SPARK-MODEL - PORSCHE - 911T 1991cc COUPE TEAM LAURENT N 44 24h LE MANS 1969 CLAUDE LAURENT - JACQUES MARCHE

Replacing an excellent car like the Porsche 356 was not easy. Yet Porsche had to deal with this problem in the early 1960s. The first prototypes of a new model were designed by Alexander Porsche, called "Butzi", son of Ferdinand Anton Porsche and nephew of Ferdinand Porsche, creator of the racing Auto Unions and Volkswagen. The new Porsche gradually defined itself. From an initial almost three-volume project, they moved on to a real coupe, with the front partly similar to the 356’s and the cockpit with a characteristic segment profile. The 901 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, an original 2 + 2 coupé, innovative but at the same time anchored to the Porsche’s spirit. All that was missing was the definitive name. Peugeot protested that the three-digit car sigles with the zero in the middle were for the exclusive use their road cars. Porsche then changed the code, from 901 to 911. A myth of the history of the car had already been born. Initially proposed with a single 2000 engine with 130 horsepower, the 911 experienced a rapid evolution. The sportiest version 911S arrived in 1966, the year in which the 911 had made its debut at Le Mans winning the up to 2500cc class of the GT category. In September 1967 a second 911 series was presented, called Series A. The range was extended to different powers, but all cars remained with the 2000 engine: they ranged from T (110 bhp) to L (130 bhp) up to S 160. The 210 horsepower R had also arrived but that was more of a racing car. Electronic injection was introduced in 1968 with the 911 E, whose engine developed 140 horsepower. The 1969 C series was that of the first displacement increase, from 2.0 to 2.2 liters. The 1969 range included the 911 T, the 911 E injection and the 911 S. Meanwhile, with the 1968 B Series the wheelbase had been extended by 57 mm, and the Targa configuration was already available since 1965, an original solution to halfway between the coupé and the convertible, named in honor of the Targa Florio, a race in which Porsche had already achieved important wins. At the end of the sixties, the competition and experimental versions multiplied (just think of the very special and rare 911 ST with a 2.4 and then 2.5 liter engine), and from 1971 the E series saw another shot of displacement, from 2 ,2 to 2.4 liters. In 1972, what is considered the first part of the history of the 911 comes to an end: in October the 2700cc Carrera RS was presented and in 1973 the range was completely revised with the introduction of the G Series and 2.7-liter engines.

The Porsche 911T saw massive use in competitions, both in rallies and on the track. Numerous private teams used this car even after the arrival of the more advanced and more powerful versions of the competition-type 911S. At the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans, 911T number 44 was entered by Claude Laurent and driven by Laurent himself with Jacques Marché. The French crew finished the race in 13th place overall, 3rd in the GT 2000 class. The class victory went to another Porsche, the 911S of Gaban/Deprez.