Review by CoMod JoergW of the Evo/Carrera D132 Porsche 917/30 Sunoco Porsche Audi No. 6 '73 (27327/30521)
Porsche had largely left the World Prototype Championship to Ferrari and Matra-Simca in 1972 and 1973, instead competing in the Can-Am series in accordance with the rules. Porsche had first entered the U.S. market in 1969 with its partner Audi and the Porsche 917 PA, so the company already had a foothold there and could deploy its new developments in the turbocharged 917 series.
The successful Porsche 917/30s, with over 1,000 horsepower, secured six victories in 1973 but failed to win in Atlanta. There, the Porsche 917/10, the previous year’s Can-Am champion, was still successful. Mark Donohue, who alsoCarrera drove the model Carrera , became the Can-Am champion. Several second- and third-place finishes rounded out Porsche’s triumph that year. Since people wanted to see American cars, the rules were subsequently changed in the Can-Am series as well, and Porsche was no longer eligible to compete with its winning cars.
At Talladega, the car reached a top speed of 386 km/h, though the official record is listed as 355.85 km/h. Shortly after setting this record, Mark Donohue was killed in a crash in his Penske Formula 1 car at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Appearance:
The paint job looks very realistic and is, of course, highly visible on the track thanks to its color scheme. The car appears very well-proportioned. Upon closer inspection, minor imperfections in the paint can be spotted along one of the thin red dividing lines.
The mock-up engine and suspension are detailed and actually quite well-protected. Only in crash races might this area sustain some damage. There are two small LEDs inside the exhaust pipes, with another one positioned in the center above them. This "warning triangle" allows you to monitor the refueling process while standing next to the track.
Technical Specs:
The front axle is split into two parts and turns very easily in its factory configuration. Otherwise, the standard Evo/D132 engine is installed, which naturally raises questions about its equivalence to the McLaren M20. Unlike the McLaren, the Porsche does not lift off the ground on either the inside or outside of Turn 3. The wide tires have decent grip and require only a brief edge break.
Workmanship:
No defects are apparent in the workmanship.
Handling:
The 917/30 runs very quietly and unspectacularly. Unlike the M20, it isn’t quite as snappy and aggressive, but it handles quickly and safely. The 917/30 has significantly fewer takeoffs, which allows it to offset the McLaren’s slight speed advantage. If anything, you can dial the McLaren’s speed back by 10–20%, though it will then be safer to drive. Exciting CanAm races are in store, though the cars should be thoroughly tested and tuned due to variations in production specifications to ensure a level playing field.
Conclusion:
It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed driving at high speeds with a full magnet setup this much! I think a speed event as a team race with the CanAm cars is really fun.
CoMod JoergW
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Test report by CoMod martinmm on the Evo/Carrera D132 Porsche 917/30 Sunoco Porsche Audi No. 6 '73 (27327/30521)
In the winter of '72-73, Porsche developed the 917/30, which made its debut at Mosport in May 1973. Despite problems with the front shock absorbers, Mark Donohue finished in 7th place—and also set the fastest lap of the race. In the second race of the season, at Road Atlanta, he managed to finish in 2nd place, again setting the fastest lap of the race. No surprise there: The 12-cylinder 5.4-liter turbo engine produced 1,500 hp at 2 bar of boost on the test bench. In the race, they settled for 1.3 bar—which was still enough for a solid 1,100 hp. Mark Donohue won the next six races of the 1973 season in the Porsche 917/30. Due to its overwhelming superiority, the Can-Am championship regulations were changed so that in 1974, the final year the Can-Am was held, participation with this vehicle was no longer permitted. In 1975, Mark Donohue set a new record with the 917/30, achieving an average speed of 355 km/h on the oval track at Talladega. But that record will soon be broken byCarrera ...
Appearance and Workmanship
The vehicle is a faithful reproduction of the real thing. The paint finish on the large blue surfaces is very clean and free of dust. Only the huge rear spoiler appears slightly bent—perhaps the two center struts are too long or, due to the paint application, do not sit deep enough into the body. All the wheels spin smoothly, as far as can be seen by visual inspection. The separate front wheels are different but both relatively light: (the right one spins about 3–4 turns, the left at least 10—I stopped counting after that. So, sufficiently good.)
Technology
The vehicle is equipped with the standard E200 motor.
Naturally, the vehicle does not have any lighting, with the exception of an exhaust light, which in the digital version
serves to monitor
the refueling process and simultaneously replaces the brake light.
Front axle: Independent suspension.
Weight: Body 30g, chassis (without magnets) 65g
Test drive
I drove it on our 28-meterCarrera club track. As expected, the car sticks to the track with the magnets—though you can even drift! The test without magnets seems more interesting and revealing to me:
I lightly sanded the tires on a sanding board and rounded off the edges slightly. It took less than 2 minutes. The grippy feel of the tires doesn’t deceive: they have very good grip. Acceleration and braking performance are still OK—after all, the wheel diameter is quite substantial. Fast, controlled cornering is possible, and the vehicle gets pretty fast on straights—though you need correspondingly long straights. The low driving noise is also very pleasant.
Compared to the McLaren M20:
My skepticism regarding the different engines and rear wheel diameters proved unfounded. We were able to drive side by side for many laps on this long track. The McLaren has a slight advantage in acceleration and braking, simply because of its lighter weight. The Porsche 917/30 reaches a slightly higher top speed. This means you can already have quite balanced and exciting races without any tinkering (except for removing magnets and sanding down tires). I definitely see room for optimization on the Porsche 917/30 in terms of the bodywork. A few more grams could—and should—be saved here.
