Do Look Back

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

One Last Fabulous Zagato Abarth - the 750 Record Monza Coupe

Courtesy Bring a Trailer

Carlo Abarth had good reason to have a particular affection for the two words, ‘record’ and ‘Monza.’ As related in the Do Look Back post, Abarth 850 TC and 1000 Berlina - Sixties Supremacy, in ’56 he instituted a World Records programme run at the Monza circuit: Two years later an Abarth 500 achieved a record by covering 18,186 km at an average speed over 7 days of 108.5 kph. Fiat was impressed! So impressed that Carlo was able to gain agreement from Fiat that it would make a payment to Abarth for every motor sport victory recorded by a Fiat-based Abarth product. This arrangement proved to be extremely helpful over many years, primarily in supporting the development of new products and race activity at Corso Marche. So, in fact, there were over 7,000 ‘reasons’ why the name ‘Record Monza’ should be chosen for the new version of the Fiat Abarth 750 GT Zagato launched in Paris in October ’58 – those ‘reasons’ being the number of win bonus payments eventually made by Fiat through to ’71.

The 750 GT Zagato had emerged in April ’56. Performance was reasonable for the era considering the engine’s small displacement, the combination of 47 bhp and a kerb weight of 535 Kg enabling a 0-60 mph time of around 15 seconds and a top speed of about 93 mph. However, given the Abarth marque’s inherent sporting aspirations, there was no hesitation in work beginning on a faster version. This was founded on the availability for ‘58 of the Tipo 222 (696 cc) and Tipo 221 (747 cc) engines which incorporated the new twin cam (Bialbero) head designed by Gioachino Colombo. Both were equipped with twin Weber 36 DCL 4 carburettors. The 221 engine was rated at 57 bhp, allowing the 750 Record Monza to achieve a 0-60 mph time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 109 mph. Priced at Lit 2,075,000, the model symbolised Abarth’s serious intent in regard to top flight sportscar racing, albeit that it was the succeeding 1000 Bialbero that eventually racked up the victories. The 1000 model was unveiled in January ’60 with the designation, Fiat Abarth 1000 Bialbero Coupe, featuring the Tipo 229, 982 cc engine and with bodywork devised by Mario Colucci without input from Zagato, (though with several aspects, the single intake engine deck lid for instance, carried over from the Record Monza). Confusingly, the Automobile Club d’Italia Homologation form for the new 1000 Coupe has the value ‘Coupe Record Monza’ in the field Tipo di Carrozzeria. Regarding the homologation, Luciano Greggio asserted that following the Record Monza’s launch, ‘a semi-production run of 100 cars went ahead immediately to obtain homologation in the Grand Touring category.’ Though this could be a confusion with the homologation of the 1000 Coupe in March ’61, (whereas the FIA archive for ‘59 does not contain such a document for the 750 Record Monza), the 750 Record Monza began, in Spring ’59, to appear in the list of Abarth race/class victories compiled for administration of the Fiat bonus payments. The model’s victory count for the year reached 53. There were 51 in ’60, but by ’61, the 1000 Bialbero had taken over, with 55 wins during the course of the year. Indeed, by late ’61 the 750 Record Monza had been replaced in effect by a ‘family’ of Colucci’s coupes comprised of the Monomille (single cam), 700 Bialbero and 1000 Bialbero, with bodies made successively by Corna, (immediately following the break with Zagato), Beccaris and, finally, Sibona & Basano.

Stand out 750 GT Record Monza first placings were in ’59: Six Hours, Vallelunga, (Prinoth); Targa Florio, (Prinoth/Carini); Mille Miglia, (Prinoth/Pitscheider); Eight Hours, Lime Rock, (Penske/Callahan); Coupes de Paris, Montlhéry, (Fabi). In ’60: Six Hours, Hockenheim, (Seidel/Poltronieri); GT Grand Prix, Monza, (Seidel); 500 Kms, Nurburgring, (Castellina/Vinatier); Preis von Tirol, (Fabi); 1000 Kms de Paris (Consten/Condriller).

