More than 90,000 people celebrated the 75th anniversary of their cherished brand in California at the end of September. The event ended up being the biggest Porsche gathering ever.
Night falls on Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California. The temperature drops significantly, but the excitement is mounting. The time has come for a spectacular world premiere in pit lane. The throaty roar of a six-cylinder boxer engine emanates from a garage. Thunderous music and a dynamic video installation signal the next highlight for the approximately 200 invited guests from around the world. “Dreams defined us, but it’s sport that made us what we are,” says the announcer’s voice. The curtain is raised and the pit crew push the star of the evening into the spotlight – with power of up to 456 kW (620 PS) and a large rear wing, the new 911 GT3 R rennsport is made for the racetrack and is limited to 77 units. Jörg Bergmeister starts the mighty machine for the first show run around the 3.6-kilometer circuit. “It was a huge honor,” the Porsche brand ambassador and erstwhile works driver subsequently said, commenting on the experience.
The premiere of the breathtaking special-edition 911 was just one of many highlights at the seventh Porsche Rennsport Reunion. More than 90,000 Porsche enthusiasts gathered at the legendary racetrack for a globally unparalleled festival to mark 75 years of the sports car brand. For four days, engines roared, music blared out from the main stage, and the fans swarmed in the paddock and pit lane. “There’s only one brand on planet earth that could hold an event on this scale,” raves Bruce Meyer, “and that’s Porsche.” He then pauses as the noise level in the paddock increases and a rare RS Spyder prototype thunders past. Meyer, a real estate investor and race car collector from Beverly Hills, came to Laguna Seca with, among other things, the 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 in which Herbert Müller and Gijs van Lennep finished the 1973 Le Mans in a fantastic fourth place.
Meyer is in good company. Private collectors from all over the world open up their vaults for the Rennsport Reunion, and the Porsche Museum features with numerous icons, too. In all, more than 300 Porsche race cars of different classes engage in thrilling races and demonstration laps. They range from the legendary 550 Spyder to the Carrera GTS (904 type) and Carrera 6 (906 type); the victorious 917 cars in their evolutionary stages to the 911 motorsport versions from all eras and the highly innovative Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid. The races featuring the slowest Porsche vehicles ever – tractors – prove to be a crowd puller.
The paddock becomes a place of pilgrimage surrounded by the roaring of engines. And the parking areas around the racetrack become a huge open-air show of Porsche models of all ages and types. “We meet all our friends here,” says Porsche restorer Rod Emory of Oregon cheerfully, “but more importantly, we meet them all surrounded by these fantastic cars.” Thousands of the visitors travel to the event in their own Porsche vehicles. But for a number of them, the distance is too great. Such as Sihabutr Xoomsai, otherwise known as Tenn, of Thailand. “I’m simply amazed,” he says. “I’ve never seen so many race cars and so many of my race car driver idols all together.” Nowhere else do fans come into such close contact with their brand and the people behind it. There is entertainment from morning till into the night in the form of numerous presentations, media workshops, autograph signing sessions with Porsche legends, e-sports competition, and demonstration laps with the endurance racing prototype 963 and the GT4 e-Performance. The Porsche Cars North America organizers intentionally incorporated not only the brand’s glorious history, but also its present and future. “The brand’s development boasts unique continuity, which has kept it close to its roots to this day,” explains former works driver Patrick Long, one of the event’s grand marshals. “And that’s what I love about Porsche.”
It is the community’s intimate connection with the brand that makes the Rennsport Reunion such a unique experience. “It’s about more than the race cars,” says Cameron Ingram of North Carolina, custodian of a valuable family collection of RS models, some of which make appearances on the racetrack. “It’s about the entire design, the philosophy, and the cars’ beauty. We celebrate the Porsche culture, and it’s actually a huge family get-together.”
Which is why the Rennsport Reunion also features members of the family that gave the brand its name – both as official representatives and enthusiasts. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, performs a few laps of honor in the 356 “No. 1” Roadster, together with his son Ferdinand. The sports car brand’s story began with this car in 1948. “My father built it for himself back then; it was his dream,” relates Dr. Porsche. “I wonder what he would say were he able to experience all this.”