As a complement, you could bring a Lola T260, Porsche 917/10, or a Shadow DN2, all appropriate for the era. If you’re not too strict about it, a Ferrari 512M, 612P, or 350 Can-Am would also be a visually appealing addition.
CoMod martinmm
Porsche had largely left the World Prototype Championship to Ferrari and Matra-Simca in 1972 and 1973, instead competing in the Can-Am series in accordance with the rules. Porsche had first entered the U.S. market in 1969 with its partner Audi and the Porsche 917 PA, so the company already had a foothold there and could deploy its new developments in the turbocharged 917 series.
The successful Porsche 917/30s, with over 1,000 horsepower, secured six victories in 1973 but failed to win in Atlanta. There, the Porsche 917/10, the previous year’s Can-Am champion, was still successful. Mark Donohue, who also
At Talladega, the car reached a top speed of 386 km/h, though the official record is listed as 355.85 km/h. Shortly after setting this record, Mark Donohue was killed in a crash in his Penske Formula 1 car at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Appearance:
The paint job looks very realistic and is, of course, highly visible on the track thanks to its color scheme. The car appears very well-proportioned. Upon closer inspection, minor imperfections in the paint can be spotted along one of the thin red dividing lines.
The mock-up engine and suspension are detailed and actually quite well-protected. Only in crash races might this area sustain some damage. There are two small LEDs inside the exhaust pipes, with another one positioned in the center above them. This "warning triangle" allows you to monitor the refueling process while standing next to the track.
Technical Specs:
The front axle is split into two parts and turns very easily in its factory configuration. Otherwise, the standard Evo/D132 engine is installed, which naturally raises questions about its equivalence to the McLaren M20. Unlike the McLaren, the Porsche does not lift off the ground on either the inside or outside of Turn 3. The wide tires have decent grip and require only a brief edge break.
Workmanship:
No defects are apparent in the workmanship.
Handling:
The 917/30 runs very quietly and unspectacularly. Unlike the M20, it isn’t quite as snappy and aggressive, but it handles quickly and safely. The 917/30 has significantly fewer takeoffs, which allows it to offset the McLaren’s slight speed advantage. If anything, you can dial the McLaren’s speed back by 10–20%, though it will then be safer to drive. Exciting CanAm races are in store, though the cars should be thoroughly tested and tuned due to variations in production specifications to ensure a level playing field.
Conclusion:
It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed driving at high speeds with a full magnet setup this much! I think a speed event as a team race with the CanAm cars is really fun.
CoMod JoergW
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Test report by CoMod martinmm on the Evo/
In the winter of '72-73, Porsche developed the 917/30, which made its debut at Mosport in May 1973. Despite problems with the front shock absorbers, Mark Donohue finished in 7th place—and also set the fastest lap of the race. In the second race of the season, at Road Atlanta, he managed to finish in 2nd place, again setting the fastest lap of the race. No surprise there: The 12-cylinder 5.4-liter turbo engine produced 1,500 hp at 2 bar of boost on the test bench. In the race, they settled for 1.3 bar—which was still enough for a solid 1,100 hp. Mark Donohue won the next six races of the 1973 season in the Porsche 917/30. Due to its overwhelming superiority, the Can-Am championship regulations were changed so that in 1974, the final year the Can-Am was held, participation with this vehicle was no longer permitted. In 1975, Mark Donohue set a new record with the 917/30, achieving an average speed of 355 km/h on the oval track at Talladega. But that record will soon be broken by
Appearance and Workmanship
The vehicle is a faithful reproduction of the real thing. The paint finish on the large blue surfaces is very clean and free of dust. Only the huge rear spoiler appears slightly bent—perhaps the two center struts are too long or, due to the paint application, do not sit deep enough into the body. All the wheels spin smoothly, as far as can be seen by visual inspection. The separate front wheels are different but both relatively light: (the right one spins about 3–4 turns, the left at least 10—I stopped counting after that. So, sufficiently good.)
Technology
The vehicle is equipped with the standard E200 motor.
Naturally, the vehicle does not have any lighting, with the exception of an exhaust light, which in the digital version
serves to monitor
the refueling process and simultaneously replaces the brake light.
Front axle: Independent suspension.
Weight: Body 30g, chassis (without magnets) 65g
Test drive
I drove it on our 28-meter
I lightly sanded the tires on a sanding board and rounded off the edges slightly. It took less than 2 minutes. The grippy feel of the tires doesn’t deceive: they have very good grip. Acceleration and braking performance are still OK—after all, the wheel diameter is quite substantial. Fast, controlled cornering is possible, and the vehicle gets pretty fast on straights—though you need correspondingly long straights. The low driving noise is also very pleasant.
Compared to the McLaren M20:
My skepticism regarding the different engines and rear wheel diameters proved unfounded. We were able to drive side by side for many laps on this long track. The McLaren has a slight advantage in acceleration and braking, simply because of its lighter weight. The Porsche 917/30 reaches a slightly higher top speed. This means you can already have quite balanced and exciting races without any tinkering (except for removing magnets and sanding down tires). I definitely see room for optimization on the Porsche 917/30 in terms of the bodywork. A few more grams could—and should—be saved here.
As a complement, you could bring a Lola T260, Porsche 917/10, or a Shadow DN2, all appropriate for the era. If you’re not too strict about it, a Ferrari 512M, 612P, or 350 Can-Am would also be a visually appealing addition.
CoMod martinmm
