Porsche Gruppe B Concept (1983)

At the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche presented the Porsche Gruppe B concept car. As the name suggests, it was study of a Group B racing car. Although this concept car featured all the latest features created for motorsport, it was also designed to be fully roadworthy and suitable even for everyday use.

Porsche Gruppe B

The Porsche Gruppe B (or Group B) was based on the Porsche 911 Turbo, but was heavily modified. The aerodynamic body, which was created in the wind tunnel, had a drag coefficient of just 0.32. The car was also light. The weight was just 1,115 kilograms.

The Gruppe B was powered by a high-performance version of the Porsche’s classic six-cylinder engine. With two turbochargers, the 2.85-litre water-cooled six-cylinder produced about 400 hp. The power was delivered through a six-speed manual transmission to all four wheels.

With All-Wheel Drive

Developed by Porsche to optimize driving dynamics, the Gruppe B featured a new all-wheel drive system. The electronically controlled all-wheel drive could change the power distribution between the front and rear axles depending on the road and driving conditions.

The chassis was based in the latest racing car technology with double wishbone suspension and adjustable stabilizers. Also noticeable was the unusual wheel size of 17 inches. The size of the Dunlop SP Sport Denloc D4 tyres was 235/40 VR 17 on the front axle and 255/40 VR 17 on the rear axle. These “safety” tyres featured Dunlop’s Denloc safety system. In case of a sudden loss of pressure, the tyre stays on the rim and the vehicle can be kept under control.

In Became the Porsche 959

The Gruppe B concept turned into Porsche 959. Eventually, Porsche didn’t build a Group B rally car, but the Porsche 959 took part in the Paris-Dakar Rally and won the event in 1986.

Image by Porsche