Surveying extant 750 Record Monzas offered for sale in recent times, several may be considered ‘early,’ indicated as having been built in ’59. Two have been described as ’57-made. As seen below, #441205 is certainly a ‘low’ chassis number – every other one I’ve seen is in the range #500000 to #860214. It is claimed to be ‘pre-production’ and possibly prepared originally as a works race car. But the date is surely unfeasible – the year of first presentation of the Record Monza being ’58, and the public debut in Paris ‘late,’ (in October). This car has two features that are characteristic for ’59-made examples, distinguishing them from ’60-manufactured cars – absence of indicator repeater lamps on the front wings and no centrally-located intake aperture in the front valance. As usually found, the chrome engine deck lid badge script incorporates ‘Derivazione’ in its abbreviated form, ’deriva’ – ‘fiat deriva ABARTH 750.’ The car was offered in February 2025 in RM Sotheby’s sale in Miami and was sold for $78,400.

#441205 Courtesy Classicdriver.com

#534203 is described without any equivocation as being of ’59 production. Externally it differs from #441205 in having black, rather than bright metal frames for the two small rectangular intake apertures low in the front valance panel. Also at variance is the engine deck lid badge, which reads, ‘fiat derivazione ABARTH 750.’ In addition, there appears to have been an aftermarket modification to the rear lamp clusters. As on #441205, these are mounted with vertical orientation in standard specification, but are differently shaped, fitted to the engine decklid rather than the rear of the wings and are horizontally orientated on #534203.

#534203 Courtesy CarsandClassic.com

Bonhams, in handling the sale at Goodwood in July ‘08 of #541508, described it as having been made in ’57. As Lot 595, the car’s auction description notes do not provide any information that would be a basis for attributing this date and I would be confident that this is in fact a ’59-built example. This car provides evidence that the front wing indicator repeater lamps, (not fitted on the two cars shown above), were introduced early in the production run, probably around June/July, ’59. This car is fitted with Campagnolo Abarth alloy wheels, (probably recent recreations given their apparently ‘unworn’ condition).

#541508 Courtesy Bonham's

Another ’59-built Record Monza is #546440. It incorporates a few unusual features: 1) Currently fitted with an ex-Fiat 850 Berlina 903 cc race engine; 2) Tubular bumpers; 3) Single, Raydyot style front wing-mounted external mirror; 4) Plain, full size bright metal wheel trims. Also of note is the absence of front indicator repeater lamps. Offered for sale in 2025 for £64,950.

#546440 Courtesy CarandClassic.com

The unrestored #550070 was sold on Bring a Trailer in 2025 for $30,000. While the new owner’s first concern would surely be attention to the bodywork/chassis, this car will be in need of a replacement, original specification Abarth Tipo 221 engine. The motor then currently fitted is described in the BaT listing: The non-running Tipo 100.000 inline-four is believed to have been sourced from a Fiat 600 and installed under previous ownership. It is fitted with an Abarth intake manifold and air cleaner along with a single Weber downdraft carburettor.

Among points of note with the bodywork is the absence of Zagato ‘Z’ front wing badges, engine deck lid badge, front bumperettes and centre grille/shield, missing rear side ‘glasses’ and flared extensions to the rear wheel arches.

#550070 Courtesy Antczak Motors

In late ’58 Carlo Abarth agreed to grant distribution rights in the U.S. East Coast region to the Roosevelt Automobile Company. This enterprise was the creation of Franklin Roosevelt Jr, son of the former American president. There was mutual agreement that participation in American motorsport would be an essential aspect of the marketing strategy. Thus, there was immediate implementation of a plan in which cars would be race-prepared at the factory and shipped to New York, with ongoing race entry and maintenance/repair carried out and funded by Team Roosevelt. Initially, this involved the supply of four Record Monzas to run in the 12 Hours of Sebring in March ’59. The outcome was highly successful, the cars finishing 1-2-3-4 in the 750 GT class. One of them was #550486. It was sold in recent times – 2014 – by Bonhams for $203,500. According to the auction lot description notes, this is the Record Monza that carried race number 62 and was driven by Lanzo Cussini and Remo Cattini to 2nd place in class. Restoration was apparently started in the ‘90s according to Bonhams and by late in the decade it was being raced at Lime Rock in VSCCA historic events.

