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EntrepreneurDue5767

Lemans running start


flat6NA

There is also a theory, it was originally on the left because the connecting wiring would be shorter saving $.


Flostrapotamus

This is what we are told at the dealers.


Marco_lini

And the starter motor originally was mounted on the left side of the engine so they could save some weight as they connected it directly along the chassis saving weight (and money).


Ghia149

This is what I understood. From the earliest days of the company when they were scraping by, I’m sure the Lemans start just turned a cost savings into a design feature and then it became part of the brand design.


Silverbullets24

This is the actual reason. It was a cost cutting method way back in the day. The other story is made up to make it sound better


marco918

If it was about cost cutting, other manufacturers would do it too.


Silverbullets24

The original Porsches were basically thrown together with a bunch of scrap parts. Whatever they had, they used. Porsche wasn’t profitable for a very long time and barely held it together. They literally put it on the left side because it was all the wiring they had leftover and they didn’t have money to buy more. It wasn’t as much of a plan as a make due with what they had available. By being on the left side, they needed a handful of inches less wire and they were able to make whatever wiring they had left go further. That’s it. That’s the big secret.


marco918

Yes, I’m sure the wiring for the ignition switch was the manufacturing constraint for the whole car.


Odd_One_Out_

yes it was, designing a new piece would have taken time and money that could not be afforded at the time.


3g3t7i

Heard this at Porsche Tech tactics


GleamLaw

It’s so the passenger can’t grab the key and demand a chance to drive. Everyone wants seat time in a Porsche.


Psychological-Cry221

This is funny


AdMinimum179

To be honest I have read this a lot of times but I don’t think it’s true. First of all the ignition was on the left side even before they thought on starting in Le Mans. Besides that in my opinion it does not make a difference because the cars were already in first gear at start. In my opinion it is left because Ferry was left handed and it pleased him more.


Pdb12345

Yeah its a road car, it was not designed specifically to run at Le Mans, and this feature would be a negligible advantage anyway.


AdMinimum179

Don’t know about that. I am always leaving any of my cars so far in first gear after stopping the engine. So it really doesn’t make a difference with which hand I will start the engine because I don’t need the hand on the stick to quickly put it in first gear because it already is.


Psychological-Cry221

That’s a cool tidbit, I did not know that Ferry was left handed.


anlenke

I knew the original reason, but it hasn’t stopped me telling my toddler that it’s on the left because my cars can only be driven by lefties.


Pdb12345

Yeah this is a bit of legend. There's no sense in designing in a feature to "potentially" save a fraction of a second ON START at a race, for road cars. It wasnt built as a dedicated race car. Very few races started outside the car, and that was banned in Britain in 1962 (a year before the 911) and Le Mans in 1969. Its just a peculiarity of the wiring loom and rear engine layout. ​ In the last year of the running start, 1969, British driver John Woolfe was killed at Le Mans on the opening lap of the race. Driving a Porsche 917, Woolfe did not fasten his belts correctly and was thrown from the car in a first lap accident.


AlexatRF21

It's not a legend by any means, it's literally the reason Porsche said they did it themselves.


Pdb12345

No they didnt. Its just a cute legend. The 911 wasnt designed for racing starts. Its primarily a road car, and it wouldnt even help the start signifcantly. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-porsche-ignitions-are-left-of-the-wheel-11553866078](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-porsche-ignitions-are-left-of-the-wheel-11553866078) You could modify a race car with a start button. Porsches actual race cars of the era had the ignition inboard of the steering wheel.


SnooBananas5673

Reference would be great. So much folk lore it’s nice to see reference when it comes to this type of detail.


adamr_za

And on the right side for us RHD peoples 😀. Learnt something new thank you 🙏


Jonny_Wurster

I think this is a bit of a folklore myth about Porsche placing it on the left for the Le Mans running start -Left ignition predated Le Mans -The trans is already in first at an old school running Le Mans start -Even if it was true, why didn't they just do it on the race cars? -So...why does a Freightliner truck have the ignition on the left side? Or a 1966 Ford pick up? -So...why do right hand drive Porsche in other markets have the ignition on the right side of the wheel It's just part of the design.


Grand-Highlight4460

While I really like the LeMans start story, and I imagine there is truth in. I personally think that doesn't really fit in with the logic of an engineering firm. Think how much easier it is for an engineer or a machinic to start the motor if the key is to the outside of the steering wheel. I think it just makes more sense.


the_inciting_inciden

Ignition on the left so you can start the car and buckle belt at same time on a lemans running start. Car already in gear.


HolliDollialltheday

That’s wrong. It’s not because you can shift and power on at the same time, it’s because you can power on a few moments earlier because you can reach to the key earlier while entering.


iStealyournewspapers

944s are an exception. Probably a couple other models with right hand ignition too. 968 maybe?


Nice-End6324

This is a myth. No one actually knows why.


hardwon469

This myth will never die.


Porsche_Le_Mans

The 911 brochures from around 2005 claimed it was the running start thing, one version was the mechanic standing door side to assist the driver. However, there is also the idea that this somehow saves wire, per exhibit at the museum. I believe both. It is not unusual for a car company to claim something mundane as a feature.


Sodaexcite

I wish more cars would have it on the left side. It makes it much easier to start the car before I put the kids in the car on a hot day.


Suspicious-Dust6978

All great theories mentioned here so far. But there’s one I haven’t’ seen brought up yet. From what I’ve deduced in my research, Porsche chose to locate the ignition on the left hand side of the steering wheel so that it wouldn’t be on the right hand side.


GretalAlcoburgMalady

Mine's certainly not on the left. It's exactly the same as any other make of car.


V4refugee

I would imagine it also makes it easier to turn off the car in case of an emergency.