70 years ago, when Ferry Porsche received the approval for the 356 with the number 1, a dream had come true for him. Against all odds, he had created a sports car which was entirely as he had imagined it – and today is considered to be a design icon. The success story of the Porsche company since then is well known and Ferry Porsche’s dream is as alive as ever. The Zuffenhausen-based company still builds sports cars that turn the heads of both small boys and their fathers. I too am proud to say that I am a Porsche owner – a dream come true.
To celebrate “70 years of the Porsche sports car”, Porsche issued an invitation to its “Sportscar Together Day”. A day for the community, for the fans, to take a look and join in – and I must tell you, I felt like a child in a toy shop. I was able to park my Porsche at the Cannstatter Wasen festival grounds next to other treasures – such as a 964, 944 or 997 – and share some small talk with their owners, while the Porsche Kid’s Driving School was there to entertain younger visitors. There was also an off-road course, a street food plaza and a Ferris wheel which made me think of the famous one found at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A fun day out for the entire family, including long-term Porsche fans Patrick Dempsey and Magnus Walker, who I met there.
No matter who I talked to, there was always a shared passion for Porsche sports cars that we celebrated together. The anniversary year still has some way to go and there will be more opportunities to experience this fascination: in just a few days’ time at the experience weekend – a public celebration in and around the plant based around Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen – at the recently opened special exhibition at the Porsche Museum, at the Goodwood “Festival of Speed” or the “Rennsport Reunion” in California. I can hardly wait…
“70 years of the Porsche sports car”
On June 8, 1948 a dream about a sports car literally came true: With the approval of the 356 “No. 1” Roadster, Ferry Porsche completed the construction of a sports car that reflected his vision. The successor model to the 356 – the 911 – designed by Ferry Porsche’s son, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, was presented at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main in 1963, and became one of the most significant cars in history. With over one million units of the 911 built, Porsche has become synonymous with “Fascination Sports Car”.
70 years after the first Porsche sports car, Porsche is looking into the future: The Mission E, the first purely electric sports car from Zuffenhausen, is waiting in the wings – and enthusiasm for road-legal sports cars is about to enter a new chapter.
Consumption data
911 GT3: Fuel consumption combined 12.9 – 12.7 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 290 – 288 g/km
911 Carrera S: Fuel consumption combined 8.7 – 7.7 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 199 – 174 g/km
