THE BIG INTERVIEW Valentin Schäffer
Valentin Schäffer started as an engine mechanic with Porsche in 1955, aged just 24 years. The Hungarian-born technician quickly showed an aptitude for hard work and a desire to solve problems – attributes that cemented his future not only with the company, but also with his peers. His early work saw him involved in the development of the four-cam four-cylinder engine that powered the Porsche 550 A Spyder, as well as the eight-cylinder engine for the Formula One 804 Monoposto.
Valentin, who worked at Porsche for 34 years, has just celebrated his 90th birthday. But the humble engineer never saw work as a bore. In fact it was quite the opposite, because the visionary engineer would frequently spend Sundays at the workbench in an attempt to extract a few more horsepower from an engine.
Although he officially retired in 1989, Valentin remained closely associated with the company, serving it for another five years, and returning frequently thereafter to Porsche in response to interview requests from the media. Here he shares some of his special memories and achievements during his three decades with the company.
In the beginning, Porsche stuck with its concept of smaller engines and lightweight race cars. But how could
