1977 Porsche 934/5

Developed during the mid-1970s under Wolfgang Berger and Norbert Singer, Porsche’s 934 was the raucous FIA-homologated Group 4 racing version of the turbocharged 930 road car. Given the importance of racing success in America to sales, the 934 prototype was submitted for inspection by IMSA’s John Bishop for inclusion into the Camel GT series in late 1975. Fearing the 934 would dominate, much as the 917/30 did in Can-Am, Bishop rejected the 934 in 1976; however, the SCCA welcomed it in Trans Am. Almost immediately, the 934 was virtually invincible, winning the 1976 European GT Championship and the 1976 and 1977 SCCA Trans Am titles. The 934 was finally approved by IMSA for 1977, including such upgrades as even wider wheel arches, a wide 935-style rear wing, and mechanical fuel injection. Alternatively called the 934/5 or 934 1/2, the updated 934 was produced in a 10-car batch in 1977. This car, numbered 930 770 0956, was the sole example sold new to Europe, and it exhibits several special features, making it a true “one-off.”

Exceptionally well documented and raced many times in Europe, 0956 carries rigorously researched history, including the work of former Le Mans champion Jürgen Barth. The car’s history is also documented by John Starkey in his book 930 to 935: The Turbo Porsches. Unlike the other nine 934/5 cars built, 0956 was fitted with Group 4 bodywork plus the more-powerful 600 hp engine with mechanical fuel injection, a special 930/51 transaxle, and 935-type oil pump and cooler. Additionally, 0956 was the last Group 4-bodied Porsche 934 built.

The Porsche was initially ordered new by Italian industrialist and sports car racer Martino Finotto, but he elected to purchase a 935 instead. It was first purchased by Ciro Nappi, also of Italy, who entered it in the 1977 Giro d’Italia Automobilistico but retired from the race due to a family issue. Next, the 934/5 was purchased by Dino Male, who competed under his first name and achieved two victories with the car in the Italian Group 4 Championship. In 1978, 0956 was with Carlo Noce of Modena, and campaigned under his Sportwagen of Sassuolo banner at the Mugello 6 Hours. During January 1979, the 934/5 was sold to Germany and Jürgen Lässig from Tuttlingen, who had been racing for several seasons in the German Championship (DRM) with the Max Moritz team based in Reutlingen. Lässig drove 0956 at many events during the 1979 racing season, earning six podiums, including consecutive Group 4 class wins at the Salzburgring DRM and Nürburgring ADAC 1000 races.

Following the end of the 1979 season, 0956 was rebuilt by Porsche and then sold to Bruce Spicer of Spicer Porsche in Melbourne, Australia. There, it was driven by John Latham for the 1980 and 1981 seasons. After nearly winning the 1980 Australian Sports Car Championship, Latham and 0956 took the title in 1981. Rule changes rendered 0956 ineligible for the next season, and it was sold in 1982, passing from fellow Aussie Jeff Dutton to Peter McNamara. Alan Hamilton Porsche made modifications to the car, including right-hand drive conversion by Dutton and Caress Panels, so that Mr. McNamara could use it as a thrilling road car. The 934/5 then passed from D. Goseny in 1984 to Ian Kenny, who had a full restoration completed in 1995, after which the Porsche was displayed at concours events.

Following acquisition by its previous owner, 0956 was restored in 2014 and 2015, converted back to left-hand drive, and refinished in its 1979 DRM silver, blue, and red “BOSS” livery as raced by Lässig. When the work was finished, 0956 was rolled out at the 2015 Spa Classic at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. In 2017, 0956 was acquired by the consignor, and it has since been domiciled within his extensive collection of significant sports and racing cars.

As offered, 0956 is accompanied by its 2015-issued FIA Historical Technical Passport document, and a wealth of materials including manuals, correspondence, book excerpts covering the car, restoration records and photographs, and a 158-page historical document including many photographs of the car in action. A thrilling find for committed Porsche collectors, this singular 934/5 stands as a top-quality example of Porsche’s unwavering commitment to excellence and racing success.