Porsche’s celebrations at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard will be tremendous, as the marque looks back on both 75 years as a sportscar maker and 60 years of the 911.
The big one? A world dynamic debut for what might yet be remembered as one of the all-time great Porsches and, subsequently, all-time great sportscars, the new 718 Spyder RS. Joining it from quite literally the other end of the marque’s history, 356 Number One, otherwise known as the Porsche that started it all. So clear is the family link, even 75 years apart.
Porsche Le Mans legends coming to 2023 Festival of Speed
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In between these beginning and bookend points of Porsche history to date, the marque will be bringing along a whole host of incredibly significant cars from its past and its present, while also giving us a look into the future, to demonstrate and to be displayed, in support of the festivities.
Joining for the Le Mans 100th anniversary celebrations, three outright winners will run among a number of highly successful racers from the history of the marque at the enduro. From the 936/81 of Jacky Ickx and Derrick Bell, to the 911 GT1/98 of Alan McNish, Laurent Aiello and Stéphane Ortelli, to the Porsche 919 of 2017, which was driven to victory by Earl Bamber, Timo Bernard and Brendon Hartley.
The 718 W-RS Spyder that won the 1961 2.0-litre class will join alongside the Group 5 class-winning Martini 935 of 1976, and the 911 RSR ‘Sau’ or ‘Pink Pig’ that won GTE-Pro class in 2018. Porsche of course is the winningest marque at Le Mans, with 20 outright victories under its belt, claiming victory for no less than a fifth of the race’s 100-year history.
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In the Porsche celebration parade, some incredible pieces of the marque’s history will be turning a wheel, including the first ever 356 that first hit the road just over 75 years ago. It will lead a group of cars including the experimental 928 ‘Trigema’ and the Transsyberia Cayenne. From the road comes an example of Porsche’s original supercar, the 959, as well as a 993 Turbo S and the millionth 911 built.
In terms of Porsche’s road cars, Festival of Speed attendees will see the latest and greatest from Stuttgart and Weissach, including the new 911 GT3 RS and of course the new Boxster Spyder RS that, as above, is getting its global dynamic debut. The new 911 Dakar and the Cayman GT4 RS featuring the Manthey Racing kit will be joining them too. Of course, driving all of these Porsche road and racing cars will be a selection of talented folks, with some famous faces taking to the racers Porsche has yet to announce.
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