1971 Porsche 917 LH Coupe

Onwards Victory

CarshowClassic.com tells the story. 

The 1971 Porsche LH Coupe did not win the Le Mans during Porsche’s domination in that year. However, while the Porsche LH Coupe is not exactly considered as the most successful 917, it is credited to be one of the stepping stones towards Porsche’s two-year victory.  

The Porsche 917 is considered to be the racing success story of Porsche. After all,-it managed to win the Le Mans and the North American racing cup Can-Am, both twice in a row. 

At the Le Mans, it was the 917 KH Coupe that did the trick. And at the Can-Am, it was the 917 PA Spyder. These two cars made the Porsche 917 series as one of the most-successful cars in history, and one of the most exemplary in the history of Porsche. After all, it-made to win victories against racing powerhouses Ferrari at the Le Mans and Chevrolet at the Can-Am. In any case, the 917 KH-917 PA combination was obviously very effective. In a span for four years (two for Europe and two-for North American), it can be said that the Porsche 917 was a leader. 

But the 917 was not exactly a completely winsome series. There are some models that-were not as successful. This was true with the Porsche 917—especially so when it had to face-another Porsche for the throne, and more so since it had to face one of the best Porsche cars ever-created.

This was the case of the Porsche 917 LH Coupe. The 1971 model of this car is-currently exhibited at the Porsche Museum, along with the other 917 cars. Of course, to say that the-Porsche 917 LH Coupé was a failure is not exactly true. After all, during the 1970 Le Mans,-the Porsche 917 LH Coupé managed to place second. The winner of the Le Mans that year? The-far more superior Porsche 917 KH Coupe, considered to be one of the most successful and one of the-most iconic cars ever. A year after, the 1971 Porsche 917 LH Coupé even failed to finish (two-917 LH finished in the 20s and 30s, not even reaching the finish line). 

 

Still, the Porsche 917 LH Coupé was important because it was the car that-paved the way for the Porsche 917 KH Coupe to be made. Although not exactly a prototype, the 917 LH-was the beginning of the Porsche 917 series. Without it, Porsche wouldn’t have won the Le Mans-and the Can-Am, hence forfeiting their place in history.

Presented at the 1969 Geneva International Motorshow, the Porsche 917 LH-Coupé was deemed as a new class of racing cars due to its appearance and on-paper capabilities. The company had to work double time before it won be permitted to enter the Le-Mans, as 25 units needed to be made before it can qualify for its class (at the time of its release,-there were only 18 assembled). Indeed, the power of Porsche 917 LH Coupé was one of a kind.-Unfortunately, even with this kind of power, the Porsche 917 LH Coupé did not exactly have-the best debut. Its performance at the 1969 Le Mans was disastrous, which prompted Porsche to make-the 917 KH. The power of the Porsche 917 LH Coupé even prompted Ferrari to build a similar-class car, proof that Porsche’s initial 917 was indeed a powerhouse and a way towards the-victory Porsche needed at the time.