Porsche's Powerful Flat-16 Engine in the 917 PA Spyder

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【Summary】Porsche developed a flat-16 engine with over 800 HP to address power challenges in the Can-Am series dominated by McLaren. The engine was tested in the 917 PA Spyder under the supervision of Ferdinand Piech and Hans Mezger.

FutureCar Staff Nov 20, 2023 10:15 PM PT

Porsche's Powerful Flat-16 Engine in the 917 PA Spyder

Porsche's iconic 917 race cars were not created overnight. The German automaker had to go through years of development, which included the creation of a 16-cylinder engine.

In the early 1970s, Porsche found itself facing a tough challenge in the Can-Am series. Despite the success of Porsche's 917 in endurance racing, the series was dominated by McLaren.

In an effort to address the power deficit against V8-powered competitors, Porsche decided to explore developing a flat 16-cylinder engine. This engine was capable of producing over 800 horsepower. To test this new engine, Porsche used the 917 PA Spyder, which featured the unique motor developed by the legendary Hans Mezger under the supervision of Ferdinand Piech.