's road cars.[6],[10]
The 956 and Porsche's road cars
The Porsche 956 was built to race. For the road cars that share its engineering, history and factory records, start here:
Porsche 956 FAQ
How many times did the Porsche 956 win Le Mans?
Four times in a row: 1982 (Ickx/Bell), 1983 (Holbert/Haywood/Schuppan), 1984 (Pescarolo/Ludwig, Joest) and 1985 (Ludwig/Barilla/Winter, Joest). The works 956s finished 1-2-3 in 1982.
What engine did the Porsche 956 have?
It had a turbocharged 2,649 cc flat-six producing 456 kW (620 hp). Porsche quotes a top speed of 360 km/h, and about 350 km/h was measured on the Mulsanne Straight.
What was Stefan Bellof's Nürburgring lap time in the 956?
Bellof lapped the 20.832 km Nordschleife in 6:11.13 in qualifying for the 1983 Nürburgring 1000 km. It was the first lap there averaging over 200 km/h, and it stood until Timo Bernhard's 5:19.55 in the 919 Hybrid Evo in 2018.
What is the difference between the Porsche 956 and 962?
The 962 came from a 1984 IMSA rule change. Porsche moved the front axle forward 12 cm, which put the driver's feet behind the front axle for better protection. The 962 C has a wheelbase 120 mm longer than the 956.
Which titles did the 956 win?
Porsche won the drivers' and manufacturers' World Sportscar Championship titles in each of 1982, 1983 and 1984 with the 956.
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.
- How the Porsche 956 made racing history — Porsche Newsroom
- Winners & Records — 1982 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- Brothers forever — Porsche Newsroom
- Winners & Records — 1983 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- Winners & Records — 1984 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- The milestones and developments of Group C — Porsche Newsroom
- Winners & Records — 1985 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- 5:19.55 minutes – Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo takes record in the "Green Hell" — Porsche Newsroom
- Porsche 956 — Porsche Newsroom (Porsche Museum press kit)
- Porsche 962 C restored to its original condition down to the last detail — Porsche Newsroom USA
- JOEST RACING - Prize list & statistics — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- 40 years of Group C – a reunion in Leipzig — Porsche Newsroom
- The early days of Group C — Porsche Newsroom
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