Following a successful debut season with the 956 in 1983, Richard Lloyd commissioned designer Nigel Stroud to develop a replacement monocoque and base chassis for the team's car in an attempt to increase structural rigidity over that of the factory Porsche unit. Aluminium composite honeycomb was used in place of aluminium sheet metal in constructing the new monocoque. This car, originally 956 chassis #106, was replaced by the Stroud-designed chassis designated #106B, leading to the car being renamed a 956 GTi.
