The famous Porsche 910 race car that Niki Lauda previously drove is currently on sale.
The reputation of legendary F1 driver Niki Lauda is inseparably linked to some immediately recognizable grand prix cars: the Ferrari 312T, the McLaren MP4/2, and the Brabham BT46B fan car while sporting the iconic red crash helmet.
While Lauda picked up his competitive experience in a variety of racing cars before his days of glory in the Formula One World Championship, including an Opel Rekord and a BMW 1602, his most famous car was one that had a profound impact on Porsche’s history.
The Porsche 910 prototype, driven by Lauda in an uncommon appearance at the 1969 Österreichring 1000km, served as an inspiration for the all-conquering 917 and 956/962s. This 1966 model, which is at the center of an upcoming auction, is being sold for $2.2m (£1.7m).
With its fuel-injected, 220 bhp flat-six engine and 13-inch F1-style wheels, the Porsche 910-001 was able to achieve a top speed of approximately 170 mph. Additional contributing factors included its lightweight fiberglass bodywork, which was bonded to the chassis, titanium uprights, and beryllium brake discs.
When Lauda made his 1969 appearance, he was simply a junior driver with dreams of moving up to the F1 ranks. The Austrian managed to help the Bosch Racing Team car secure ninth place in its Group 4 class out of 21 entries in the final 1969 round of what is now the WEC, after taking over from owner-driver Otto Stuppacher’s first stint.
Lauda only enjoyed a brief career in sports cars, making one more outing at the Norisring in a 908/2 in 1970. However, notable victories at the 1967 Targa Florio by Paul Hawkins and Rolf Stommelen, as well as the Nürburgring Six Hours by Udo Schutz and Joe Buzzetta, validated the 910’s heritage, especially its light-weight handling nature.
Porsche wanted more even though the victories were remarkable. The following season, they won Daytona with a 907H, which was driven by Elford, Neerpasch, Stommelen, Siffert, and Hermann, who had also won Sebring the year before.
The first of 28 Porsche 910s produced served as a reliable sports car for many years. Originally designed to run in hillclimb events, Hermann raced 001 to third place in the 1966 Sierra-Montana-Crans meeting before Rudi Lins acquired it and ultimately the 001 participated in 250 races.
The Porsche 910 001 was meticulously restored to its original specifications when it was manufactured in 1966 before being purchased by a private collector in 1994.
The car’s US seller, Motor Classic & Competition Corp.’s Nick Soprano explains its significance.
“The car is so lightweight, nimble – entering over 250 races, it really was a working race car,” he says. “It was a key part of the brand’s journey to producing its legendary Le Mans winning machines.”
