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Porsche 356 SL Coupé
Porsche 356 SL Coupé
Jahr/Year 1951
Motor/Engine 4 Zyl./Cyl. Boxer/Flat
Hubraum/Displacement 1.086 ccm
Leistung/Power 46 PS/hp (34 kW)
Gewicht/Weight 640 kg
Vmax 160 km/h/kph

Right from the outset, motor racing was an important factor in the success of the Porsche marque. Aside from the possibility of testing and subsequently perfecting the technology of the sports cars under tough racing conditions, motor sport proved to be the ideal stage to showcase the sporting qualities of Porsche sports cars in front of insiders and fans. It didn’t take long for enthusiastic press reports to appear and the Porsche 356 became the secret weapon amongst race drivers. The small German sports car manufacturer attracted attention around the world when, in 1951, the French importer Auguste Veuillet and his compatriot Edmond Mouche won the hotly-contested 1.1-litre class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a works-entered 356 SL. Porsche was the first automobile manufacturer after the war to compete at Le Mans. The 356 SL lived up to its name: The SL designation means “Super Light” and indicates the aerodynamically-optimised aluminium body with covered wheels. The fuel tank under the front hood was increased to 78 litres, making fewer pit stops necessary for the 356 SL. Driving the “aluminium can”, as the mechanics lovingly called the race car, was a 46 hp performance-enhanced four-cylinder flat engine. With this, the streamlined Coupé reached a top speed of 160 km/h, which was enough for the Veuillet/Mouche team to average 118.36 km/h, cover 2,840.65 kilometres, and set the class record.

Mission 2014. Our Return.
Countdown to 2014
It was the news that motorsport fans around the world had been waiting for: Porsche returns to contest the Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2014 with a newly-developed LMP1 sports prototype. The goal is clear: to bring home the 17th overall victory from the most famous endurance race in the world. more ...
Observations from Le Mans
Historical posters
The Circuit de la Sarthe 1951 to 2013
Video
Porsche in Le Mans (Trailer 1:44)
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