Revered as one of the most important companies in the Porsche segment in the 80s and 90s, Fabcar left an impressive legacy on the racetrack, with its products being synonymous with reliability, novelty and speed. With these attributes in mind, we take a look back at the history of this...
Porsche History
In the fragile postwar years, the team behind the first Porsche was driven by two forces: stubborn ambition and harsh reality. They had the vision for a true sports car, but building one was another matter entirely. The sleek shape of the Porsche 356 came together relatively quickly, but under...
Entering Porsche’s World He was not in the first wave, that small group of engineers supporting Ferdinand Porsche when he decided to set up his own engineering consultancy at the end of 1930. They were chief designer Karl Rabe, engine man Josef Kales, chassis specialist Josef Zahradnik and drive-train designer...
Technology In 1901, hot on the heels of the success of his electric cars of 1900, Ferdinand Porsche created his first vehicles with an electric drive from a petrol engine — effectively an electric automatic transmission. No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content....
Story by Glen Smale. All images © as stated in the book & on the DVD Brilliant…just brilliant!! I don’t often start a book review in this manner, in fact I can’t remember when I last did so, but this book and DVD set certainly deserve such a response. No...
With relationships between Porsche and Volkswagen fructifying in many ways over the years, even decades, this one was inevitable. Its basis was the third generation of the sainted van, sold worldwide under various nameplates including Transporter, Caravelle, Microbus, and Vanagon. Introduced in 1979 as the latest T3 VW, it was...
Few cars can rival the Porsche 911’s ability to stir the soul. The German sports car evokes images of a timeless design, power and unparalleled driving exhilaration. A lineup of Porsche 911 Generations © Porsche Ferdinand ‘Ferry’ Porsche always harboured dreams of a true sports car. This vision materialized in...
In the rolling fields of post-war Germany, a visionary project took shape—not on racetracks or autobahns, but on farmlands. Years before Porsche became a household name in sleek sports cars, it left its mark in agriculture with the Porsche-Diesel tractor. Manufactured in Friedrichshafen-Manzell, Germany, these tractors embodied engineering precision tailored...
Overview Mountain championships, endurance races, Formula 1, Spa, Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans after Le Mans – no matter what series, no matter what track – Porsche’s racing victories formed the bread and butter of Erich Strenger’s work. As a freelance graphic designer from 1951, he designed sales catalogs, driver’s...
Words by: Glen Smale Images by: Glen Smale & Corporate Archives Porsche AG The Dependable 908 As previously noted, thanks to the revised Group 6 regulations for the 1968 season, the engine capacity limit was restricted to 3-litres. This allowed the Porsche factory racers to shift up a gear, becoming...
It’s always the same with sports cars from Zuffenhausen: they’re easy to start and well-suited for comfortable travel. However, with this driving style, what a Porsche is capable of in terms of driving dynamics is often left unexplored. True appreciation of the engineering expertise can be felt more intensely during...
Finished in Ocean Blue, chassis number ‘370750’ rolled off the Zuffenhausen assembly line on 27th March 1998, some four days before the scheduled end of production. The final car off the line, completed on 31st of March ’98, was a Mexico Blue Carrera 4S that was sold to comedian and...
Incredibly successful in Le Mans Porsche was incredibly successful with the 917 in Le Mans and in the World Championship for Makes in 1970 and 1971. However, the governing body’s decision to only accept engines with a maximum displacement of three liters meant Porsche could not compete in the following...
When Porsche unveiled the world’s first production sports car with a turbo engine in 1974, the automotive world changed overnight. Over the past 50 years, the term “turbo” has undergone an exciting transformation: from the technology in the traditional sense to the “Turbo-look” with bulky enlargements and the protruding rear...
Images by: Glen Smale & Corporate Archives Porsche AG Foreword This article is part of our series featuring the historical development of various iconic Porsche models over the years. Be sure to check out our other features: No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium...
It all began with a decision that Ferry Porsche would long regret. Beginning in 1970, the familial tensions described by Ferdinand Piëch were: “In our family there’s a kind of unspoken law: Porsche is Stuttgart and Piëch is Salzburg.” Porsches were taking the top jobs in Zuffenhausen and some Piëchs...
