This is the 1970 Porsche 908/03 - The ICE 2025

During The ICE in St. Moritz I filmed this 1970 Porsche 908/03.

The Porsche 908-03 is a spider car built for maximum lightness, having won important races like the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring. Weight has always been a major challenge in racing car design, as less weight usually means better performance and handling. Among the cars built for lightness and maneuverability, the Porsche 908-03 stands out, used by Porsche in 1970 and 1971 to win on the most winding circuits, namely the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring.

The new car, the 908-03, is the third in the series after the long-tail coupe and the spider versions, but it only inherited the engine from the previous models. The chassis is entirely new, derived from the Porsche 909 Bergspyder, designed for hillclimbs. The 908-03 has an ultra-lightweight frame made of small-diameter aluminum tubes welded together in a dense lattice structure, a technology popular among German engineers. The cockpit is advanced, with the driver's legs hanging off the front axle, and the front tubular structure reinforced with fiberglass sheets.
The advanced driving position was necessary to accommodate the five-speed gearbox, positioned between the engine and the differential. The differential features cooling fins and air intakes to prevent overheating, while the drive shafts have homokinetic joints and rubber dampers. The car uses lightweight materials like titanium, and its braking system is made of costly beryllium. The engine is a 2.997 cc V8 producing 350 hp and 32.5 kgm of torque, ideal for winding circuits. The fiberglass body is aerodynamically efficient at low speeds, with a total weight of only 545 kg, a record for the time. The car is compact, with a wheelbase of 2,300 mm and a width of 1,510 mm, while the brakes have ventilated and perforated discs to prevent overheating.

The Porsche 908-03 is a nervous but precise car in corners, akin to a go-kart, making it perfect for winding, low-speed tracks. In 1970, Porsche invested heavily, about 18 million lira per car, to win the world title, challenging rival Ferrari. The official cars were managed by private teams Gulf-Wyer and Salzburg, but supported by the factory. Porsche became the team to beat, especially thanks to the agreement with John Wyer. However, internal rivalry between leading drivers Jo Siffert and Pedro Rodriguez created tension, as both competed for the team leader role. Siffert, the lead driver, preferred the 908-03 over the larger but bulkier 917.
The 1970 Targa Florio was the main stage for the battle between the small Porsche and the large Ferrari. On paper, it seemed like a classic David vs.
Goliath: the Porsche 908-03, a small 3-liter car with only 350 hp, versus the Ferrari 5125, a spider version with at least 550 hp but much heavier.
Ferrari fielded a single car for Ignazio Giunti and Nino Vaccarella, relying on the Italian drivers' skills.
In contrast, Porsche fielded a strong team with four official cars, three from the Gulf-Wyer team and one from the Salzburg team.

To better recognize the cars, a unique symbol was painted on the right front of each vehicle. Typically, cars from the same team had at least one distinct color element on the nose for easy identification by marshals or during pit stops. The Porsche team, however, painted card suits on each of their cars: the #20 car of Salzburg, with Vic Elford as the lead driver, had the Ace of Hearts; the #12 car of Jo Siffert and Brian Redman was the Ace of Diamonds; the #36 car of Richard Attwood and Bjorn Waldegard had the Ace of Spades; and the #40 car of Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen featured the Ace of Clubs. After 792 km of racing on a winding track, three of the four aces dominated the Targa Florio, with Siffert-Redman (Ace of Diamonds) taking first place, followed by Rodriguez-Kinnunen (Ace of Clubs). The Salzburg team's Ace of Hearts crashed early, while the Ferrari finished third.
Attwood-Waldegard (Ace of Spades) placed fifth, showing the Porsche 908-03's superiority on twisty tracks.

In 1970, the Porsche 908-03 triumphed at the Nurburgring with Kurt Ahrens and Vic Elford, followed by another Porsche from the Scuderia Salzburg, securing the world championship title despite John Wyer's car retirements. However, in 1971, the 908-03 suffered a heavy defeat at the Targa Florio, with the Alfa Romeo 33-3 proving superior. Despite challenges, the 908-03 won the 1000 km at the Nurburgring with Vic Elford and Gerard Larrousse, while the other Porsches finished second and third. This marked the car's last victory, as in 1972 Porsche shifted its focus to the Can-Am series.

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Michael - Automotive Mike

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