Porsche Turbo: The Inside Story of Sttutgart’s Turbocharged Road and Race Cars

259 Pages·2015·65.5 MB·English

by  Randy Leffingwell

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First published in 2015 by Motorbooks, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.,
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA
© 2015 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Text © 2015 Randy Leffingwell
All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purposes of review,
no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are
made without any guarantee on the part of the author or Publisher, who also disclaims any liability incurred
in connection with the use of this data or specific details.
This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by Porsche AG.
We recognize, further, that some words, model names, and designations mentioned herein are the property
of the trademark holder. We use them for identification purposes only. This is not an official publication.
Motorbooks titles are also available at discounts in bulk quantity for industrial or sales-promotional use.
For details write to Special Sales Manager at Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North,
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To find out more about our books, visit us online at www.motorbooks.com.
ISBN: 978-0-7603-4758-4
Digital edition: 978-1-62788-792-2
Hardcover edition: 978-0-76034-758-4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015935557
Senior Editor: Darwin Holmstrom
Project Manager: Madeleine Vasaly
Art Director: Cindy Samargia Laun
Cover Design: Kent Jensen
Book Design and Layout: Simon Larkin
On the front cover: The Typ 930 Turbo. Porsche Archive
On the back cover: Edgar Dören drove this 934/5 during the May 1, 1977, ADAC Eifelrennen at Nürburgring.
Porsche Archive
On the frontis: In the racing shop, engineers and body assemblers began test fitting components to a
full-scale wood model in late 1985. Porsche Archive
Printed in China
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PORSCHE
TURBO
THE INSIDE STORY OF STUTTGART’S
TURBOCHARGED ROAD AND RACE CARS
RANDY LEFFINGWELL
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PAGE 6
Chapter One
THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
PAGE 8
Chapter Two
WHAT IS TURBOCHARGING AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
PAGE 28
Chapter Three
FROM HOMOLOGATION SPECIAL TO KEY COMPONENT
PAGE 32
Chapter Four
FROM HOMOLOGATION SPECIAL TO FLEET FLAGSHIP
PAGE 46
Chapter Five
PARALLEL UNIVERSES: RACING TURBOS IN 1975 AND 1976
PAGE 60
Chapter Six
BODIES IN ORBIT: AROUND RACING CIRCUITS, 1977 TO 1981
PAGE 76
Chapter Seven
INNOVATION AND EVOLUTION: LATE 1970s TO MID-1980s
PAGE 92
Chapter Eight
NEW REGULATIONS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES
PAGE 106
Chapter Nine
OTHER OPTIONS, OPEN WHEELS
PAGE 122
Chapter Ten
ROAD-GOING INNOVATION: THE LATE 1970s TO LATE 1980s
PAGE 132
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Chapter Eleven
TAKING THE LONG LINE TO SOME INTERESTING CONCLUSIONS
PAGE 146
Chapter Twelve
TURBOS FOR EVERYONE: THE 1990s
PAGE 156
Chapter Thirteen
RACING IN THE 1990s
PAGE 170
Chapter Fourteen
PORSCHES BY ANOTHER NAME
PAGE 182
Chapter Fifteen
TURBOS ON AND OFF-ROAD: THE 2000s
PAGE 188
Chapter Sixteen
INCREASING COMPLEXITY, IMPROVING PERFORMANCE
PAGE 202
Chapter Seventeen
WHEN ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY BECOMES A PRODUCT NAME
PAGE 218
Chapter Eighteen
SPINNING OFF BOOST FOR VOLTAGE
PAGE 230
Chapter Nineteen
REDEFINING A CLASSIC
PAGE 240
INDEX
PAGE 252
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Several individuals took an early and enthusiastic interest in this project
and their help and encouragement contributed enormously to what this
book has become. I am most especially grateful to Doktor-Ingenieur
Erhard Mössle, General Manager Product Line 911 Turbo/Carrera 4/
Targa 4; Diplom-Ingenieur Thomas Krickelberg, Director Powertrain
Product Line 911; Grant Larson, STYLE Porsche; and to Dieter
Landenberger, Manager Historical Archive.
Because of Weissach’s well-justified pride in their turbocharging
accomplishments, a significant population of Porsche engineers and
designers opened their office, studio, or home doors to me and patiently
answered every question. I wish to express deep gratitude to: August
Achleitner, Herbert Ampferer, Jürgen Barth, the late Helmuth Bott,
Wolfgang Dürheimer, Peter Falk, Helmut Flegl, the late Ernst Fuhrmann,
Tony Hatter, Wolfgang Hatz, Hans-Jörg Hermann, Matthias Hofstetter,
the late Jo Hoppen, Bernd Kahnau, Eugen Kolb, Matthias Kulla, Roland
Kussmaul, Harm Lagaaij, the late Anatole Lapine, Horst Marchart,
Michael Mauer, Hans Mezger, Ulrich Morbitzer, Stephen Murkett, Peter
Reisinger, Valentin Schäffer, Peter Schutz, Harald Schwer, Norbert Singer,
the late Dick Soderberg, Rolf Sprenger, Martin Stöfka, Johann-Georg
Ulrich, Peter Varga, Thomas Wasserbäch, Christian Will, Hans-Jürgen
Wöhler, and Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert.
A number of racers and those associated with racing also willingly
recounted adventures and successes with Porsche’s turbocharged
competition cars. I want to thank: Jack Atkinson, Derek Bell, Tony Dron,
Teo Fabi, George Follmer, the late Paul Frère, Hurley Haywood, Jacky
Ickx, the late Vasek Polak, and Walter Röhrl.
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As ever, it is impossible to do these kinds of histories without
extraordinary cooperation from Porsche’s Historical Archives. My
thanks go to: Jens Torner, Dieter Gross, Yvonne Knotek, Tobias Mauler,
and Maike Scheufele.
In addition, Porsche’s Press Department, which for 25 years now,
has been very supportive of my projects, was especially generous and
helpful for this book. Among other things, they organized the intricate
coordination of two dozen interviews over four weeks of work in Germany.
I particularly want to thank: Thomas Becki, Elena Marciniak, and Hermann-
Josef Stappen, as well as Eckard Eybl, Nicole Lay, and Tim Bravo.
I owe particular thanks to Andrew Cotton for his invaluable
contribution to this book. For many years Porsche Motor Sport has trusted
him with great access, and from his wisdom and experience, he authored
Chapter Eighteen on Porsche’s Typ 919 LMP1 hybrid/turbocharged
prototype race car.
Once again I wish to thank Gill Campbell, CEO and General Manager;
Barry Toepke, VP, Communications & Historic Racing; and Johanna
Koch, Public Relations and Digital Media Manager, at Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca, for their continuing support of my book activities. Access is
everything, and they have trusted me with everything.
Last but not least, I’m grateful to Dave Engelmann, Warner Hall, and Pete
Stout, who answered my questions, asked me others, and who read the words,
expressed their opinions, discussed the ideas, and suggested alternatives.
Randy Leffingwell
Santa Barbara
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Chapter One
THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
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