Why “Moby Dick”? Have you noticed its long and large back, and its white color? It would be a matter of time to name the Porsche 935/78 — the latest official evolution of the Porsche 935 (1976-1981) — designed to thrive in Le Mans, like the whale in Herman Melville's 1851 book of the same name.
The 935/78 was the latest and most radical evolution of the Group 5 racing car, but despite being a very competitive model, it never managed to conquer Le Mans and would only have one victory under its belt, in the 6 Hours of Silverstone.
Its extreme aerodynamics and high power (between 760-860 hp) made it the fastest model on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans in 1978, reaching 367 km/h, faster even than Porsche's own prototype, the 936. But problems that came from an engine change before the race would put the 935/78 out of the fight for victory (it would finish 8th) — this would be won by the Renault Alpine A442B.
It is nonetheless less fascinating for that. Porsche now reminds us five facts about one of its most recognized racing cars.
The new "Moby Dick"
As a tribute, Porsche revisited a new and simply named 935 “Moby Dick” in 2018. Based on the 911 GT2 RS (991) and like the original, the new “Moby Dick” was longer (+32 cm) and wider (+15 cm) than the donor.
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The GT2 RS's 700 hp flat-six remained unchanged, with increased performance to come, in part from the 100 kg less — a consequence of a diet rich in carbon fiber.
Limited to circuit use, the exclusivity of the new 935 “Moby Dick” was also guaranteed by the limited production of just 77 units, with a base price starting above 700 thousand euros.
