Ferdinand Piech tribute with road-going Porsche 917 ...
Yesterday, long-time Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech passed away at the age of 82. A gifted engineer, he was the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche and worked for Porsche, Audi and then Volkswagen, where he helped expand the company to the size that it is today. Although very successful, he was also ruthless in his pursuit for success. One of the best examples of his singular mindset must be the Porsche 909 Bergspyder. Piech demanded it be as light as possible, so it was fitted with featherweight Beryllium disc brakes that produced carcinogenic dust and Piech reputedly went over the entire car with a magnet to ensure not a single steel nut, washer or bolt was used.
His biggest claim to fame during this spell at Porsche was undoubtedly the 917 that would finally bring the much desired Le Mans to the Stuttgart based company. As a tribute to Ferdinand Piech, we have today taken a look at one of the finest examples of the 917; chassis 917-030. This was one of the very last built and was loaned to the Martini team for Helmut Marko and Gerard Larousse at the Osterreichring in 1971. It was then sold to Count Rossi of Martini & Rossi fame. He had the car fitted with a complete interior and it was actually registered for road use during the late 1970s. Owned by the family for over four decades, the 917 K was recently sold to a French enthusiast for what was reported to be the highest price ever paid for a 917. This year, the new owner brought the car to Chantilly and Goodwood. On both occasions, the 50th anniversary of the 917 was celebrated.
Enjoy the links:
[url="https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/chassis/3156/Porsche-917-K-917-030.html"]1971 Porsche 917 K - Chassis 917-030 - Ultimatecarpage.com[/url]
[url="https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/552/Porsche-909-Bergspyder.html"]1968 Porsche 909 Bergspyder - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]
