In 1976, Porsche delivered the 935 to the world, a car that would enthrall its drivers, fans, and competitors for years to come. The factory turbocharged, race-ready 911 did not just solidify Porsche’s race car engineering prowess, but brought Stuttgart the overall win at the 1979 24hrs of Le Mans, as well as another 123 race wins. Suffice it to say, the 935-mantle was, and is, a badass – one that’s ripe to be reimagined using the best of Porsche’s latest technology. Meet the new Porsche 935 Clubsport.
Built around Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS, the new 935 Clubsport is a twin-turbocharged, 700 horsepower racer meant to not just thrill drivers, but to humiliate race tracks across the globe. Unlike its predecessor, however, the 935 Clubsport retains the road car’s dual-clutch automatic transmission, though the gears themselves have been strengthened for the heavy track use the car is intended for. The car’s shifters, though, are behind the hand grips of the race-ready steering wheel built of carbon fiber and leather, and features the sort of racing buttonry you’d expect from Porsche’s GT-Class racers.
Keeping the driver safe is a full, race-spec roll-cage with integrated 6-point racing harnesses, an FIA-approved seat, a fire suppression system, and a removable roof escape hatch for those times the doors aren’t available for egress. Adding to its racing credentials, the 935 Clubsport also has racing air jacks that can pop the car up, and slam it back down, for when you need to pit, change tires, refuel, and get back out onto the track quickly.
As for the exterior of the car, well, just look at this magnificent machine. Styled to resemble the original car, the 935 Clubsport is a wolf sans all sheep’s clothing. It’s not for the street or your local autocross. This is a track weapon. Most of the exterior is comprised of a “weight-optimized” aluminum-steel construction. There’s also a number of panels built of a carbon-kevlar weave to help drop the 935 Clubsport’s overall weight to just 1,380 kg — that’s 3,036 lbs to us Americans.
You’d imagine that with that list of race-ready componentry the 935 Clubsport would be indeed “ready” to race at the next 24hrs of Le Mans. You’d, however, be wrong. The 935 Clubsport is a track toy and as such, not homologated for any race series in the world. It’s a rich person’s plaything. A plaything with 700 hp and a cage, but a plaything nonetheless.
However, you likely won’t ever see one because Porsche is only be building 77 935 Clubsports, each coming with a sticker that reads near $1 million. But to put that in context, the original 935 that won the 24hrs of Le Mans, and also piloted by Paul Newman, sold not too long ago for $4.4 million. So, a cool $1 million doesn’t seem all that unreasonable. And though it may not have the racing pedigree of the original, we cannot deny the new 935 Clubsport is a car we’d very much like to wallop in France, California, or Florida on each’s most famous race tracks.
Not quite enough Porsche news for you? Learn about the brand’s newest 911 in all its open-top glory.