Turn Left or go home At 15:00, on a bitterly cold afternoon in December 2023, Porsche werks driver Romain Dumas had a decision to make: turn left or turn for home. But there are two catches. Turning around would mean failing to complete a mission four years in the making,...
Four originals: Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, his son Ferdinand, and two Porsche 550 Spyders on the Großglockner High Alpine Road – a mountain that figures prominently in Porsche family lore. What a panorama: At an altitude of 2,571 meters, the Edelweißspitze offers a magnificent view of the Großglockner, Austria’s highest peak....
They might have access to original bodywork methods, tools, parts and the company archive. But the most valuable thing is in the minds and hands of the Porsche Classic factory restoration team, who combine extensive know-how and craftsmanship with years of experience. With their skill, they build Porsche classics into...
In the beginning… The engine of the Porsche 911 has come a long way over the past 60 years, now with four times the power from twice the displacement. Its drive technology has continued to develop, but the fundamental concept has remained unchanged—whether naturally aspirated, as a turbo, or in...
The Porsche 907 has probably received the least amount of coverage of all Porsche’s 1960s ‘plastic prototypes’. But this lack of attention is unjustified, as the 907 played just as important a role in Porsche’s rise to motorsport stardom as any of the other successful Porsche racers of the time....
While the staff here at Stuttcars can never get enough of Porsche’s latest GT3s and 963 prototypes, there’s true reverence for the sports car that founded the company, the 356. It’s true beauty in its simplicity, the 356 has earned a spot in collections the world over with a reputation...
To date, 27 different variants make up the current generation of the 911 model line-up. Chatting to its developers at a ‘speed dating’ event made one thing clear above all: each Porsche 911 has its own story. Chaos is the enemy of the engineer. Perhaps that would explain why there...
The PFM 3200-powered Mooney is legendary among aviators. They all want this ‘Porsche of the skies’ – and today there are only five that are airworthy anywhere in the world. We had the extraordinary opportunity to take a ride in one. Oh, the boxer engine note is unmistakable. But what...
By the time the mid-1960s arrived, Ferdinand Piëch had got his hooks well and truly into Porsche’s motorsport programme. With the 904, introduced in 1964, Porsche showed that it could mix it with the top runners even if overall victories were out of reach. With its successor, the 906, the...
Carrera Speedster In 1955, less than a year after the 356 Speedster model was introduced, Porsche built the first example equipped with the competition-derived four-cam Carrera engine. The result was a brilliant dual-purpose sports car, and the Carrera Speedster continued to be improved and refined throughout production. For 1957, Porsche...
Tools of the trade Metal blades and scrapers, delicate wire loops, wooden sculpting tools, and brushes – this suitcase contains over a hundred instruments. But what they’re used for is not immediately clear. They’re the tools of a modeler, at the exterior studio of Style Porsche, who is responsible for...
Setting the Scene The 1960s represented for Porsche, the busiest decade in the company’s history to date, with ten new road and race cars being introduced during the decade. And since those heady days, the Stuttgart manufacturer has not seen another decade in which so many different race cars were...
Many marques have sought glory at Le Mans but none have stood atop the podium as often as Porsche. Porsche has claimed 19 overall victories and 110 class wins over a century of racing around the clock in France. Success at Le Mans made Porsche a powerhouse and Porsche made...
Over a hundred years ago, Ferdinand Porsche designed an extraordinary race car, the Austro-Daimler ADS-R, in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Today, Christophorus and 9:11 Magazine brings the former Targa Florio class champion, whose nickname is Sascha, back home. Following a vigorous turn of the crank, the gas pedal is applied ever...
In a garage full of legendary vehicles, one in particular stands out: the Porsche 935. The Porsche 935 was the first rear-engine race car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On the occasion of the classic car’s centennial, we visited the 1979 winning vehicle in its current owner’s...
A 911 Turbo Sonderwunsch and the new Panamera were among the highlights of Dubai’s annual Icons of Porsche festival. Fans of classic cars, arts, and culture were on hand to commemorate 75 years of Porsche sports cars, as well as 60 years of the 911. The gathering at the Dubai...