#550486 Courtesy Bonhams

14th April ’59 was apparently the date on which #555575 was delivered to its first owner in Palermo, capital of Sicily. Apparently never raced or owned/operated outside Italy, the car was sold in 2019 by Girardo for €115,000. The front end is notable, being non-standard in terms of an absence of the usual central ‘grille,’ scorpion crest shield and whiskers combination, and of brake cooling duct intake apertures below the indicator lamps. At the rear, a crest shield badge has been mounted centrally on the engine deck lid above the ‘fiat ABARTH 750’ chrome script badge. Distinctive on this car are the wheels. These were made by Ruote Amadori. Founded in 1950, Amadori was one of the first Italian makers of cast alloy wheels. The company’s design was chosen by Zagato for fitting so some of the Giuletta Sprint Zagatos built for Alfa Romeo. The same type was original equipment for the OSCA 1600 GT Zagato – see here. Also of interest are the seats. The standard type featured rectangular transverse cut-outs towards the top of the backrest and near to the leading edge of the squab. In #555575 they have the backrest cut-out, but the squab does not – while it has two buttons in a similar position. This would appear to identify these as being the lightweight, tubular frame type fitted as original equipment to the Giulietta Sprint Zagatos, as seen below.

#555575 - note Amadori wheels Courtesy Girardo

Left: Seats in #555575 Courtesy Girardo; right, as in Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ, #00008 Courtesy ComtedeFlensburg (BaT)

An example of a Record Monza delivered with racing upgrades – including oversize drum brakes, Zagato racing seats and Borrani 12-inch bimetal, 14-hole road wheels - from the factory is #556150. The first owner was Emil Knecht of Zollikon, Zurich, a motorsport competitor with Squadra Tartaruga – a team of Swiss and British drivers, including in its number Rico Steinemann, who became Porsche’s racing and PR chief in ’69. Later, he was appointed as the editor of the Porsche magazine, Christophorus. The car was restored circa 2008 and offered for sale in ’13 with an asking price of £150,000. It is seen racing in-period in the B&W photographs below.

#556150 Courtesy Bring a Trailer

A Facebook post from December ’24 presents details and photographs of #560697, which ‘FIAT ABARTH’ says was manufactured on March 27, 1959. An extensive restoration process is outlined, with emphasis of a focus on returning the car, as far as possible, to original specification. This includes features the post states as being exclusive to the Record Monza model: ‘The Jaeger rev counter with a painted redline zone around 7000 rpm, the starter lever with the choke lever removed, etc. are features that are only found on the 750 Bialbero . . .’ These items are seen below, as is the engine bay, an especially attractive feature of the car. As with #556150, Borrani bimetal wheels are fitted.

#560697 Courtesy Corgys

Another Record Monza for which a date of manufacture is asserted is #577535 – 20th April ’59.

#577535 Courtesy Bonhams

Although positively identifying vehicle built in its era is often a complex and difficult matter, a Record Monza tends not to be since it bears multiple ‘tags,’ reflecting the origin of its chassis structure, the Abarth marque itself and the source of the body. Thus, a car will have a Fiat factory stamping into the chassis sheet metal, an Abarth-fitted plate with stampings for, 1) Tipo, 2) No. Telaio (chassis), and 3) No. Motore (engine) and a body number, assigned by Zagato. Regarding the later, this will usually be found in various places, including on the underside of internal trim, door apertures and on the windscreen frame under the dashboard. For #577535, the body number is quoted as being Z47.

#577535 Identifications Courtesy ClassicDriver.com

As indicated in the third paragraph of this survey, initial racing successes for the Record Monza in ’59 were attributable to the exploits of driver, Ernesto Prinoth. According to Bonhams’s notes for the recent sale of #577535, Prinoth was its first owner, taking delivery in April ‘59. It had apparently previously been an Abarth works race car, featuring the 14-hole Borrani alloy wheels and front disc brakes. It was also suggested, although not confirmed, that it is one of the cars that participated in the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Coppa Sant Ambrosius in ‘59. The Bonhams sale, in Belgium, October ’19, saw a price of €95,000 realised.

