June 1994, and the yellow Dauer Racing 962LM road car prototype caused a stir as it cruised around the Sarthe to the delight of car enthusiasts from all over the world. The very next day, the race version of this car won the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since that first car was built, and the definitive version of this earth-bound guided missile is different and better in many ways. Attention to detail has turned it from a street-legal racer into a thoroughly developed and civilised road going supercar. A plethora of electro-hydraulic systems have been built into the car, so now pneumatic struts hold the doors open and opening and closing the huge engine compartment cover is now power-assisted and at the touch of a button. If you have a ramp on your driveway or need to negotiate a speed bump, pressing another button raises the suspension a couple of inches. The computer that looks after the hydraulic element of the suspension also automatically lowers the car from its raised height if you exceed 50mph (80km/h). It is also not much fun to have to change gears on a car like this in traffic. Dauer considered many options and in the end came up with a unique transmission that uses the normal 962 manual box and clutch. But instead of using a gear lever, you select ratios via the Tiptronic S style knobs on the steering wheel. More efficient air-cooling, full-leather trim, a detachable steering wheel for easy access and properly detailed luggage compartments in the sills. All these refinements plus better, more comfortable seats have transformed the latest model.
Climbing in means stepping on a seat because you don't want to damage the kevlar tops of the luggage bins in the deep sills. Once in, you sit snug and secure in the cockpit of the world's fastest road car. Press the starter and 730 race bred horses roar into life. The engine in the car is the famous 2994cc water-cooled, twin-cam-per-bank, four-valves-per-cylinder Porsche flat-six. A pair of intercooled KKK turbochargers are employed and the Le Mans spec engine has 'softer' cams and therefore more tractable driving characteristics.
This engine is fully European emissions legal thanks to racing catalytic convertors and Bosch Motronic 1.7 engine management. The latter allows a relatively high 9.0:1 compression ratio to be run without any problems. The 730bhp is delivered at 7,400rpm, you get a red warning light at 7,300rpm, the soft-cut rev limiter goes into action at 7,400rpm and there is a hard cut-out at 7,800rpm. At 1080kg, the 962LM may weigh around 180kg more than its competition brother, but its power-to weight ratio is still better than a McLaren F1s. In a drag start, 0-60mph takes just 2.6 sec in first gear! Five seconds later you have doubled your speed again. Ultimately a shade over 250mph is possible, about twice the take-off speed of a jumbo jet!
On a dry racetrack, even the 517 lb ft of torque that arrives at 5,000rpm cannot break the grip of the 265/35ZR 18 rear tyres on their 11J x 18-inch wheels, and the acceleration on full boost is really mind-blowing. Whooooa! The engine's scream builds to a crescendo. It is a symphony for cams and induction. Second gear, 7,400rpm. Flick the gear selector to third and depress the clutch. The next ratio drops in smoothly and as you come back hand on the throttle in third, the engine noise builds up very quickly again. Only 1,200rpm between gears. Whooooa! Select fourth with the button. 7,400rpm. Dip the clutch. Fourth gear. 160mph. Running out of straight now. Hit the gear selector button to go down two ratios and make full use of the fabulous anchors. The car shrugs off 100mph in scant seconds and you feel the g-force of retardation and the harnesses biting into your shoulders as you dip the clutch to find second gear. The engine note rises, greeting the gear that will rocket you through the right hand bend as you come back on the throttle to balance the car into the turn that leads back to the pit lane...
Damn, too bad the 962 Le Mans costs $850K USD.