The 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight is a true legend in the world of sports cars, representing the pinnacle of automotive engineering from that era. This iconic vehicle, hailing from the renowned Stuttgart-based manufacturer, is celebrated for its exceptional blend of power, precision, and lightweight design, making it...
For almost 50 years, the Turbo models have enjoyed an exalted position at Porsche. They stand for a distinctively high performance and represent the epitome of every model series. To emphasize their uniqueness, Porsche is once again sharpening their look. The Turbo models are, for one, being given a particularly...
The adventure begins Organized by the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Rennsport Reunion 7 Rally began September 27th at an amazing private collection in Southern California. Porsche enthusiasts ventured through some of the most exciting canyons, and gorgeous vineyard roads, and cruised along California’s most famous highways. Day 1 ended in...
When discussing breakthroughs in sportscar technology, the Porsche 959 merits its own chapter, if not a book. Introduced in the mid-1980s, this genuine supercar emerged as a spearhead of innovation, vastly surpassing the technology Porsche had developed to date. While the standard 911 was not short on performance or prestige,...
In the vast design world, few names resonate with as much acclaim and distinction as Porsche. While many associate this name primarily with high-performance cars, there’s another realm where the Porsche legacy thrives: product design. This evolution commenced with Porsche Design, founded by Prof. Alexander ‘Butzi’ Porsche in 1972. FA...
Celebrating Porsche icons on their 75th anniversary The Petersen Automotive Museum has launched a new Porsche-focused video series celebrating the people and icons that made the Porsche brand in America. This dynamic story-telling series, sponsored by Mobil 1, focuses on the personal stories of some of the world’s most renowned...
“It’s a dream,” says Head of Design Michael Mauer, when asked about developing the next potential hypercar. “And a whole lot of stress.” He’s the picture of relaxation at the moment. The Mission X was just unveiled at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen – just in time for the sports...
Evolution, not Revolution Since its debut in 1964, the Porsche 911 has epitomized engineering evolution. Conceived by Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, this iconic vehicle has undergone continuous refinement, while preserving its distinctive rear-engine layout and silhouette. Each stage represents a chapter in Porsche’s heritage, from air-cooled engines of the yesteryears to...
From the 1950s onward No stranger to the Monterey Peninsula, Porsches have always been one of the most successful marques to be celebrated during car week in Monterey. Long before “Car Week” existed, the inaugural race weekend at Laguna Seca Raceway in 1957 revealed a front row of two Porsche...
The Le Mans 24-Hour race is arguably the greatest motor race in the world. It started in 1923 on some public roads at Le Mans, France and continues to this day. While there maybe a few older races, notably the Indianapolis 500 and the Isle of Man TT, Le Mans...
Start your engines… Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has proudly unveiled an exhilarating schedule of on-track activities for the highly anticipated Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7. A momentous occasion that brings together the world’s largest assembly of fervent Porsche enthusiasts, the event promises an awe-inspiring showcase of eight distinctive classes, featuring...
Lightweight racer is born During the 1960s, Ferdinand Piëch, the head of Porsche Research and Development, spearheaded the development of a new generation of lightweight race cars. By utilizing advanced materials and taking advantage of regulation changes, Piëch’s team created race cars with tubular frames and unstressed fiberglass bodies, offering...
Proven through competition Engineering, design, innovation; while the list is long for what describes the Porsche name, it can be distilled into one word; racing. Even before the days of cars that would bare his name, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche believed competition was the ultimate test for proving excellence in design...
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9:11 Podcast In the current episode of the 9:11 Porsche Podcast, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche talks about the company’s history, the current anniversary year, and his 80th birthday. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche embodies ‘75 years of Porsche sports cars in a very special way. He has witnessed the entire history of the...
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No matter who you are or where you’re from, there are three things that connect everyone that is reading this opening line of this article. The first is that we are all enthusiasts of mechanical things with wheels, be them quad bikes, motorcycles, cars, or any variation thereof. Secondly, we...
Icons of Porsche – Taken seriously! Icons of Porsche is not just the theme for Rennsport Reunion 7, but represents the talented people who have pushed the limits, taken risks and bravely driven Porsche to success over the past 75 years as a sports car marque. Porsche Cars North America...
