600+bhp and 500kg... Martini Porsche heads to Goodwood

Much like the appearance of the word ‘Gulf’ along with a Zenith Blue and Tangerine colour scheme on a racing Porsche, the word ‘Martini’ and its associated colours somehow manages to quicken the pulse somewhat, wouldn’t you say? If so, how about a Porsche which wore both Gulf and Martini colours in-period?

No doubt there is something in the fact that the two iconic liveries’ appearance on Porsches in competition coincided with a particularly rosy period for the Stuttgart firm, but the sight of Gulf or Martini colours seems to stir emotions that go beyond the mere association with winning cars.

A great case in point is this gorgeous Porsche 908/03 Turbo which Bonhams will sell at next month’s Goodwood Revival auction and which sported both liveries. When we learned that it would be offered in the same sale as those Chris Evans cars, we thought ‘great. Cool car’ But when the time came for us to see the main image you see here of the Porsche at Paul Ricard wearing its Martini colours, it rapidly shot up the list of Bonhams‘ cars we’d most like to take home with us. If you’ve seen the full list of lots to be sold, that’s saying something. 

The car itself started out as a quasi-works entry for the Targa Florio and Nurburgring 1000km races in 1970, co-driven respectively by Richard Attwood/Björn Waldegård and Pedro Rodriguez/Leo Kinnunen where it wore Gulf colours. In its early days it ran an atmospheric 3.0-litre motor but was later converted by Porsche to run the 2.1-litre version of the flat six with a pair of turbos nailed on to make a scary 600+bhp. Why scary? Well that would be because the car weighed in at around 500kg dry …

Its new motive force was complimented by revised bodywork and the Martini colours it wears today. The car was then campaigned with some success by a host of top sports car drivers and would be a shoo-in if the new owner fancied running it at the Le Mans Classique. 

Yes, we would love to drive it but alas we lack the £2,200,000 – 2,500,000 it’s estimated we would need on the day in order to make it ours. This is a shame. We will, however, make the very most of our now-customary sneak preview of Bonhams’ sale a day or two before the Revival kicks off and will be paying the 908/3 Turbo very special attention.