A Porsche 904-6, under better conditions. Image: Lothar Spurzem
Those lucky bastards from Autoblog: not only do they get invited to the world launch of Porsche’s Cayman R in Mallorca, Spain, but they also get two time World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl to take them on a hot lap in a priceless, irreplaceable Porsche 904. In case you don’t know the car, it was only built in 1964 and 1965, and Porsche cranked out less tan 130 copies. In 1964, Porsche built 106 904s, each with a 2.0 liter flat four engine good for 198 horsepower. By 1965, Porsche had upped the ante and built a few 904s with the flat six from the Porsche 911; these cars were known as the “904/6”. The car in the video is a 1965 904/6, owned by a member of the Porsche family. Since only a handful were ever built, binning this pristine example wouldn’t be a good thing at all.
I think the most amazing thing about this video is how often Röhrl has to back out of the throttle and how much time he spends countersteering. I’ll grant you that it’s a wet racetrack and that the 904 had ridiculously skinny, bias ply tires, but the car still looks harder to drive than a Porsche 917. Just imagine lapping at Sebring or LeMans, at speeds up to 160 miles per hour, in a car that was nearly undrivable in the wet and merely unforgiving on dry roads. If Walter Röhrl can’t turn a fast lap, how did mere mortals ever drive these things?
Source: Autoblog
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
