Miguel Sánchez
When we talk about brands dedicated to a very specific market niche, we have to mention their personality. And it is that, contrary to what is experienced by generalist firms, the cars coming out of their factories must have a very specific identity to stand out from the others. Thus, while some companies opt for power or equipment, others do so for lightness and sensations at the wheel. Based on this, Lotus and Porsche have been pulling muscle for decades thanks to their excellent weight / power ratios.
In fact, while the first has signed its motto with it thanks to "don't give me horses, take weight off me", the second has successfully taken this approach to all kinds of races. Without going any further to Le Mans 1951. Occasion in which Porsche Motorsport began its journey. Official team of the brand, which managed to stand out against the best squads of the moment permit thanks to 356 SL Gmund Coupe. A simple and small sports car powered by its concise 1 liter and 1CV engine. Of course, in charge of only 46 kilos covered by careful aerodynamics.
In this way, the 356 SL achieved victory in its class as well as being in XNUMXth position overall. Positioning itself ahead of many models with greater displacement. Thus evidencing how successful it can be in a circuit to have a good weight / power ratio in your favor. Thus the things, from this moment Porsche made lightness one of its main and best hallmarks. Evidence of this is the 909 "Berg Spyder" -with only 384 kilos for its 275CV eight-cylinder- or the magnesium chassis of the 917.
However, in the long and prolific career of Ferdinand Porsche, his commitment to lightness did not wait until the manufacture of his own models with the Type 64 or 356. Far from it, already in 1922 he established a clear precedent of what would be be your formula for success and brand identity with the Austro Daimler ADS R “Sascha”. One of his first sports designs, which managed to finish first and second in its category during the Targa-Florio that same year. The start of the excellent power-to-weight ratios at Porsche years before the founding of the company itself.
AUSTRO DAIMLER “SASCHA”, WHEN LESS IS MORE
Having been born in 1875, Ferdinand Porsche can be traced back to the seminal days of motor racing. In fact, before becoming an entrepreneur thanks to his design office in the XNUMXs, Ferdinand Porsche was an employee of various brands. A long career in which he showed his ingenuity since in 1898 he presented Lohner's electric and hybrid cars. Undoubtedly some visionary models ahead of their time, demonstrating more than a century ago the possibilities of the formula later established by the Toyota Prius.
Thanks to such bold designs, his work caught the attention of the prestigious Austro-Daimler. Which hired him in 1906 as technical director three years before becoming a subsidiary of the German parent company. Responsible for producing everything from zeppelins to saloon models, Austro-Daimler entered the world of racing as a formula for experimentation and publicity at the hands of Ferdinand Porsche. Of those really interested in aerodynamics, which was being given scientific attention for the first time with studies as careful as they were intuitive.
Something really worthwhile. Well, even until a long time later, aerodynamics was seen as a fuzzy matter of dubious utility. In fact, until Vittorio Jano began to change the dominant vision with his revolutionary Alfa Romeo P3, the way to gain speed was to increase the displacement. An endless race in which the weight of the vehicles -and therefore their behavior- were increasingly compromised. Approach against which Ferdinand Porsche rebelled in 1922 with the launch of the Austro-Daimler "Sascha". A racing car dominated by its low weight -598 kilos- and its small displacement -1.089 cc-.
DIRECT TO THE TARGA-FLORIO
Started in 1906, the Targa-Florio was one of the biggest and most prestigious races of all time. The place where the best sports brands of the moment exhibited their mechanics. Dominated in its early days by a series of small and specialized Italian factories, among which SCAT, Nazzaro and even Isotta-Fraschini stand out. Nevertheless, thanks to FIAT the manufacturers with greater financial capacity were winning editions until mastering the test from the twenties. Beginning of the successive reign of Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari and Porsche until ending in the last edition held in 1977 with the victory of a Chevron-BMW.
Anyway, the truth is that by 1922 winning -or at least being well positioned- in the Targa-Florio gave an unquestionable aura of prestige to any manufacturer. For this reason, Austro-Daimler decided to put Ferdinand Porsche in charge of what should be his star design in the company. And it was. Not only for finishing first and second in his class at the 1922 Targa-Florio, but also for putting on the table a radically different kind of racing car. To begin with, a stringer chassis was made as light as possible. In this way, the length was shortened giving the model a compact appearance. Without overhangs and with the axes located right at the ends.
In addition, in order to lighten weight, all the accessory parts of the bodywork were eliminated. In fact, although in other races it looked even more naked, for the Targa-Florio the only concession was lenticular rims and an aerodynamic rear in the shape of a drop of water. Beneath it all hid an engine of only 1.089 cc but capable of delivering 45 CV of power. Structured on the basis of four cylinders with eight valves and two overhead camshafts. A very careful design with a wide crankcase bolted to the frame, being capable of launching the Austro-Daimler “Sascha” up to 144 km/h.
With all this, the unit with the best result in the 1922 Targa-Florio managed to do an average of 54 km/hour through the 432 kilometers of the test. Just seven kilometers below the average marked by the absolute winner. A Mercedes GP with a 4 liter engine. Four times more than the small Austro-Daimler "Sascha" although considerably heavier. In this way, it was clear that the mount smaller motors on frames with better weight-to-power ratio. Just the same desire for low weight and good behavior in curves that would give Porsche its next Targa-Florio in 1956 with a 550. Another featherweight with its only 550 kilos of weight. The repetition of the same story.
Images: Porsche Museum
P.D. We express our gratitude to the Porsche Museum, thanks to which once again we have been able to verify both the data and original photographs not previously published in Spain for the preparation of an article.
