Porsche is Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 917 Race Car

In 2019, Porsche is proud to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of its iconic 917 racing car. To celebrate, the German automaker has announced that it will place a number of 917s on display at the brand’s Stuttgart, Germany based museum later this year.

Among the 11 model 917s set to be on display, it’s the red and white modern 917 concept which drew the most attention when it was first shown to the general public last month at the 2019 Geneva Auto Show.

The modern 917 concept car takes its aesthetic cues from the original 1969 race model and features the same bright red paint job with white stripes Salzburg livery and the number 23.

The car features a wedge like nose reminiscent of other modern Porsches with absolutely massive fenders and wrap around windshield. Porsche has recreated certain elements like the rectangular headlamp design and the design of the side skirt and front air intakes.

The additional 10 model 917s Porsche is set to show at its museum will be joined by a variety of vintage race posters as well as technical displays highlighting the key technologies behind the 917s race success of yesteryear.

Among the other original model 917s set to be on display is the first ever version of the car which was restored with as many original parts as possible.

The original racing model also made its worldwide debut in Geneva, Switzerland in 1969, the Porsche 917 would go on to win the 1970 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s longest running endurance racing event. The 917 was also extremely successful in the North American CanAM race series’.

At the time of that 1970 Le Mans victory, the Porsche Motorsports team was not internationally renowned and this victory was a key moment in the growth of the brand’s prominence on the world stage.