Over the past 75 years, Porsche has reinvented itself time and again without ever losing the values or identity that have made the brand what it is today. And behind the brand are the people who have co-authored this success story. People who also believed in their dreams. Through the dreams and adventures of these people, Porsche is taking its fans and followers on a journey through the brand’s success story. For the first time, the sports car manufacturer is using a specially designed Heritage Truck to enable international fans to also experience Porsche Heritage up close in their own countries, focusing on the anniversary and its exciting dreamer stories.
‘Driven by Dreams’
With its ‘Driven by Dreams’ tag line, the truck’s mobile exhibition will be on the road until December, providing insights into the past, present and future values of the company. “With our tour we want to reach as many people as possible, to inspire them to believe in their dreams and to make them come true,” says Jessica Fritzsch, Team Coordinator for Heritage Concepts and project manager of the roadshow.
The Heritage Truck tour started on 24 April at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The first stop on the journey was the Piața Constituției in Bucharest, Romania. The mobile 100-square-metre exhibition was open to the public for one week in front of the Palace of Parliament. Afterwards, the Heritage Truck travelled on to Croatia where, at a drive-in cinema near the capital, Zagreb, it gave local Porsche fans an insight into the anniversary of the sports car manufacturer.
Last weekend the mobile exhibition was to be seen at the Porsche Open Museum during the fourth running of the ‘Fuori Concorso’, an event that draws car lovers from all over the world to Como, Italy. Fans will also have the opportunity to visit the exhibition in Germany from 10 to 11 June, when the Porsche ‘Festival of Dreams’ heads to the Hockenheimring, before it sets off for the next Porsche Festival on 18 June at Mollis Airport in Switzerland. From 23 June, the Heritage Truck will be open to visitors at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.
“For two years we have been dreaming of the time when the Heritage Truck – which is literally ‘Driven by Dreams’ – would set out on its international journey as ambassador for this important anniversary year,” says Alexander E. Klein, Head of the Porsche Heritage Experience. He adds: “The fact that this dream has now also come true makes the project a kind of ‘Dreamer Story’ all of its own.”Because dreams are timeless and indestructible, the mobile exhibition is dedicated to dreamers from all eras of the past 75 years. For each topic there are dreamers representing the past, the present and the future.
Exciting exhibits and stories
Ferry Porsche, Dr Wolfgang Porsche and Oliver Blume represent the theme of heritage. Ferry Porsche once dreamed of a car that didn’t yet exist. His son, Dr Wolfgang Porsche, values the fact that the brand adapts to ever-changing demands while preserving the core of the brand. And Porsche CEO Oliver Blume sees the transformation in the automotive industry as an opportunity to grow and to nurture our pioneering spirit and our courage. Among the exhibits for visitors to enjoy is the registration certificate of the 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster, the sports car with which the foundation of a success story was laid 75 years ago.
There are also exciting exhibits from the world of motorsport, including a radio used at Le Mans, the winner’s trophy for overall victory at Le Mans in 2017, and a helmet worn by Timo Bernhard during the race on the Circuit de La Sarthe. Alongside the story of the former Porsche works driver – who always pushed to the limit on the track – visitors can also enjoy the dreamer stories of those such as engineer Norbert Singer, who played a key role in the Porsche racing successes of the last century.
The field of technology and innovation is represented by dreamers Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Hans Mezger and Albrecht Reimold. The latter has been Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics since 2016, while it was Ferdinand Alexander Porsche who designed the Chronograph I in 1972, thus inspiring a new design language for wristwatches. The anniversary edition of the Chronograph I is also on tour in the Heritage Truck, along with a silver Tec Flex ballpoint pen. A little more space is required for the exhibit created by Hans Mezger: the legendary ‘TAG Turbo made by Porsche’ engine raced by the McLaren Formula One team. With this engine, McLaren won 25 Grands Prix in Formula One, three World Drivers’ Championships and two World Constructors’ Championships.
Artists associate their own values with the Porsche brand
Porsche is also offering new channels for upcoming artists to reach a wider public with their work. In the Heritage Truck, for example, creatives have the opportunity to express their love for the brand in their own way. The art segment is dedicated to works on subjects such as performance or speed. Many international artists see their own values reflected in the Porsche brand. Among them are Erich Strenger, Vexx and Arthur Kar. Exhibits illustrating the dreams of the trio include the 911 Bonnet Art Edition, a 1:43-scale model of Arthur Kar’s 968 L’ART, and a range of historical racing posters.
At the end of the exhibition, visitors are asked to share their own personal dreams. As Porsche CEO Oliver Blume puts it, “Porsche is for people who follow their dreams.”