For sale: The Very Last Works Porsche 962

Images and information thanks to Fiskens

This 1988 Porsche 962, chassis 962-010, is available for sale by the renowned Fiskens from the UK. The car is the very last works chassis used by the Porsche factory team and was driven by Derek Bell, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Klaus Ludwig to second place in the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Porsche built the car to compete at Le Mans, and adapted numerous modifications including new KKK turbochargers, a new exhaust system and new Bosch Motronic MP1.7 management system. It was also equipped with carbon front anti-roll bars and titanium at the rear, a reprofiled nose and larger, lower rear wing.

It was one of three 962s entered into the 24 Hours of Le Mans by Porsche in 1988, and the only official appearance by the marque that year as they had decided not to take part in the World Championship. The trio went up against fierce competition from Jaguar, who had five cars in the running.

The battle unfolded between the ‘010’ pedalled by Bell, Stuck, and Ludwig, who sat on pole thanks to a ripper lap by Hans Stuck sitting in front of a high-boost engine, and the Jaguar of Jan Lammers, Andy Wallace, and Johnny Dumfries. It was a close call, and just as Ludwig was in the lead, things went wrong. A lack of fuel caused Ludwig to stall in the Porsche corners. By relying solely on the starter motor, he managed to get ‘010’ back to the team.

The race resumed with the car two laps down. By midnight, ‘010’ was in fourth place. Five hours later, it was leading again – until a broken water pipe caused it to lose several laps. Rain overnight helped the Porsche claw back some of the deficit and they brought it back to just a minute, but in the dry morning conditions they couldn’t catch the Jaguar in Jan Lammers’ hands and had to settle for second place.

The car then raced at the Norisring in the Supercup championship, and would also run in the ADAC Supercup series before being returned to Le Mans “langheck” specification and sold to Porsche Kremer Racing. They displayed the car in their showrooms briefly, selling it to Kerry Morse half a year later.

‘010’ has recently run in demonstration events at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Silverstone Festival and others, and even been reunited with Derek Bell. It is presented in its original Le Mans paint and in impressively original condition.

Click this link to Fiskens to learn the car’s full story.

Images and information thanks to Fiskens