Stefan Johansson’s F1 Powered Porsche 930

At the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, automotive enthusiasts were treated to a special unveiling by O’Gara, as former Formula 1 driver Stefan Johansson presented his collaboration with custom car crafter Lanzante—a modified F1 powered Porsche 911 known as the SJ87. This unique vehicle, hand-painted by Johansson himself, boasts an engine derived from his own ex-F1 racing days.

The SJ87, codenamed for its creator, is the eighth installment in the limited series of 11 F1 powered Porsche 930 TAG Turbos by Lanzante. Known for their expertise in motorsports and engineering, Lanzante has gained recognition for transforming track cars like the McLaren P1 GTR into road-legal versions. The TAG Turbo project was initially announced in 2018 and combines the iconic Porsche 930 body shell with the potent 1.5-liter V-6 TAG Turbo engines used by McLaren in the 1980s, developed by Porsche.

During his time with McLaren, Johansson piloted the MP4/3 F1 car, which utilized the very engine that now powers the SJ87. Despite a tumultuous outing in the 1987 Austrian Grand Prix, where he suffered an accident during practice and encountered a wheel issue during the race, Johansson’s engine reached its peak development. McLaren had been utilizing the TAG Turbo engine since 1984 but would eventually transition to Honda power in the following season.

The performance of the engine is nothing short of remarkable. Although estimated to generate approximately 750 horsepower in race configuration, the turbo V-6 has been appropriately detuned to a more manageable 503 horsepower for its application in the road-going 930. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission borrowed from the 993-generation 911. Lanzante estimates a curb weight of 2,248 pounds, excluding the weight of the driver and fuel.

While there will be other Porsche 911s fitted with TAG Turbo engines, the SJ87 stands out with its extraordinary livery. Johansson, now an accomplished artist, has designed and painted the car with striking streaks of color over its white body. The design incorporates green, representing Johansson’s helmet design and childhood nickname “Little Leaf,” as well as the blue and yellow of the Swedish flag. Additionally, red and white adorn the vehicle, paying homage to the iconic Marlboro colors that adorned Johansson’s McLaren MP4/3 race car.

Automotive enthusiasts had the opportunity to witness the completed SJ87 alongside other remarkable vehicles in O’Gara’s display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Alongside the SJ87 were Lanzante’s road-legal Pagani Zonda Revolución and several of the company’s renowned McLaren F1 GTR road-legal conversions.