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Featured: This Is The Privateer Porsche 928 That Raced At Le Mans

This Is The Privateer Porsche 928 That Raced At Le Mans

Michael Banovsky By Michael Banovsky
November 9, 2015
13 comments

In 1983, this Porsche 928S lined up dead last for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Running but unclassified, it finished some 238 laps behind the winner. At the race again in 1984, it finished again, in 22nd place. And no, it wasn’t as fast as the factory-supported or privateer Porsche 911s.

Frenchman Raymond Boutinaud was behind the idea, team, and entry that found the 928S classified as “Group B” car… In other words, it wasn’t going to be picking up a win, or even a class win.

So besides its great liveries, what’s so special about this car? For starters, it shows what might have been, had the 911 been replaced by the 928. As one of the few “modern” Porsches to not be extensively raced—or developed by the factory into a race car—it’s also a rare example of a privateer entry that was able to keep up with the world’s best machines by campaigning a largely “stock” car.

Sure, its outright pace couldn’t match the more developed 911s, but few other GTs in the early ’80s could have added a roll cage, stickers, and qualified for Le Mans. Would you have wanted to see more 928s hit the race track?

Image Sources: 24h-lemans.com, proboards.com, tumblr.com, flickr.com, seriouswheels.com, favcars.com

Tags Le Mans/ Porsche 928
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grahamsaulDale McConnellPorsche928s4JustinTony Anderton Recent comment authors
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grahamsaul
grahamsaul

Love this history. This is my 928GTS 5 speed race car

Anglesey April 2017 - BARC Races (2223).JPG
Anglesey April 2017 - BARC Races (2852).JPG
Anglesey April 2017 - BARC Races (4550).JPG
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1 year ago
Dale McConnell
Dale McConnell

I have been a 928 fan since I saw weird science as a little kid. The body is unique but very cool.

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3 years ago
Justin
Justin

What about the 928S that won the Willhire 24 hours at Snetterton in 1983?

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3 years ago
Tony Anderton
Tony Anderton

Taken at the time…sorry it’s “Grainy”, but was from an old colour negative

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3 years ago
Rob Edwards
Rob Edwards

When a 928 does undergo some development for the track, it ends up fairing reasonably well against privateer 911s. 🙂

[code type=”xml”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P29nHru4fvI[/code]

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4 years ago
braunwagen
braunwagen

Great to see Petrolicious shitting all over anything thats not a 911, as per usual..

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4 years ago
Michael Banovsky
Michael Banovsky

Hey, so, uh, what’s the polite way of saying you’re uninformed?

Source: Managing Editor of Petrolicious who grew up with only a 914 in the family

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4 years ago
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange

Learned something as I never knew a 928 ran at Le Mans. Would love a manual 928 S or S2 but trying to find one in the UK that’s in half decent condition or the vendor has unrealistic ideas about what it is worth is really tough.

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4 years ago
Porsche928s4
Porsche928s4

These cars are now at the point where you have to be committed to the cause to have a nice one. Either buy a project and build your own, or pay what it take have the best. I know, my wife want to get me committed because of this:)

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3 years ago
Justin Harp
Justin Harp

The 928S, S4 makes a great platform for a race car. There is no doubt about that. To add a bit to this article a 928S won the 24 Hours of Willhire in 1983. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willhire_24_Hour The 928 is really a robust and powerful car in any variation. They get a bad reputation from nonmechanically inclined people who can’t afford their expensive parts and maintenance bills. If you have deep pockets and can get the problems sorted out they really are a reliable car. One of the problems surely had to have been the synchronized transmissions in the early 80’s 928’s.… Read more »

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4 years ago
Robert Stone
Robert Stone

I own a 1986-1/2 Porsche 928, which I have been restoring with an expert of these cars, also a member of the 928 Club. I attended the “Frenzy” last year and saw some great looking cars. The great thing about the club and websites like Rennlist is you find guys who have designed and created new parts for these cars, which improve them further. Many of these cars are a steal now because as used cars they were neglected and the new owner will have to refurbish them. However, they are getting noticed so I’m not sure how long the… Read more »

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4 years ago
Jim Nance
Jim Nance

I love my 928S, I have a Jaguar XJS , (2) Alfa Romero spiders , I always go back to my Porsche 928S.

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4 years ago
geelongvic
geelongvic

The 928, Porsche’s “Daytona”, has been an unloved and underappreciated Porsche, far more capable than most believe, in time like the 914 its reputation will grow and will finally get the recognition that it deserves. Understand that the current generation of water cooled 911’s is virtually similar in size to the 928, a tacit validation of the concept and sizing of the 928 back to time of its introduction in 1978. Drive a 928 and be surprised at how modern and relevant it is now, let alone how advanced it was in the late 70’s .

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4 years ago