917 K

The execution

The short tail that fixed the aerodynamics and won everything — both Le Mans victories, the distance record, the film cars. The variant the market means when it says “917”.

Born at the Österreichring in late 1969, when John Wyer’s engineer John Horsman read the dead flies on the bodywork — no smears on the tail meant no airflow — and improvised a shorter, upswept deck in aluminium and tape. Gulf/JWA and Porsche Salzburg ran the works campaigns; 1971 added the magnesium-framed 053, which won Le Mans and never raced again.

On the record

• Le Mans winner 1970 (Herrmann/Attwood) and 1971 (Marko/van Lennep)
• 1971 distance record — 5’335 km, unbeaten for 39 years
• Both “Le Mans” film cars, 022 and 024, are Ks
• Record: $14.08M for 917-024 — the most valuable Porsche at auction

As separated

Years

1969–1971

Built

36

Engine

4.5–5.0L flat-12 · Type 912

Power

580–630 PS

Weight

~800 kg