“It wants you to drive the hell out of it;” strong words from a man who knows a thing or two about Porsche racing cars. Legendary Porsche racer Derek Bell got behind the wheel of Jo Bonnier and Hans Hermann’s Targa Florio-winning Porsche 718 from 1960 for the latest Petrolicious feature, and took the car back to the famous mountain circuit in Sicily.
With just 1600cc and around 170 horsepower, the 718 is a far cry from the 917s Bell raced in the 1970s, and even further from the 962c he won his final Le Mans with in 1987. Bell found this step back in time surprisingly emotional, connecting not only with the legacy of the car and circuit, but with the brand’s legacy and its impact on him and countless other racing drivers.