Yet Elford had not only seen something in its “gentleman’s luxury tourer” that Porsche – despite Günther Klass’s Group 3 European rally title – had not, but also he was prepared to back his hunch: his Tour of Corsica of November 1966 was to be undertaken with a standard 911 cajoled from comps boss Huschke von Hanstein plus a spartan service van crewed by a couple of mechanics – and entirely at his own financial risk.
Elford finished this 24-hour ‘Rally of 10,000 Corners’ in third place and entirely convinced of 911’s fundamental suitability and untapped potential. In his educated, sympathetic hands this reputed “oversteering monster” was blessed with godsend adaptability and manoeuvrability.
“Basically it was an understeerer,” he says in contradiction of the canon. “What people were doing wrong is what most people do wrong, most of the time, in any car: turn into a corner and lift off.
“I started in Corsica with the idea that, ‘I know nothing about this car. Let’s see what happens.’ So I was driving very smoothly, quietly and cautiously, getting quicker and quicker, and in so doing discovered that it’s a pure understeering car.
“If you start to turn the wheel, then lift off, you put more weight on the front wheels, which are already turned, while taking weight off the back. And at that point, yeah, 911’s going to oversteer. Like a pig.