A Legend Returns: An Evening with the Last Porsche 917

When the last 917 came home – the incredible journey of the K81

There are special evenings when you simply listen. Last week was one of those evenings. In a small circle, during good conversations, we revisited the incredible story of the last Porsche 917 ever built. From Le Mans 1981 to the spectacular drive across Zurich's Europa Bridge – a journey through 44 years of motorsport history.

The Beginning: 1979-1980

The story begins in the late 1970s when the Kremer brothers, Erwin and Manfred, had a crazy idea: revive the Porsche 917, a decade after everyone thought that era was over. The two ran Kremer Racing, the most successful private Porsche racing team in history. If anyone could pull this off, it was them.

Porsche supported the project and even provided the original chassis drawings. Over two years, the Kremers collected parts until they had enough to build the 917 K81 – the "K" for Kremer, the "81" for the year of its first deployment.

Le Mans 1981: Hope and Disappointment

When the yellow 917 K81 appeared at Le Mans, it was a sensation. A decade after this era had supposedly ended, there stood another 917 on the grid. The first tests at the Nürburgring were promising. Bob Wollek, who had heard the old stories about the 917 being a "monster," was surprised at how well-balanced the car was.

But Le Mans is merciless. After 18 hours of racing, when the driver team of Wollek, Chasseuil, and Lapeyre were within reach of a respectable result, a technical defect forced them to retire. At the 1000 Kilometres of Brands Hatch, the race also ended prematurely due to a suspension failure – but not before Wollek set the fastest 917 lap ever recorded there. A record that stands to this day.

The Silent Years

Then the 917 K81 disappeared from the spotlight. In the mid-1980s, it was sold, first to a German dealer. And here's where Karl-Heinz Feustel enters the story – a Porsche specialist who helped find a new owner at the time. From then on, Feustel looked after the car for around 15 years. His son Florian came into contact with this special racing car as a child.

Later, the 917 K81 moved to France, where it remained until 2024. Nearly 40 years during which this last 917 waited in various collections. The memories of Le Mans 1981 faded, but the car remained – a witness to a bygone era.

Monaco 2024: The Circle Closes

At the RM Sotheby's auction in Monaco 2024, the 917 K81 came under the hammer. Florian Feustel, now CEO of Raceline AG in Neunkirch, Switzerland, was commissioned by a customer to bid on the car. Because time was tight and Feustel was on the road at the time of the auction, he placed the winning bid over the phone.

It's a story only life can write: The car his father had looked after for 15 years now stood in his own workshop. A generation later, the son would complete what the father had begun.

4,500 Hours of Dedication

The responsibility was enormous. The last 917. Not just any 917 – the very last one. For several months, the Raceline AG team worked on the 917 K81. 4,500 work hours went into the authentic restoration. Night shifts, sweat, and certainly moments of doubt. An expert in classic Porsche racing cars accompanied the project.

The goal was clear: The 917 K81 shouldn't just look good – it should race again, live again, carry that unmistakable sound across the race tracks once more.

Le Mans Classic 2025: The Setback

In July 2025, the big moment was supposed to come. Le Mans Classic – the return to the place where it all began in 1981. The Raceline team traveled to France with the restored 917 K81.

But then came the material failure. On site, the car had to be disassembled, a replacement engine was to be fetched. The effort was too great, the time too short. The disappointment after months of intensive preparation and 4,500 hours of work must have been immense.

Nürburgring: The Vindication

But the Raceline team didn't give up. Two months later, in September 2025, came the chance for redemption. The ADAC 1000-Kilometre Race on the legendary Nordschleife. This time in the supporting program, organized by Tobias Aichele of Solitude GmbH.

And this time everything worked. The 917 K81 ran flawlessly, finally showing what it was capable of. The Green Hell had its legend back. After the setback at Le Mans, this was the well-deserved satisfaction for all the hard work.

Europa Bridge Zurich: The Spectacular Finale

And then came that Monday evening in October 2025. Zurich's Europa Bridge. Anyone who happened to be there experienced something unique: the sound of a 12-cylinder boxer engine echoing through the city.

The 917 K81, from Altstetten to Höngg and back. Not on a race track, but in the middle of Zurich, on one of the city's most distinctive bridges. The police controlled traffic, Phaze Agency organized the filming. The City of Zurich had authorized the action, and although the spectacle lasted nearly an hour, professional organization prevented any major traffic disruptions.

These were film recordings for a documentary about the vehicle's restoration at Raceline. The team had even meticulously rehearsed unloading the car beforehand.

A Message for the Future

One detail shows what the team was really about: They fueled the 917 with CO2-neutral gasoline. Florian Feustel explained: "We want to show that historic vehicles also have a right to drive in the future."

It's not just about nostalgia. It's about allowing these legends to live. That they don't gather dust in climate-controlled museum halls, but that their engines run, that they sound, that they inspire people.

Part of the documentary's proceeds will be donated to a charitable cause after its release.

A Story of Generations

From 1981 to 2025. 44 years. From Le Mans via Monaco back to Switzerland. From disappointment at Le Mans Classic to triumph on the Nordschleife to the drive across the Europa Bridge.

It's the story of the Kremer brothers, who had the courage to revive the 917 in 1981. The story of Karl-Heinz Feustel, who looked after the car in the 1980s. The story of his son Florian and the Raceline AG team, who invested 4,500 hours to save the legend and didn't give up after the setback at Le Mans.

It's a story about passion, perseverance, and the passing down of knowledge across generations.

Afterglow

Somewhere in Neunkirch, Switzerland, in the hallowed halls of Raceline AG, it stands: the last Porsche 917 ever built. Its journey is not yet over. The documentary will soon be released, telling the story of this extraordinary restoration.

And if you close your eyes, you can almost hear the sound – that unmistakable roar of the 12-cylinder boxer engine echoing across the Europa Bridge, reminding us that some legends never die.

Thanks to to Team at Raceline for having me.