One to Buy: ex-Geneva Motor Show / Le Mans class-winning 1975 Porsche 911 3.0 Turbo (930)
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Five months after the production-ready 911 Turbo (930) was unveiled at the 1974 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche displayed their new range-topping model at the ‘75 Geneva Salon which was widely considered the automotive industry’s most important event of the year.
Starring on the Porsche stand was a Grand Prix White 911 Turbo (chassis 9305700023) configured with Black leather / carpet and McLaughlin Tartan fabric inlays. Afterwards, the Turbo was delivered to its first owner, Max Klay, via the renowned Lausanne-based Porsche racing team run by Guido Haberthur.
At the time, Haberthur was preparing cars on behalf of Porsche Club Romand who had a pair of entries lodged for the 1975 Le Mans 24 Hours scheduled to take place over the weekend of June 14th-15th. When, the operation found itself a machine down shortly before the event, Klay generously agreed to lend his 911 Turbo.
Because at this stage insufficient 930s had been to qualify for the Group 4 class, chassis ‘0023’ was entered in the new IMSA GTX category for non-homologated Grand Touring Experimental vehicles.
In preparation, Garage Haberthur fitted the white 930 with an uprated turbo, free-flow exhaust, a supplementary engine oil cooler, BBS wheels, Michelin tyres, a long-distance 100-litre fuel tank, an RSR-style front apron complete with brake cooling ducts outboard of an intake for the aforementioned oil cooler, Cibie spot lights, fastening straps for the front and rear lids, a right-hand side Vitaloni mirror, night-time ID lights, a roll cage and racing seats.
Otherwise, chassis ‘0023’ was every inch a road car, even retaining its carpeted interior, audio system and rear seats.
Ahead of the race, chassis ‘0023’ qualified 44th out of the 55 starters. Then, in the experienced hands of Claude Haldi, Peter Zbinden and Bernard Beguin, the lightly modified Porsche banged round for 24 hours, its only weakness having been a propensity to eat brakes discs.
After covering nearly 4000km, chassis ‘0023’ crossed the line in a remarkable 15th position overall. It also won the GTX category, becoming the first turbocharged Porsche to bag a class victory at Le Mans.
Afterwards, the car returned to Switzerland and in 1976 was sold to Walter Pauli who retained it for the next 41 years.
Today, chassis ‘0023’ is being offered on the open market for the first time in its life by Duncan Hamilton ROFGO in Micheldever, Hampshire. The matching numbers car retains almost every single part from the 1975 Le Mans 24 Hours along with the original front seats.
