Porsche LMP 2000 (1999): The racing car that never saw Le Mans

Revived after 25 years, the prototype completes its first laps with just 48 miles on the clock

Porsche brings racing car LMP 2000 (1999) to life

Photo by: Porsche

By: Benja Hiller

Published by: Brian Potter

Dec 18, 2024 at 4:41am ET

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Porsche has already collected 19 overall victories and over 100 class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One more was to be added in 2000, following on from the success of the 911 GT1. However, as is so often the case, things turned out differently than those involved thought.

The LMP 2000 was already a worthy successor to the newly created LMP900 category. It crammed 600 PS from a naturally aspirated V10-cylinder engine with a displacement of 5.5 litres based on an earlier Formula 1 engine from Porsche into a monocoque with an open cockpit.

Gallery: Porsche brings racing car LMP 2000 (1999) to life

Porsche brings LMP 2000 (1999) racing car to life

Source: Porsche

Even during the test, the LMP 2000, weighing just under 900 kilos, reached 188 mph. However, after just 78 test kilometres (48 miles) at the beginning of November 1999, the ambitious racing car, which was supposed to show what was possible for Porsche at the time, came to an end. The reason for the end: money.

The LMP 2000 only saw the test track in Weissach. Even before the first runs, the Porsche management at the time, led by then CEO Wendelin Wiedeking, decided to discontinue the Le Mans project for cost reasons, but approved the completion of the racing car and a few laps with it. The later Le Mans winner Allan McNish completed 60 kilometres (37 miles) before the project was to be mothballed for over 20 years.

Porsche Heritage and the museum then remembered the brand-new prototype and dug it out for a revival. Slowly, they work their way towards the engine. The first step was to start the engine after almost 25 years and hear its distinctive ten-cylinder sound for the first time.

Porsche brings racing car LMP 2000 (1999) to life

Photos by: Porsche

Porsche brings racing car LMP 2000 (1999) to life

The gearbox is expected to cause more problems during rebuilding. That's why the Porsche Formula E team is lending a helping hand: "We found four control units and tried to access them using an old computer," says Steffen Wolf, an engineer from the engine management systems department, explaining the problem with communication between the paddle shifters and the gearbox: "So we needed a control unit that reacts to the signal from the paddle on the steering wheel and then actuates the gearstick. As paddle shifting was not possible, it had to be designed so that upshifts and downshifts take place when the clutch is operated."

This act succeeds, the car becomes shiftable and awaits its first roll-out after 25 years. During the restoration, many former team members and Porsche companions come together again. After 25 years at the wheel, then as now - Allan McNish. The 54-year-old is allowed to drive the first laps on the 2.88-kilometre test track: "Fantastic! It feels like I've just travelled back 25 years," said the Scottish-born driver.

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And Timo Bernhard, who was just signing his contract as a Porsche Junior at the age of 18, also got to do a few laps. "I saw the car and imagined what it would be like to drive it one day," says the later Le Mans winner: "It makes me very proud that 25 years later I was able to complete a few test laps with the racing car"

It was not until 2015 that a Porsche won the 24 Hours of Le Mans again - the future Nürburgring record holder, the Porsche 919 Hybrid. Also on board: former Haas and future Sauber and Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg.

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