#614316 is said to have been manufactured in July ’59. In September ’25 it was referenced on the authoritative Fiat Abarth 750GT Zagato Forum. The post stated that ‘The car currently has an Abarth 850S motor (214) and the original 750 motor is currently being rebuilt to go in the car next year.’

#614316 Courtesy Michael B/Fiat Abarth 750 GT Zagato Forum

Prior to joining Abarth in ’59, Mario Poltronieri had been one of the drivers participating in the legendry world record breaking at Monza. Subsequently employed by Carlo Abarth, he was mainly a test driver, but he was also involved in the workshop with engine tuning and in the office with Public/Press Relations. In the days before the volume of cars produced at the ‘old’ Abarth Via Trecate factory premises and subsequently at the new base at nearby 38 Corso Marche, when the staff headcount was small, various tasks were delegated to Poltronieri on an ad-hoc basis – he journeyed to England for example to evaluate Dunlop’s disc brakes and this led to their adoption by Abarth. Having played a part in the records breaking, it was especially appropriate that Poltronieri should have become the owner of the Record Monza, #711565, once he was member of staff. The deal may have come about through his involvement with the car in an experimental/development role since it has been said that the car was originally built as a spider and rebodied as a coupe in ’62.

#711565 Courtesy AutomotiveMasterpieces.com

In October ’18, Record Monza #780410 was offered in a sale at Padua by Bonhams with an estimate of €120,000 - €160,000. The auction lot notes included, (it) ‘was comprehensively restored by renowned Italian coachbuilders Faralli of Pisa, Tuscany some 10 years ago, while the overhaul of the mechanicals was entrusted to the Abarth specialist Fallorno of Empoli, again in Tuscany.’ Despite its excellent condition and Abarth Classiche certified status, the car remained unsold.

#780410 Courtesy Bonhams

Probably conducive with its chassis number, #860214 was described at Sotheby’s ’16 London sale as a ’61 car. It was offered with an estimate of £75,000 - £90,000, but not sold. Any sales resistance may have stemmed from it being equipped with a replacement, single cam engine. On the other hand, it is a car with racing history, having most notably been driven by the well known Umberto Maglioli, three times winner of the Targa Florio.

Although the Sotheby’s description incudes an indication that it had, ‘the benefit of Abarth Classiche certification,‘ a non standard engine deck lid (with 8 louvres in the lower area) and absence of a script badge on the panel are evident. The front valance panel incorporates a central, elliptical intake aperture. This feature has been seen on no other examples in this survey of extant Record Monzas, except for a believed-’60 made car for which the chassis number is unknown. Also noted are non-standard B pillar badges, (‘lightning' version fitted in place of the usual ‘flag, ‘RECORD MONZA’, scorpion crest items). Sliding race inserts are installed in both side windows. Wheels are Campagnolo Abarth style alloys.

#860214 Courtesy RM Sotheby's

The 850 Record Monza was introduced in June ’59, outdoing the 747 cc model in performance terms with 70 bhp and a top speed of 118 mph. But the key to Abarth’s ongoing GT racing success was the new 982 cc Fiat Abarth 1000 Bialbero Coupe, (ES 01). Announced in January ’60, the new car’s Tipo 229 engine gave 91 bhp and was capable of 121 mph. Initially, it was Zagato-bodied and had the appearance of the 850 Record Monza, but not ‘Z’ badged. With the establishment of Carrozzeria Abarth, the building of restyled bodies was re-assigned to Beccaris. Thus, the Record Monza designation lapsed. A more detailed account of the transition is found in the Do Look Back post, Abarth's 912 - the Mono Mille GT

