In a very rare encounter, two of Porsche’s most iconic models – one very new and one very old – went to the Nurburgring for a reunion. These were the hot out of the oven Porsche 918 Spyder, and the legendary racer Porsche 956.

Porsche 918 was of course developed in part at the Nurburgring where countless laps were recorded and analyzed to fine tune this super sophisticated hybrid hyper car and make sure it drives as good as it looks. But it’s nothing compared to the history that the ‘Ring shares with the 956.

Back in the early 80s when Porsche 956 was first introduced, it was almost as big a deal technology-wise as the 918 is today. The car had the most advanced powertrain and radical new aerodynamics. The car won countless races competing under different banners, but the one record everybody remembers about the 956 is the all-time record for the fastest vehicle ever to lap the Nurburgring: 6min 11sec.

Porsche 918 Spyder will never be able to perform like the 956, but then again, it is not supposed to. The 918 is a hybrid super car capable of driving in electric mode with zero emissions. It has a completely different character than the 956, but the important thing is that the 918 is every bit as good in its intended role as the racing car was in its own.

Photos by Curves Magazine via Porsche