By 1969, Porsche had already developed a variant of its 12-cylinder race car for the North American Can-Am series. Although the original 917 was designed for endurance events, its platform showed potential for Can-Am's sprint races. Porsche, aiming to regain prominence in US road racing, began developing a lighter and more powerful car. The first Can-Am 917 was the PA, which debuted in late 1969. It featured open bodywork, wider wheels, an extra fuel tank, and a revised frame. The PA showed promise, finishing 4th in the 1969 Can-Am standings.
Late in 1970, Porsche decided to create a purpose-built Can-Am 917. Hans Mezger’s team worked on a chassis combining aspects of the 917K and 908/03, with the addition of a twin-turbocharged five-liter powerplant, resulting in the 917/10. In 1972, Porsche partnered with Roger Penske Racing. With L&M Cigarettes as the primary sponsor, the Penske Racing 917/10 dominated the 1972 Can-Am season, winning six of nine races.
For 1973, Porsche introduced the 917/30, which was largely an all-new car compared to its predecessor. It featured an enlarged 5.4-liter flat-12 engine, turbocharged, and dramatic, low-drag bodywork. To address issues from the 1972 season, Porsche enlisted Charles Deutsch’s SERA of Paris for aerodynamic advice and used the Eiffel wind tunnel for design refinement. The wheelbase was extended, fuel capacity increased, lower wishbones were strengthened, and special extractor turbines were designed for brake cooling.
The 917/30 was produced in 1972-1973. It featured a 5.4-liter twin-turbo flat-12 engine producing 1,100 bhp, with over 1,500 bhp achievable with increased boost. The car weighed 1,765 lbs. and had a top speed of 238 mph. Its power-to-weight ratio enabled staggering performance figures: 0–60 mph in 2.1 seconds, 0–100 mph in 3.9 seconds, and 0–200 mph in 13.4 seconds. Given sufficient road, the 917/30 could exceed 240 mph. With a conservative boost of 1.2 bar, an engine could record 983 bhp at 8,400 rpm, with an estimated capability of 1,200 bhp at 1.4 bar.
In 1973, after a challenging start to the season, Mark Donohue won six consecutive races, dominating the competition and securing the Can-Am Championship. The Porsche 917/30 was so effective that it easily outdistanced other advanced racing cars on faster circuits. Following the 1973 season, Mark Donohue retired from racing, and Porsche concluded its Can-Am program. In 1975, Mark Donohue made a final appearance in the 917/30, setting a new official record for the fastest closed-course lap at 221.120 mph on August 9, 1975, a record that stood for nearly two decades.
Only six chassis of the Porsche 917/30 were constructed. Chassis 001 and 002 are part of the Porsche Museum Collection in Stuttgart. Chassis 003 is owned by a private collector in France, while chassis 005 and 006 are also in private hands. Chassis 004, sold new to Australian Porsche importer Alan Hamilton, was later reacquired by Porsche and restored in the Sunoco livery. It was later purchased by David Morse and restored by Morspeed. The 917/30/004 won the 917 class at the 2004 Rennsport Reunion II Concours and was exhibited at the Porsche Club of America 50th Anniversary Porsche Parade in 2005. It was also displayed at the 100 Motor Cars of Radnor Hunt and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2006. The car was featured in Pete Lyons' book Can-Am Cars in Detail. The 917/30 is considered one of the most iconic racing cars of all time and a monumental work of automotive engineering.
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