Sunday, March 1, 2026

070 Porsche 910

Speed: the essence of success in motorsport. Obviously, (meh), you retort. But you’re thinking just in terms of how a car becomes a blur near the end of a long straight; how someone like Verstappen is right on the ragged edge in a long sweeper on a stunning pole lap; a note of the ‘fastest lap’ in a race report. Let me, however, invite you to contemplate it from another perspective. In 1960, Porsche’s racing effort was fronted by the 718 RSK and 718 RS/60. Similar models, together with the 356B Carrera GTL and 356B 2000 GS GT, served for the rest of the decade’s first four seasons. These, like their successor for ’65, the 904, were road cars modified for racing. ’66 became a marker point as the next model, the 906, was conceived, designed and built as a pure racing machine. From this, the 910 was developed and raced in ‘67/’68. That latter year saw the introduction of the 908. Then, in May ’69, the fabulous 917 appeared at Spa. Compare the specification, ‘look’ and results of the 917 with the 718 series cars. Consider how much progress is represented and that it was achieved over just 10 years. Yes, Porsche owes much of its fame to several individual cars of great quality, but, even more so, to its development ‘philosophy.’ Simplified, this has always been to evolve products along a continuously evolutionary path at the fastest possible pace. Some of this speed of development results from an exhaustive testing/modification approach and the resisting of the temptation to introduce large step changes in design. Thus, large chunks of time have not been lost while inadvertently introduced issues were investigated/resolved. It is widely acknowledged that this culture was advocated and encouraged within Porsche by Helmuth Bott. At Porsche from ’52, he was initially involved in training and then, from the mid-Fifties, with testing and experimental engineering. By the late Seventies, he was head of R & D, eventually retiring in ’88. The 910 was a good example of a progression step brought about by the development method advocated by Bott.

Left: Porsche 718 RS/60, #041 Courtesy Revs Institute; Right, Porsche 917, #002 - Gerhard Mitter/Rudi Schutz at Spa, ’69 Courtesy Pilotes Anciens

Thus, the 910 was basically an improved 906. That car was Ferdinand Piëch’s vision of a ground-breaking racing Group 4 sports car characterised by new standards of compactness and low weight. A fundamental of the 906 was its tubular spaceframe chassis, enabling structural rigidity far greater than the box section platform of the 904. Over that chassis, a similar body, though benefitting from wind tunnel testing, ensured that the 906’s aerodynamics were superior to those of the 904. And engine-wise, adoption of the 901 dry sump engine promised to enhance the 906’s power and reliability.

Drawing on its experience in ’61 and ’62 with the F1 718/787/804 models, the 910’s suspension utilised unequal length wishbones and centre nut-secured 13” magnesium wheels. These elements contributed to lower unsprung weight, better aerodynamics resulting from a lower height and the possibility to run a wider range of tyre types.

The 910 emerged in two basic formats – a Coupe with targa roof and rear clamshell, and a Spyder. On launch in July ’66, the 910 was equipped with the type 771 2 litre flat eight engine. Subsequently, some coupes ran with the type 771/1, 2.2 litre version. Peak power for the type 771 was 260 bhp, while the 771/1 2.2 litre made 278. The 2.2 771/1 engine began to appear in works cars from May ’67 at the Targa Florio.

The summer of ’66 saw the 910 in Spyder form immediately proving itself in hillclimbing. In early July, Hans Herrmann drove the first 910 to second place at Trento-Bordone, beaten only by Gerhard Mitter in the well-proven ‘Ollon-Villars’ 906 Berg Spyder. Mitter’s next victory was at the end of the month at Freiburg, now 910-mounted, and that result sealed his taking of the season’s European Hillclimb Championship.

For ’67, the factory focus was on the International Manufacturers Championship events. A largely successful season, with 3 major outright victories, 5 class wins and a 1-2-3 at the Targa Florio.

