The 24 Hours of Le Mans was created not to see who the fastest was out on the track, but as a torture test to see who could last the longest while red-lining through as much of the race as possible. It’s a battle of attrition among the brands that participate, hoping to prove their engineering departments can create long-lasting sports cars. In this space, Porsche has become legendary for dominating certain decades and proving to be a formidable foe no matter the class. In particular, the following vehicles gained legendary status as champions of the 24 hour of Le Mans.

The number combination 9-1-7 came to be known on the racing world as the most famous Porsche number combination. The fastest, most powerful Porsche in 1970, this race car was built by the team in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen for the under-5-liter class with an air-cooled 12-cylinder engine running at 580 HP when hitting 8,300 RPMs. Porsche Salzburg’s number 23 Porsche 917 KH driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood won the 1970 Le Mans after 343 laps, totaling 2,863.15 miles. Further cementing the Porsche triumph that year, the Martini Racing 917 LH driven by Gérard Larrousse and Willy Kauhsen took second, and the Porsche 908/02 driven by Rudi Lins and Helmut Marko came in third, completing the Porsche podium sweep.

The following year, the 917 continued its win streak. Having proven itself last year, there were now 6 teams running the 917. In particular, the Martini Racing-Team 917 with the number 22 snatched the win with a 3,315 mile run with an average speed of 138.1 MPH. This 917 had the new “shark fins” which greatly improved the 600 HP car’s stability and reduced wind resistance by 11 percent. On top of the new aero, this was the first Porsche with a magnesium tubular frame to be used in a race. The reduction in weight meant that the team was able to reduce the 58-quart engine oil tank to a 21-quart one to improve the weight distribution and reach the required weight of 1,763 lbs. Drivers Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko would go on to set two records that would stand for 39 years, and also win the “Index of Performance,” an award for the lowest fuel consumption relative to engine size.

In 1976, Porsche also participated in the World Sportscar Championship (Group 6), immediately working in what would result in the Porsche 936 Spyder. It was an aluminum tubular frame covered by an aerodynamic plastic body, and powered by the 2.1-liter flat-six bi-turbo engine from the 911 Turbo
 RSR with an output of 540 hp (397 kW). In June 1976, Jacky Ickx and Gijs van Lennep would drove the 936 Spyder to it’s first Le Mans victory. In 1977, Jacky Ickx, Jürgen Barth, and Hurley Haywood would again win the Le Mans, facing off against 6 factory Renaults. Then, in 1981 the 936 would celebrate its third victory.

With the end of the prototype racing era and the creation of the production race cars in Group 5 in 1976, Porsche created the 935, a 911-based race car with nearly 600 HP on tap. Based on the 911 Turbo, the visually striking aerodynamic changes in the form of a flat nose and a double rear wing would make it immediately distinguishable from regular 911s. After 5 years without a win, the 935 ended the dry spell by winning World Sportscar Championship in 1976. Thanks to the popularity of the 935, various customer teams would find various successes with the car in Group 5 up until 1981. Jacky Ickx, Jochen Mass, Klaus Ludwig, Rolf Stommelen, Manfred Winkelhock, and Bob Wollek would all drive the 935 successfully. In 1977, the aerodynamic elements were be further optimized and a second turbocharger added, giving it a total of 630 HP and leading to Rolf Stommelen winning the German Racing Championship in the private Loos Porsche 935.

The 935 would continue to be developed, leading into the 935/78 of 1978, still the most powerful 911 ever with 845 HP. Nicknames the “Moby Dick” for its wide long-tail body. The original 935 had problems with the cylinder heads, but they were simply welded together. Cooling was further developed too: water was used to cool the cylinder heads; air was used to cool the cylinders. With the newly introduced four-valve technology, the boxer engine had two turbochargers with charge-air cooling, creating an incredible 845 HP. Driven by Rolf Stommelen and Manfred Schurti, Porsche would unfortunately pull out of the World Endurance Championship in 1978, and the Moby Dick would retire after only a few races. But during that 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car hit a top speed of 227 mph on the Mulsanne straight, the fastest of the race.

The 1982 Le Mans would go down in history as absolutely dominated by Porsche and Porsche driving teams. Sweeping the top five places, Porsche also cleaned up in almost every class and special classification. The top three places would go to the Type 956, which had been developed for the new Group C rules. The 956 was the first Porsche race car with an aluminum monocoque chassis, and starting in 1983, Porsche made the 956 available to private teams, who would successfully drive it alongside the Porsche teams. Its great success lied in the perfect combination of the aluminum monocoque, an efficient turbo engine, and revolutionary aerodynamics, as well as the introduction of the PDK; Porsche double-clutch transmission. These advances would directly lead to victories in every race of the World Endurance Championship and the win in the Manufacturers’ World Championship in 1983, 1984, and 1985.

The 911 GT1, developed in the mid-1990s for factory and customer teams on GT racing circuits, made its debut in 1996. It was the first 911 model to feature a water-cooled mid-engine, offering improved aerodynamics and balanced axle-load distribution. In its first outing at the 1996 Le Mans, the GT1 secured second and third overall behind a TWR-Porsche WSC 95 from the Joest team. At the 1997 Le Mans, both 911 GT1 entries suffered technical failures near the finish line. However, in 1998, Porsche introduced a revamped version of the GT1, marking the brand’s first sports car with a carbon-fiber chassis. This updated model featured a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, a reengineered front suspension, and lighter components like the battery and generator, reducing its weight by about 110 pounds. Enhanced engine management further improved fuel efficiency, and a new carbon-fiber three-disc racing clutch was introduced. In celebration of Porsche’s 50th anniversary, the 911 GT1 delivered a one-two finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998, cementing its place in motorsport history.