“My father had a dream when he started building sports cars in 1948. Today, we can experience what became of his dream.” Dr. Wolfgang Porsche
“The past five years in the Porsche Club Great Britain changed my life. The people, the new experiences, the places I have been – all unforgettable.” Carrie Mason
“It’s simply ‘wow, wow, wow’ wherever you look! There’s so much for our souls to feed on here.” Koichiro and Rei Kanda
“My passion for Porsche grew over the years. We therefore called our son ‘Ferdinand’ when he was born.” Olivier Reimann
“At this moment in time, this is the most wonderful place on earth. Maybe even in the universe.” Jerry Seinfeld and Grant Larson
“Porsche started building cars in the Gmünd sawmill 75 years ago. That’s one end of the story. The other end is still in motion and appears to just keep on going.” Jeff Zwart
“At first sight, it’s all about the cars. But we are actually all one big family. And that’s the best bit about it for me.” Cameron Ingram
“We’re here with the Porsche Golf Circle. I love the competition, be it track days or golf tournaments. For me, Porsche and golf are the perfect match.” Martha Reyes-Arvizu
“I don’t want to compare myself with the engineers who used to work for Porsche years ago. But I’m very proud of them when I see the iconic race cars from our past here.” Michael Steiner
“We have had ties with Porsche for 20 years. It began with an older 911. That was followed by a four-door model when we had family. And now our son is older, we drive GT models – also during track days.” Miguel and Rhoda Andrada
“It’s fantastic to see how many young people here are excited about Porsche.” Ferdinand Porsche
“My most wonderful experience here was being able to perform a few laps on the racetrack in a 356 SL with my daughter.” Rod Emory
“It is noteworthy that a wide range of our products here run on eFuels from Chile. From the 356 “No. 1” Roadster to the 911 GT3 R rennsport. The positive reactions of customers and fans encourage us to push forward with this innovative technology.” Barbara Frenkel
“I was able to help prepare the event again. We’re all blown away by the result. But most of all, I still get a kick out of driving round the racetrack in the race cars.” Bruce Canepa
“We at the Porsche Club of America are especially proud to be able to play our part in the success of the Rennsport Reunion.” Aaron Ambrosino
“I will remember the passion and dedication I have the honor of experiencing here for a long time. It’s the people behind the brand that make the difference. This is demonstrated here in a fascinating way.” Andreas Haffner
“We brought five cars to the racetrack. This is also a personal family event for us. It’s particularly wonderful when father and son share the same passion.” Evan and Bruce Meyer
“I will never part with my 911 E Coupé. I christened it ‘Olive Oyl’ even though it has gold-green paintwork.” Denise Longwell
“There’s a love affair between Porsche and our culture in the USA. It’s an honor for me to be a small part of this special brand.” Patrick Long
“We brought our two 911 cars over from Germany and traveled across the continent with them, from Florida to California. And the journey will continue.” Christian and Ortrun Hartinger
“It doesn’t matter what Porsche you drive. What matters is that you enjoy it.” Sorana Boonbunlu
“We feel like we’re part of a family with Porsche. This year, we were given the opportunity to be with the Porsche people all night in Le Mans – a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Hank and Jonathan BERNBAUM
“Our community is unique, and its passion spurs us on to keep the Porsche legend alive.” Detlev von Platen
“We all share a passion for Porsche, be it as a current or former driver, a brand ambassador, a fan, or an owner of rare race cars.” Timo Bernhard
“The car is from Sweden and is even somewhat of a celebrity there. I always dreamed of owning a Porsche in the color magenta.” Justin Roeser
“The heritage stirred my passion for Porsche.” Sihabutr “Tenn” Xoomsai
“Seeing the cars from back then, like the 917 and the 962 and of course their drivers, brings back a lot of memories.” Norbert Singer
“With historic cars, there’s a thing called ‘matching numbers.’ We and Porsche are ‘matching numbers,’ too – we’re simply a fantastic fit.” Sylvia Könnecker and Matthias Henning
“A Porsche appeals to all my senses. It sounds good, looks good, feels good, and smells good. It’s so much more than merely a car that gets you from A to B. It characterizes a lifestyle.” Magnus Walker
“The Rennsport Reunion is becoming something of a tradition, a bit like the Olympic Games.” Jacky Ickx