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  Porsche 911 GT1 '98 Strassenversion      

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Country of origin:Germany
Produced in:1998
Numbers built:1
Internal name:9R1
Predecessor:Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:March 12, 2017
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Click here to download printer friendly versionPorsche jumped at the opportunity and the engineers threw all caution to the wind; they set out to develop the car that the first GT1 should have been. Lower and longer than its two predecessors, the 1998 evolution featured Porsche's very first full carbon fibre monocoque chassis. It was obviously lighter and stronger than the steel mix used in the previous versions, but also offered the opportunity to install a more advanced front suspension. The displacement of the six cylinder engine was increased very slightly and mated to a new sequential six speed gearbox. It was a major step forward, but the competition had not stopped working either and now Toyota had also entered GT racing.

In the FIA championship the restrictors again hampered the two Works Porsches, which were not able to keep up with the Mercedes-Benz CLK-LMs. At Le Mans it was now really up to the GT1 car as the TWR WSC95 was starting to show its age; not surprising since its initial design dated back to the early 1990s. In qualifying, a single Toyota and both CLK-LMs were faster than the Porsches, but in the race things finally turned in the GT1s favour again. Even though small problems required lengthy pit stops, both cars managed to finish on top and only one lap apart. The sixteenth Porsche win at Le Mans was a fitting gift as the company celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.

For 1999 a Naturally Aspirated V10-powered replacement was on the drawing board and one was most likely constructed before Porsche decided it was time to retire from racing and instead spend their resources on the development of the Cayenne Sports Utility Vehicle. That decision was a big blow for enthusiasts around the world, but the Cayenne's success made Porsche one of the most profitable manufacturers. A modified version of the V10 engine was later used in the all-carbon Carrera GT supercar. After 15 years of selling customer racing cars, Porsche re-established their works team fielding a GTE specification 911 in 2013 ahead of launching an all-out charge for outright victories with a bespoke LMP1 car.

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  Article Image gallery (3) Specifications