In the 1980s and 1990s, two of Porsche’s purpose-built sports racers effectively dominated IMSA GTP and FIA Group C Competition. The two cars—the 956 and 962—were virtually identical from the outside, and at speed, it’s often hard to tell them apart.
Two twin giants. Both used a turbocharged flat-six and a wind-cheating, high-downforce body. There’s one visual trick you can use to determine which is which. What is it?
Porsche 956
Answer: Length. The 956 places the driver’s feet ahead of the front axle line and dangerously exposed in the event of a frontal collision. Shortly after the car’s introduction, it was banned by IMSA and barred from GTP competition on grounds of safety. Porsche subsequently extended the 956′s wheelbase and cockpit, moving the pedal box aft; other changes were incorporated into the chassis, and the car gained a new type name: 962.
From the outside, the easiest way to tell the two cars apart is the front wheel well: On a 956 (the blue Rothmans car pictured here), the side-marker light behind the front wheel is immediately aft of the wheel arch. On a 962 (the orange, yellow, and white car shown), it’s several inches back.
Note: The 956 was designed by a Porsche engineer named Norbert Singer. Norbert Singer was on our hotel-to-track bus this morning, and he wasn’t even the coolest guy we saw all day. This is how cool Rennsport Reunion is.
Porsche 962
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