Porsche Had This in the Works for a While
Porsche will show off the 917 concept car you see in the photo above at the exhibit celebrating 50 years since the original vehicle. The concept will join restored 917s at the Colours of Speed – 50 Years of the 917 exhibit in Germany. When Porsche first released the images of the car, the world was abuzz with what it could mean. Porsche assured everyone it had no intention of bringing back the 917, and that appears to still be true.
In fact, the concept is actually much older than we originally assumed. According to Motor Authority, Porsche began working on the concept in 2012. The car never officially left the clay model state, though an interior mock-up was made as well. Porsche’s styling, aerodynamics, and drivetrain teams all worked on the vehicle.
All this info came from Dave Engelman, Porsche spokesperson for Motorsports and Brand Heritage. Motor Authority got to sit down with him to discuss the car.
Engelman said there was a lot of virtual development work done. A powertrain and monocoque were designed. The specifics of those two developments were not released. The project officially ended in 2014. There were no plans to actually make the car or use it for the 50th anniversary of the 917. When the anniversary rolled around. Porsche realized it had a perfect time to showcase the work.
As interesting as the story is, we want Porsche to continue developing the model, and we’re likely not the only ones. The 917 concept is a sight to behold, and we’d love a legitimate racecar to come of it someday.
