1995 Porsche 962 K8 Spyder
One of the last air-cooled Porsche endurance racecars
Overall winner at 1995 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
One of just four built
This Kremer K8 Spyder represents the swan song of Porsche’s racing origins, standing as one of the last endurance racecars that competed with an air-cooled Porsche engine. Nearly 50 years after the company’s inception in 1948, the 962 is the last of air-cooled racing engines produced by Porsche. The simple flat-four-cylinder engines evolved into flat-sixes in the 1960’s, and turbocharging was adapted in the 1970’s in the 917/30, followed by all iterations of the 936. By the 1980’s, Porsche was achieving dominance in the endurance car space, still utilizing their air-cooled powerplants.
Coming off the tail end of 956 production, the 962 was a strong improvement in performance, as well as handling and safety, leading to one of the most lengthy and successful lifespans of any race car. The 962 was not only more powerful than the preceding 956, but according to drivers like Derek Bell it was easier to drive as well. These cars utilized a slightly longer wheelbase than the previous 956, pushing the drivers’ legs behind the axle line, in turn creating a much safer cockpit for the driver. The longer wheelbase also balances the car much more at higher speeds, which was a major benefit in races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the 962 dominated.
The 962 debuted in 1984 as the successor to the 956. The cars’ reliability during long endurance races with the Type-935 turbocharged flat-six allowed the 962 to be extremely successful, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, the IMSA GT Championship series from 1985 through 1988, and the Interserie Championship consecutively from 1987 through 1992. With a large turbocharger (with a second turbocharger added later) paired with Bosch fuel and ignition systems, the Type 935 engine was easily able to produce over 500 horsepower.
The Kremer K8 marked the tail end of the 962’s lifecycle, running 11 years after the first cars debuted. The K8 is one of the many customer supplied 962’s that received extensive modifications under private ownership. In an effort to lower weight and stiffen the car, a roll bar replaced the roof and improved the car’s overall performance. Just four of these K8’s were produced, and this car on display likely saw the greatest success of the group. This K8 Spyder was the overall winner at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona, a testament to not only the endurance over the course of 24 hours, but also its endurance over the years, achieving success on a platform originally engineered over a decade before.
Specifications:
Engine: 3.0 L Twin-Turbocharged Flat-Six
Horsepower: 530hp
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Curb Weight: 2094 lbs