Porsche "Indy" Project 2708

Porsche's attempt at CART / Indy Car Racing

[@707LDH]

I was at Memphis Intl Raceway back in 87 when Teo Fabi was there testing this car. They said no cameras, but I managed to get a couple pics of a spare crated engine complete with the "Porsche Indy" valve covers. It was a pretty cool experience as a teenager. If I recall correctly the real reason people were there was to check out the track for a potential event of Bill Tempero's American Indy series billed as the Mid-South 200 promo or something like that.

[@paulmonson1298]

I used to have this VHS. It was in my porsche when the car got stolen. Double ouch.

[@billfunk3168]

Really enjoyed this video did not know Al Unser Sr. part of project just remembered Al Holbert.

[@The52car]

This is really neat... wish it went up to through the 1990 season.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

I was there with March at the time. There was nothing wrong with the engine at Laguna - Al Sr. just parked it because it was so bad. One of their many problems was that they were trying to run a spool, instead of a salisbury.

[@BartonFarley1]

Narrated by legendary actor Joseph Campanella.

[@knighttuttruptuttrup8518]

Buddy of Mannnix?

[@Tommy_Mac]

I remember seeing one of the team cars. It was number 4. The sponsor had put a large 'Q' on the wing end plate. It read 4Q. Thought it was pretty funny their team guys hadn't noticed it until I pointed it out. They thought it was pretty funny.

[@vwjetta4138]

Haha, 4Q man!

[@Tommy_Mac]

@@vwjetta4138 Quaker State even had the car in their ads showing the wing.

[@DrColoso]

There is some kind of rumor than a German manufacturer will (could) join the series, that news has to be announced in May, in my opinion and I hope can be Porsche, the only race who left to win, is the indy 500.

[@jimbosc]

About everything that could go wrong did go wrong with the Porsche Indy Car project did - plus CART made several decisions specifically out of fear of Porsche dominating.

[@danlearned9728]

Someone please tell me there is a 2nd installment to this video???? This only whets one's appetite for more on the Porsche Indy program. This was a time when Autoweek was our only source for in depth racing information. A definite reminder of 'remember when'???

[@SAHOYT71013]

There's an article called " PORSCHE’S PROJECT 2708 AT INDY" at the website flatsixes. The project was a disaster because their only working chassis design experience for Indy cars were from an aborted project from 1980 which had turned into the Porsche-TAG engines they ran in McLaren in the early/mid-80's. They failed the final two races of 1987 (the season depicted in this video) and only ran an engine in the couple years which followed, to so-so results.

[@ilovecops5499]

this vidoes is from 1987,the raceing technologyu from baksxthne is not used todays.

[@beachcottage3740]

Indy now is barely a shadow of its former self. Ratings and attendance might be on the rebound, but this video makes it clear: The cars were more exciting. The drivers then were just more accomplished--Andretti and Fittipaldi both F1 champions. Mears. Rahal. Al Unser, Jr a rising force in the year his dad became a four-time champion... Indy today is safer. Technology has made the cars a bit faster than they were 30 years ago. But the drivers are less visible, and few have the kind of charisma that makes them household names. Colton Herta and Conor Daly seem to have breakout potential, but the former might be better served by getting a seat in F1, and the latter might not be an elite talent. There are green shoots, but Indy can never climb to the same status it held prior to the 1996 CART/IRL split. Or to put it another way: No way in hell a name like Porsche would go all-in on IRL.

[@PeterMayer]

Drivers are very good with Rossi, Gerardo, Newgarden. Sad to say, only two engine manufacturers and one chassis. But you are right. Thanks to the idiot grandson.

[@davidmarden4789]

lots of vintage Portland shots

[@dubdaze68]

Norbert didn't deal with Unser well. They didn't listen to Mark Donahue at first, either.

[@jimvanbrocklin2060]

They came in Can-Am and killed it with their money.

[@alphastateofmind4336]

why cant i find anything about this car

[@TreeLBollingTreeMan]

flatsixes.com/porsche-motorsports/porsches-project-2708-goes-indy/

[@PeterMayer]

Died with l Hobart didn't it?

[@512Berlinetta]

One of the few times Porsche has not been successful!

[@blackcat3383]

Also in Formula 1 in the early 91..with the Footwork. Engine 3512..worst Porsche engine ever..

[@irishclown66]

USAC killed Porsche in 1980 ........the last thing the United States wanted was a German car manufacturer showing them up ...........besides Porsche has nothing to prove .........

[@ShmuelWeintraub]

512BB: I guess it depends on your definition of successful. Porsche did win in CART in 1989 (in both 88 & 89 they fielded March chassis with their own engine). When they arrived for 1990 with their own carbon fibre chassis, CART banned it... and they left at the end of the year. www.nytimes.com/1990/07/01/sports/auto-racing-future-looks-dim-for-porsche.html

[@shaadydog1]

All porches does is exploit rules and throw money at racing turning it into a shyt show.