Porsche Cars GB Revs Up 50th Anniversary Of 911 With 'Project 50' Historic Race Car

SILVERSTONE – May 28, 2013: In an exciting initiative to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 911, Porsche Cars GB is racing a classic 1965 example of the iconic sports coupe in Historic motor sport this year; this special car is making its racing debut at Brands Hatch, Kent, this weekend.

The 1965 ‘short-wheelbase’ 911 will be racing under the ‘Project 50’ team banner in selected 'Masters Series' events alongside appearances at larger Historic Festivals such as the Nürburgring OldTimer and Silverstone Classic.

The car has undergone extensive pre-season testing and makes its formal race debut this coming weekend at Brands Hatch on Bank Holiday Monday, 27 May. It will be driven by 2003 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion, Barry Horne, and Gordon Robertson, Chief Driving Consultant at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone. The car is maintained and run jointly by technicians based at the Porsche Experience Centre and the in-house Porsche Cars GB Motorsport team, who also provide the technical support for the Carrera Cup GB Championship and GT3 Cup Challenge GB.

“Winning the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship really put my driving career into top gear, and over the last decade I have been pleased to continue working with Porsche Cars GB closely at the Experience Centre at Silverstone,” said Barry Horne. “The ‘Project 50’ race car has a little less horsepower than the 911 GT3 Cup car I drove to my Championship win, but the classic handling balance you get with the rear-mounted, flat-six engine remains much the same. In fact, with the slimmer tyres of the 1965 car, it slides about much more which keeps you on your toes!”

Gordon Robertson, the star of many on-line Porsche Origin films in which his deft car control showcases the dynamic performance of the latest sports cars from Stuttgart, is also looking forward to the Brands Hatch race. “The famous 2.4 mile Brands Hatch GP circuit has seen its fair share of great motor racing battles, and Porsche has been at the forefront in many. The character of the circuit should be a good match for our 911, and the scene is set for perhaps another great battle!”

In addition to emphasising the race-bred nature of the 911, ‘Project 50’ is a natural high speed ambassador for the Porsche Classic parts service. From its hub at the company headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, Porsche Classic maintains a stock of over 35,000 genuine Porsche spares – for cars spanning the 356 to the Type 993 911 – which are available over the counter from Porsche Centres worldwide.

Further partners in ‘Project 50’ are the luxury five-star London hotel, The Mayfair, based in Stratton Street, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer TAG Heuer, Dunlop tyres and the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone.