As the FIA had announced rule changes for Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars limiting engine displacement to 3000 cc, as in Formula One, Porsche designed the 908 as the first Porsche sports car to have an engine with the maximum size allowed. The previous Porsche 907 only had a 2200 cc Type 771/1 flat-8 engine developing 270 hp. The new 3-litre Type 908 flat-8 engine produced 257 kW (350 hp) at 8400 rpm. Being traditionally air-cooled and with only 2 valves per cylinder, it was still down on power compared to more modern F1 designs which delivered over , but were not suited to endurance racing.