industry is always backed by real-life examples. A quick glance on a standard street will reveal a parked pitch-black S-Class Benz, a racing BMW, or a relaxed Volkswagen Beetle, all from the European nation. But there is one machine the modern eye might not have encountered: the 1979 Le Mans-winning Porsche 935.

Why is the Porsche 935 a part of history?

The 935 is a beloved vintage car with a slant nose that dominated races in the ‘70s. During the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans races, it won 123 out of 370 contests. The car also scooped gold medals during the very competitive Sebring and 1000 km Nürburgring races.

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Speeding to success in the 1970s and 80s

More:

Only Six of Porsche's New Race Cars Are Coming to the U.S.

The 1970s was a rough time to be a car racer. You had to compete with veterans of Le Mans Races like the

soon-to-be gas-free Alfa Romeos

, Fords, and Ferraris. But the push for greater speed, aerodynamic efficiency, and durability oversaw the collapse of previously competitive cars, and Porsche came into their place.

Per

Road and Race

, Porsche began speeding to success by re-engineering the 935 by turning to a wealth of experience in turbochargers and benefitting from a new aeronautical engineer, Norbert Singer.

The first reinvention focused on speed and trimming down excess weight. By 1976, the rear wing had been flattened, front fenders inclined forward, and the ugly appearance of wider tires modified with coil springs and anti-roll bars. The car also achieved the unmistakable flat nose familiar to car fans today.

By the end of things, Porsche actually had to add lead and ballast to hit the 970 kg weight requirement, achieving a perfect balance for optimum performance.

They also made changes to the engine, adding a lighter 3300 cc twin-turbo that produced up to 8000rpm—and propelled the car up to nearly 230 mph.

Vintage designs of the Porsche 935 on a new car

But the 935 didn’t die after its success on the track. Rather, it’s been adapted, molded, and remade. Indeed, the conception and evolution of the 935 are pretty remarkable. Compared to the 2019 Apple-supported modern make, the vintage 935 had an elegant flat nose that streamlined the car for more speed and less drag.

The modern-day 935 is a light, sleek, and stylish car with an elongated shape borrowed from its predecessor.

The interior is well-furnished with color displays, a carbon steering wheel, and a gear lever with laminated wood varnish. While driving the car, don't worry about safety issues. A massive safety cage and a six-point harness keep the driver safe.

But the performance remains. The modern car weighs in at 3180 kg and has six water aluminum cylinders to accompany a 7-speed PDK gearbox. As Porsche’s

newsroom

articulated, the driver interacts with the 3800 cc engine with an electronic engine management unit. Unfortunately, it’s not street-legal, so races are limited to private tracks.

As always, a car made from carbon fiber with vintage designs is not so pocket-friendly. A new Porsche 935 has a starting price of $830,000—and you might have to pay upwards of $1 million for a used model, per

MotorTrend

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