Porsche 934

934s were fitted with a three-litre, flat-fan, single-turbo engine and strengthened four-speed transaxle. Unlike its predecessor, the naturally aspirated RSR 3.0, the 934 could be handful to drive. Some owners never mastered the single-turbo’s delayed power delivery; others caught on quickly and mastered the car’s habits.

According to Porsche expert Jürgen Barth, chassis 0172 was purchased new by tyre importer Richard Leder of Hamburg. Leder ran just seven events with this 934, securing a victory at Kassel Calden on 9 May 1976, his fourth time out. Unfortunately, the car crashed a few weeks later on the first lap of the Nürburgring ADAC 1000 km. Then, in June, Leder tragically died in a road accident and the car passed to Volker Merl, who campaigned the car in the German National Championship, along with a number of smaller national races.

Merl subsequently upgraded the 934’s original engine to a stronger 930/73, and was able to win at Avus in May of 1977. Merl eventually sold his 934 to a Swiss Porsche dealer, Peter Zbinden. Often paired with fellow Swiss Edi Kofel, Zbinden entered more than 30 events in 1978, 1979, and 1980, claiming no fewer than 16 class and overall wins. Zbinden converted the car to full 935 specification in 1980 before selling it to Pierre Schaerer of Bern, who ran the car primarily in Swiss championship races and hillclimbs. In 1982 the car was sold to Peter Baumann of Zurich, who used the car in club events in company with then-Porsche Sports Director Max Welti. Baumann subsequently restored the car to its original appearance and livery.

This 934 boasts an impressive pedigree: of 69 races entered, it recorded 18 overall victories or class wins and 29 podiums. After recommissioning and fitment of new tyres, this car would be eligible for such prestigious vintage events as the Le Mans Classic, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and others.