Porsche's Technological Innovations Part 8: School of Lightness and Simplicity

In school we are taught that in multiplication, reversing the order of the factors does not change the product. Wrong. In the 1960s, there were two brands that dominated in the enthusiasts' universe: Ferrari and Porsche. Both participated in racing and both produced genuine racing cars that won and highly successful road cars. Put like that, the rule of multiplication would seem to be confirmed. But it doesn't, for a reason that, when you think about it, is very clear: Ferrari built powerful engines and winning cars from which they derived the road models, which, of necessity, were very expensive and produced in rather limited numbers. In other words, exclusive, super-performing and expensive.
Porsche, for its part, thought and developed its racing cars from the inspirational concept of its road cars. We have seen the history of the 356 and the Carrera from which were born winning models with the flavour of the brand's road cars. The example above all, the 550 RS, apparently a sister of the road model but in reality an extreme sophistication of the same.

The first tests of the 718 RSK Spyder at the Nürburgring in 1957.

The reversal of factors created, from the outset, a diversity that for Porsche meant growing steadily in numbers with ever higher production that today means over 300,000 cars a year. Ferrari has remained true to exclusivity with just under 14,000. The two roads, however, are rewarding and the two brands have very significant profits.
What does this long introduction have to do with Porsche's small sports cars for uphill racing? A lot: in the 1950s and 1970s, passion for motor racing was widespread and buying a Porsche was not prohibitively expensive. Buying a winning car was therefore an ambition that, combined with racing success, became unparalleled. In Stuttgart, they did not miss the opportunity provided by the European Mountain Championship. The cars, for that kind of road, had to combine power, lightness and handling. Moreover, the 1958 regulations, the first year, limited the engine capacity to 1500 cc. It seemed like a gift to Porsche, which dominated both in its debut year and in '59, with the 718 RSK, heir and evolution of the multi-winner 550 equipped with a lighter, stiffer spaceframe chassis and new suspension. Wolfgang von Trips and Edgar Barth win the championship in 1958 and 1959.

Wolfgang von Trips, winner behind the wheel of the Porsche 718 RSK in 1958 at the Gaisberg Hillclimb in Austria.

The following year, the regulations changed to 2000 cc and the 718 was equipped with the 2-litre 4-cylinder boxer engine developed by Ernst Fuhrmann, which led to repeat victories in 1960 and 1961 with Swiss driver Heini Walter at the wheel.
The Porsche domination does not please Maranello and, albeit with a privately entered car, the Dino 196 SP driven by Ludovico Scarfiotti, Ferrari wins the 1962 title.
Porsche reacts quickly and in 1963 fields the 718/8 W-RS Spyder, a further evolution of the car that dominated the previous years: still 2 litres but the cylinders are doubled to 8 for 240 hp on a total weight of just over 600 kg. Edgar Barth dominated in both 1963 and 1964.

The Porsche 718/8 W-RS Spyder, equipped with an 8-cylinder boxer engine delivering 240 hp, with a total weight of only 600 kg.

A new reaction from Ferrari, which entered the Dino 206 SP in 1965, again with Scarfiotti, and again managed to break the German dominance, Porsche did not abandon its lightweight strategy and made real “bullets”. the 8-cylinder 904 Bergspyder, 908 and finally the 909 Bergspyder with extreme technical solutions such as beryllium brakes. The incredibly low weight: around 375kg. Porsche with Gerhard Mitter wins the Mountain Trophy three years in a row. Porsche's extreme technical approach provoked an equally extreme reaction from Ferrari, which in 1969 returned to win the title with a specially-built barchetta, the 212 E, built around the 12-cylinder Formula 1 engine increased to 2000 cc. The driver chosen was Swiss driver Peter Schetty.

This chronicle shows how the ambition of success was at the basis of a magnificent challenge between two brands that met in all formulas. In hillclimb races, from that year on, it will be the turn of Porsche customers to achieve success. At that point the goal was Le Mans.

The Porsche 909 Bergspyder weighed only 375kg thanks to futuristic technical solutions such as beryllium brakes.