Winning 910 of Stommelen/Hawkins, Targa Florio, ’67 Courtesy Rainer Schlegelmilch

However, as early as the Le Mans 24 Hours, the 907 – which, along with the 909 would be replacing the 910 – was being entered in the big events. The 910 works entries are summarised in the table below:

Date	Event	Drivers	Overall	Class Place	Notes
05-02-67	Daytona 24 Hours	Herrmann/Siffert	4^th	1^st	2.0 Entry in name Porsche Stuttgart
01-04-67	Sebring 12 Hours	Mitter/Patrick	3^rd	1^st	2.0
		Herrmann/Siffert	4^th	2^nd	2.0
25-04-67	Monza 1000 Km	Mitter/Rindt	3^rd	1^st	2.0
		Herrmann/Siffert	5^th	2^nd	2.0
01-05-67	Spa 1000 Km	Herrmann/Siffert	2^nd	1^st	2.0
		Mitter/Koch	7^th	2^nd	2.0
14-05-67	Targa Florio	Stommelen/Hawkins	1^st		2.2
		Biscaldi/Cella	2^nd		2.0
		Neerpasch/Elford	3^rd		2.0
		Herrmann/Siffert	6^th	2^nd	2.2
		Maglioli/Schutz	DNF		2.0 Gearbox failure (also reported as suspension)
28-05-67	Nurburgring 1000 Km	Schutz/Buzzetta	1^st		2.0
		Koch/Hawkins	2^nd		2.0
		Neerpasch/Elford	3^rd		2.0 Finished despite broken valve
		Mitter/Bianchi	4^th	1^st	2.2 Finished despite repeat battery drain issue
		Stommelen/Ahrens Jr	DNF		2.2 Injection pump deranged
		Herrmann/Siffert	DNF		2.2 Loss of power – valve gear issues
11-06-67	Le Mans	Stommelen/Neerpasch	6^th	2^nd	2.0
		Schutz/Buzzetta	DNF		2.0 Low oil pressure
23-07-67	Mugello Trofeo Frescobaldi	Mitter/Schutz	1^st		2.2
		Stommelen/Neerpasch	2^nd		2.2
		Siffert	DNF		2.0
30-07-67	Brands Hatch BOAC 500	Siffert/McLaren	3^rd		2.2
		Schutz/Rindt	11^th	2^nd	6 cyl
		Elford/Bianchi	DNF		2.2 (but 6 cyl on Entry List) Broken Valve gear
		Rindt/Hill	DNF		2.2 Dropped valve (overrevved)
27-08-67	Ollon Villars	Mitter	1^st		Berg Spyder
		Stommelen	2^nd		Berg Spyder

Left: Daytona Courtesy Supercars.net; right: Sebring Courtesy Exoto

Left: Monza Courtesy Yoichi Sugaya; right: Spa Courtesy Jacques Ubags/RSC

Left: Targa Florio Courtesy AutosportsLtd; right: Nurburgring Unattributed

Left: Le Mans Courtesy Petersen Org; right: Mugello Courtesy Yoichi Sugaya

Left: Brands Hatch Courtesy Jim Barclay; right Ollon Villars Courtesy Euromontagna

So, reverting to the notion of speed outlined at the top of this piece, it appears that the 910’s was a short working life, it being superseded within little more than 12 months. But that was in terms of works entries. In ’68 the FIA announced that the Group 4 Sports Cars homologation requirement for the following season would be reduced to 25 examples. The factory had already completed 27 (some say 28, and others 29!) for the ’67 racing season. Porsche thus took the opportunity to homologate the 910 and as a result have a number of cars available as from January ‘69 for profitable sales to private racing teams/racers. Adding to the attractiveness of such an offer, it was not troublesome/very expensive to modify the cars for ‘street legality.’ Appeal was further enhanced by refitting offered cars with the six cylinder engine, reducing the price tag and broadening the range of categories in which they could race and the level of skill/experience held by the driver.

Teams running 910s in ’69 included: AAW, Auguste Veuillet, Scuderia Auto Neusser, Ben Hur, Bill Bradley, Bosch Racing Team, Scuderia Brescia Corse, Christian Poirot, Dan Burns Racing, Ecurie des Lions, E W Tolle, Elan Racing Team, Hart Ski Racing Team, Jolly Club, Kremer, Team Leinweber, Nick Gold, Nomex, Paddy McNally, Rudi Lins, Sepp Greger, Sportscars Unlimited Switzerland, Taki Racing Organisation, V10 Kleber Team, Vereinigung Sudd VSA Munchen and Wicky Racing Team.

