09/04/2026
Happy 9/04. 🏁
Introduced in late 1963 for the 1964 season, the 904 marked a major shift in Porsche motorsport. Designed by Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche, the same mind behind the original 911, it was a purpose-built mid-engine competition car that could still be driven on the road.
Officially called the Carrera GTS, “904” was its internal Porsche designation. It was also the first Porsche to wear the now-famous GTS name. Underneath that incredibly low body was another Porsche first: a fiberglass-reinforced plastic body bonded to a steel box frame. The result was an exceptionally light, aerodynamic machine weighing roughly 650 kg (1,430 lbs).
Most 904s were powered by Porsche’s legendary four-cam flat-four, while factory development cars also experimented with flat-six and even flat-eight engines.
Porsche needed 100 examples to homologate it for GT racing, and almost immediately, it started collecting trophies. In 1964, the 904 scored an overall 1–2 finish at the Targa Florio, one of the most demanding road races in the world. It also earned class victories at Le Mans and Sebring, and even proved itself in rallying with a podium at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally.
More than six decades later, the 904 remains one of the purest expressions of Porsche’s racing philosophy: lightweight, efficient, beautifully engineered, and built to compete.
And yes, they still sound pretty good in the rain. 🌧️🏎️
