After having withdrawn from Formula One at the end of 1962, Porsche decided to focus on sports car racing and develop a successor to the 718. The result of this decision was the 904, officially called the Carrera GTS. The race car debuted in 1963 and began its racing career in 1964. Porsche also produced a road-legal version in order to comply with homologation regulations of the era.
The 904 was one of the most innovative cars of its era. The body was built from fiberglass, after a decade of development and consultation with aircraft manufacturers, and bolted onto a stamped-steel chassis. The car tipped the scales at only 1,433 pounds and had tremendous aerodynamics, which allowed it to achieve top speeds that weren’t possible with earlier Porsche race cars.
The 904 was also the final significant application of the Fuhrmann-designed four-cylinder engine, which had a complex but very durable design and was used in no fewer than 34 Porsche models. The tiny racer became famous within a matter of months after its introduction, being entered in races and rallies all over the world. By the end of its career, the 904 had entered 1,300 races, achieving more than 300 class wins and 145 outright victories.
Five decades later, the 904 has become a highly sought-after collectible. Some models, like the factory race car shown above, are worth millions of dollars. Let’s have a closer look at the Porsche that marked the beginning of a series of racers that culminated in the mighty 917.
Continue reading to learn more about the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS.
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