Some Porsche race cars are considered more special than others, however, this one might be the be-all-end-all. This is the one-off 1969 Porsche 917 16-Cylinder prototype (chassis no. 027) designed by none other than Austrian buisness magnate & former Chairman of the Volkswagen group, Ferdinand Piëch. The 917 16-Cylinder prototype came to fruition due to ultimately taking a loss in 1969 during the Mclaren-dominated ‘Can-Am’ racing series. The McLaren M8B’s were powered by hefty 7.0L V8 Chevrolet engines that produced about 635bhp. In contrast, the Flat-12 used in the 917 race cars at the time displaced just 4.5L and produced only 580bhp. Porsche ultimately had three options in order to compete: add more cylinders, add turbochargers, or add displacement. In order to get things right, Porsche would sit out the entire 1970 Can-Am season to ensure they will be able to compete for the next go-around. A possible solution to their power needs came to life as a Flat-16 engine. Adding a 16-cylinder engine to the 917 led to poor handling, more un-needed weight, and overall, the 16-cylinder idea was scrapped, in order to pursue the turbocharged route instead. By making the decision to switch to a Turbocharged 5.0L flat-12, Porsche was able to crank out 950bhp and that engine helped George Fillmore to win the 1972 championship. The later versions of Turbocharged Porsche race cars went on to be some of the most powerful race cars of all time. Only four 16-Cylinder engines were produced by Porsche, and only one of those engines was fitted into a chassis, this car, chassis no. 027.
How many made? Four total 16-Cyl engines were produced, with only one of those engines being fitted to an actual car, making this 917 a 1 of 1 of its kind.
Engine: Prototype Flat-16 engine with displacement ranging from 6.0-7.2L with a maximum horsepower potential of 808hp.
Debut: The car never officially raced, therefore there was no official race debut for this car.
Top Speed: n/a
0-60mph: Unknown
Photo Credit: @lensflair33 @photomechanik
Research: @rarecarsonly