What can we say about the Porsche 917 that hasn’t been said a thousand times before?  A world beating icon and work of genius pretty much sums up the 917 and, for sheer performance and style, it remains as awesome a car today as it was in the 1970s.

This car is made in the same way as the original, though modern materials and computers have improved matters. The 917 had a ferocious reputation as a dangerous car. In some formats it ran with over one thousand horsepower (1300 at their peak). To keep weight to a minimum the chassis was made from aluminium tubes. These tubes were not strong, but when welded together in a certain way they were able to cope with the strains placed upon them. That’s clever engineering; however they were not designed to withstand a crash.

Our recreated Porsche uses the same excellent chassis layout but replaces aluminium with steel tubes. These can be chrome-moly if requested. The extra weight is more than compensated for by the lighter engine. It’s a much safer car now, though still capable of housing a hugely powerful motor.

A stiffer chassis also allows the car to use stiffer springs. This in turn lets the car run closer to the ground which enhances handling. Ultimately, this is a better and safer set up.

The motor is taken from the Porsche range of flat 6 cylinder engines, depending on performance requirements. Typically a 550bhp motor will provide adequate performance – it’s a lot of power in a light car and it’s more power to weight than, say, a McLaren F1 road car.