Over the next 35 years he took part in the 1960s F1 programme, undertook design leadership for the first Porsche 911 production engine and led the famed 1960s Race Design office that turned out the 917s. Mezger led Porsche's development of turbocharging with the 1,600 hp (1,180 kW) 917/30 and its application to the 911 Turbo.
Mezger was responsible for the Porsche-made TAG Turbo engine from the mid-1980s, which won multiple championships in Formula One in the McLaren MP4/2 chassis.