Seventy five years of Porsche sports cars: Porsche celebrates a success story

27/01/2023

In 1948, Ferry Porsche realised his dream of a sports car: with his team, he produced the Porsche 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster. It marked the birth of a legendary brand and laid the foundation for an exemplary success story, for the Porsche legend.

“75 years of Porsche stand for pioneering spirit, passion and dreams. We are celebrating together with people who are inspired by dreams,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. The celebrations kick off with the special exhibition ‘Driven by Dreams. 75 years of Porsche sports cars’, which opens on 27 January in the ‘DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum’ in Berlin and will run until 10 September 2023. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the visions and ventures of Porsche's success story and to make a record of their own dreams and values using a digital module.

‘Driven by Dreams. 75 years of Porsche sports cars’ - the new special exhibition in the ‘DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum’ in Berlin, 2023, Porsche AG — ‘Driven by Dreams. 75 years of Porsche sports cars’ - the new special exhibition in the ‘DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum’ in Berlin.

‘Driven by Dreams’ defines the essence of the brand. Furthermore, the slogan reflects the approach with which the people behind Porsche work every day to fulfil the dreams of customers around the globe. “We are proud of our heritage. It is the foundation for a successful future. We associate our heritage with innovation and progress – and continually add extraordinary new moments to the unique Porsche story,” explains Blume.

A look back at the conceptual journey to the future

The Porsche Vision 357 – a homage to the 356 – is a prime example of this and can be seen for the first time in Berlin. With it, the Style Porsche team brings monolithic design into the present and shows possible implementations of a future design philosophy: a striking example is the consistent enhancement of the light signature, which is both progressive and visionary in the way it points towards the future. The fundamental concept is reflective of the interplay between tradition and innovation: what might Ferry Porsche’s dream of a sports car look like today?

“With the Porsche Vision 357, we have created a very special birthday present. It underlines the importance of our design DNA based on the 356," says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “The study is an attempt to coherently combine the past, present and future. The proportions are reminiscent of the historical model, while details visualise the view into the future.” Built on the platform of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS with 368 kW (500 PS; 718 Cayman GT4 RS: Fuel consumption* combined (WLTP) 13.0 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions* combined (WLTP) 295 g/km, CO₂ class G , CO₂ class weighted combined G ), the Porsche Vision 357 represents outstanding sports car performance.

Porsche Vision 357: homage to the first Porsche model line, the 356

75 years ago, on 8 June 1948, the 356 No. 1 Roadster became the first automobile bearing the name Porsche to receive its general operating permit.

Design has been an elementary component of the Porsche legend since the very beginning. Visionary studies and concept cars form the foundation for unmistakable and innovative design. “Thinking about the future creatively is one of the core responsibilities of Style Porsche. Concept studies are the pool of ideas that feed the design of tomorrow,” says Mauer. “We are perpetually on a conceptual journey into the future of mobility. Time and again, the brand history serves as a source of inspiration. Taking a look back at our tradition with a future concept car is not as paradoxical as it might seem. Creative freedom is also important: this is where valuable ideas can emerge, ones that help us imagine our consistent design philosophy in innovative new directions.”

Further highlights at the locations

Porsche continues its anniversary celebrations just outside Stuttgart at Retro Classics. The leading trade fair for classic car culture takes place from 23 to 26 February. On 9 June, the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen will then open an extensive special exhibition. On 10 and 11 June, Porsche Germany will highlight the anniversary at the ‘Festival of Dreams’ at the Hockenheimring. At the Porsche Experience Center there, the sports car manufacturer will exhibit the history, present and future of the brand.

Aksel Lund Svindal (left) and Timo Bernhard next to the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, 2023, Porsche AG — Aksel Lund Svindal (left) and Timo Bernhard next to the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo.

There will be vehicle exhibitions, ‘Dream Talks’, live acts, various themed experiences and a plethora of further highlights and fascinating experiences for Porsche aficionados, Porsche club members, car communities, fans and customers of all ages. Younger visitors will have a blast in the ‘Kids World’ area. The ‘Festival of Dreams’ also offers overnight options, with a specially designated ‘van’ area. And motorsport will play a major role: in addition to a live broadcast of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and the ADAC GT Masters will also be present.

Roadshow and exhibitions around the world

The success story of ‘75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars’ will also be celebrated at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the highest-altitude automobile exhibition in the world on the Grossglockner, and the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. Moreover, the exhibition materials from ‘Driven by Dreams’ will be taken to more than 60 destinations in Europe and the US in a ‘Heritage Truck’ specially designed for the anniversary year. The conclusion of the worldwide activities is the ‘Rennsport Reunion’ car festival in California from 28 September to 1 October.

Sixty years of the 911 and 100 years of Le Mans

There are also two other big anniversaries to celebrate in the ‘75 years of Porsche Sports Cars’ jubilee year: 60 years of the 911 and 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ever since its presentation at the International Motor Show (IAA) in September 1963, the 911 has dazzled, and with its iconic design and incomparable driving experience, it has embedded itself in the collective memory of sports car fans around the world. The organisers of the most renowned endurance race in the world also have reason to celebrate: on 10 and 11 June, they will mark the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the Sarthe.

75 years of Porsche sports cars: Porsche 356 "No. 1" Roadster (1948) (left), Porsche 911 (901 No. 57) (1963) (in the back) with Porsche Vision 357 (2023) (front right), 2023, Porsche AG

Porsche Vision 357, Berlin, 2023, Porsche AG

Porsche 356 "No. 1" Roadster, Porsche Vision 357, Berlin, 2023, Porsche AG

Porsche 356 "No. 1" Roadster, Porsche 911 (901 No. 57), Berlin, 2023, Porsche AG

Every sports car manufacturer dreams of success at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, and Porsche has a particularly close relationship with the French endurance classic: the brand is the most successful at Le Mans, as well as being the only participant to have been represented at the 24-hour race without interruption since 1951. During this time, the company has racked up 110 class and 19 overall victories.