Drivers included: Henri Balas, Dieter Basche, Giampiero Biscaldi, Arthur Blank, Hans-Dieter Blatzheim, Hans Bohlmeier (3 wins),Ennio Bonomelli, Bill Bradley, Richard Brostrom, Robert Buchet, Mario Cabral, Ignazio Capuano (1 win),Tony Dean, Peter Ettmuller, Silvain Garant, Richard Gerin, Sepp Greger, Masten Gregory, Jean-Pierre Hanrioud, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Lambert Hofer, Ferfried von Hohenzollern, Jean Pierre Jaussaud, Alan Johnson, Hiroshi Kazato (1 win), Helmut Klocke, Ernst Kraus, Erwin Kremer, Gerard Larrousse, Niki Lauda, Fritz Leinweber, Rudi Lins, Charles Lucas, Pierre Maublanc, Digby Martland, Willy Meier, Gianpiero Moretti, Jean de Mortemart, Robert Neyret, Everardo Ostini, Peter Peter, Christian Poirot, Andreas Schmalbach (1 win), Gordon Spice, Dieter Spoerry, Otto Stuppacher, Richard Thiel, Ernst Wilhelm Tolle and Andre Wicky.

910s recently sold/publicly exhibited:

Left to right: #001 Courtesy Stuttcars.com; #006 Courtesy Collectorscarworld.com ; #007 Courtesy Revsinstitut

Left to right: #018 Courtesy Classic Motorsports.com; #020 Courtesy Stuttcars.com; #022 Courtesy Classicdriver.com

Left to right: #025 Courtesy SupercarNostalgia.com; #026 Courtesy Bonhams; #027 Courtesy Ascott Collection

Perhaps ironically, in view of its brief ‘front line life’ and production run, the 910 became available once again in the Eighties when Egon Evertz negotiated with Porsche for the right to manufacture ‘replica’ cars. Known as the EVEX 910, an example is described/pictured by Petrolicious here. Petrolicious notes that the chassis is heavier than the original and that it was powered by a 3.8 RSR engine and featured 930 suspension and 964 brakes. Definitely ironic, the EVEX runs on 15” wheels instead of the 13” rims which were so instrumental in the successful evolution from the preceding 906’s specification. Information is hard to come by, but it is believed that only four EVEX 910s were built.

Evex 910 Courtesy Petrolicious

When we think of what so endears us to the Porsche marque, high on any list will be the glorious air cooled flat engines, not only for the power they generate, but also for the spine tingling noise they emit. Given that the works cars were propelled by the flat 8, revving to nearly 9,000 rpm, they announced their presence in a manner measurable in decibels as much as their slippery shape and bright white paintwork were demanding of visual attention. So it’s surely perplexing to read about a yet more recent incarnation of Piech’s second racing prototype Porsche – what appeal can a ‘910’ possess if it’s near as dammit silent? The Kreisel EVEX 910e is fast – a higher top speed than a real 910 – but it is powered by a 490 bhp electric motor. Announced in 2016, the car is described here. It’s often been said that a picture says a thousand words . . . see below:

Left: EVEX 910e motor bay Courtesy AutoVolt.com; Right: 910 Berg Spyder engine bay Courtesy Secret-Classics.com

Kreisel EVEX 910e Courtesy Fahrzeugbau GmbH

Despite its short working life in international competition, the 910 represented a significant step in the evolution of Porsche’s Sixties sports racing cars. It featured several upgrades to the specification/design of the 906, and laid the path to the further improved designs of the 907, 908 and 917. That was more important than the 910’s record of results, which are nevertheless respectable given that it was up against a particular good adversary in the shape of the Ferrari Dino 206 which was already a proven quantity with two seasons of competition under its belt. Also, where events included larger engine capacity entries, the 2.0/2.2 litre engines could not be expected to enable a 910 to contend for victory with cars such as the Ford GT40. The 910 was most adept at carrying the Porsche banner on the hillclimbing courses as testified by Mitter’s European Championship win. Yes, there were more accomplished Porsche Prototypes, but without the 910, success with the 917, including the marque’s long awaited first Le Mans win, might not have been possible before the FIA’s ‘banning’ of ‘big’ engines as from the ’72 season.