Porsche 977 bodyshell
A new Porsche 911 is always fascinating because it’s interesting to see how after more than 40 years of development the Porsche team still manages to bring changes and improvements to this icon model.
The new 997 bodyshell combines the sleek modern looks of the 996 series with the popular retro styling cues from older 911s. The front end is completed with round lights and separate parking/fog/indicator lights. This change, combined with wider hips echoes the last of the air-cooled 911s, the 993. Other changes in the bodyshell are the new door handles, wing mirrors and the stylish cut of the rear wings into the bumper/lights.
Even if the 997 looks a lot like the previous model, the 996, the new car is actually 38mm wider which creates a more aggressive appearance. With each new model introduced, Porsche has aimed to reduce the drag co-efficient helping the 911 slide through the air more effectively, and so aiding performance. The same thing has been done with the new car, and if we compare the 993 Cd of 0.34 to the 997`s 0.28 we can see how far the aerodynamic game has moved on. The latest body shell and rear wing combine with new underbody paneling to also offer increased levels of down force for this latest evolution of Porsche's finest.
Porsche and Formula One
When Porsche entered into races, Porsche astonished the world with its performances. But participation in Formula One races brought mixed results. In the 1961-1962 season, Porsche participated as a constructor but produced just one win in a championship race, claimed by Dan Gurney at the 1962 French Grand Prix. In a non-championship race, one week later Stuttgart's Solitude it repeated the success. At the end of the season, Porsche retired from F1 due to the high costs.
In 1983, Porsche returned to Formula One, supplying engines badged as TAG units for the McLaren Team. It was a success as the Porsche-powered cars won two constructor championships in 1984 and 1985 and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986.
Less than ten years later, in 1991, Porsche returned as a engine supplier, but this time the results were disastrous: Footwork, the Porsche-powered cars, didn’t score a single point and at over half of the races it even failed to qualify. Since that year, Porsche has not participated to Formula One.
Still, lightly-modified Porsches participate in many competitions around the world, mostly in amateur classes for enthusiasts. The only professional category is the Porsche Michelin Supercup raced as a support category for European Formula One rounds.