In collaboration with Porsche Cars North America, the never-seen-before display – named “We are Porsche” – will celebrate the storied marque’s 75th anniversary and feature the key models and personalities behind the brand’s success. “We Are Porsche” opens to the public on April 16 at the Petersen Automotive Museum and...
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Porsche, as we all know, is a name that is synonymous with clean, simple lines that highlight the peak of German engineering. Even from a mile away, you could pick out a 911 from a Cayman from a Taycan, each very similar in design language but completely different in shape...
Porsche dealers can now compete in one of three categories: Preservation, Restoration, or Individualization, putting the emphasis on creativity, the Classic community is growing and thriving in Porsche’s 75th year and as part of the festivities, the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge is inviting U.S. Porsche dealerships to prove their classic...
Porsche Celebrates 75 Years It’s a big year for Porsche as the famed manufacturer celebrates 75 years of engineering excellence and constantly pushing boundaries. To kick off the celebrations, the marque has released a short video to highlight what makes the brand so successful – the desire to follow dreams...
1969 PORSCHE 911 T/R Being offered at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island Auction is this very rare 1969 PORSCHE 911 T/R, Chassis 119100215, full of history. This is a remarkable Porsche 911 – a factory-built T/R that competed for over 15 years at the highest levels of North American sports...
Factory recommissions the famous Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar The recommissioning has been carried out over the past few months by the Porsche Heritage and Museum team together with their colleagues from Porsche Classic. A car that can survive 8,700 miles in the deserts and savannahs of Africa can go anywhere in...
By Miles Collier The Mighty Porsche Carrera 6 I’ve had my 1966 Porsche Carrera 6 (906-125) in restoration for the last four or five years. It’s hard to remember such things across a gulf of time so fantastic. But, as inevitably as the Himalayas will finally erode into foothills, restoration...
Images by: Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale and Corporate Archives Porsche AG The Porsche 917 was the culmination of a line of race cars produced by the Stuttgart manufacturer during possibly the busiest decade, from 1964 to 1973, of its (by then) short existence. Just 21 short years after Porsche opened its...
Editor’s note: Harvey Sherman recently covered several of the most iconic Porsche race cars in the Pacific Northwest. Below, he shares his thoughts and observations on the highlights. The BP Racing Garage Bob Rygg and Peter Juvet (who own two of the cars featured below) use this garage as their...
The Porsche 962, following in the footsteps of the already massively successful 956, was introduced in 1984 in response to specific regulatory requirements as laid down by the American IMSA GTP Championship. IMSA’s refusal to allow the 956 to race in the US championship was based on the rule that...
Sports car racing went through some turbulent times in the early 1970’s. At the start (1970) the world championship was decided by the 5.0 liter sports cars such as the Porsche 917 and the Ferrari 512. The FIA /CSI (International rules body) at first did not think anyone would build...
Take a trip down memory lane with Derek Bell, Jochen Mass, Hans-Joachim Stuck, and Bernd Schneider as they share their experiences and memories during their time in Group C. No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content. Get Started Already a Member? Sign in...
Although a relatively late starter compared to others in the 20th century, what Porsche has accomplished over its 75-year history is quite remarkable. Few other manufacturers can match Porsche’s success in the showroom or on the racetrack over the past 75 years. Author Randy Leffingwell has written a new book...
80 of the Coolest Porsche Print Ads Ever Porsche has always had some awesome marketing folks and some hilarious ads over the years. This week we decided to go back in time and find as many of the best Porsche ads we could find throughout the years. Don’t worry, we...
There’s hardly a brand more connected to sports cars than Porsche. To this very day, the iconic Porsche 911 remains a benchmark sports car with nothing but a few formidable competitors in the vast and ever expanding industry. While only a handful of cars came to rival it, many more...
If there is one thing the Germans do better than almost anyone else in the world, it’s having a knack for perfection in design. This is readily apparent down to the smallest and most easily overlooked details. For example, if you visit Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, or any of the major...
Porsche’s Forrest Gump—the irrepressible Herbert Linge—pops up everywhere in Porsche history even after his retirement almost thirty years ago. The amazingly varied Porsche career of Herbert Linge would be unimaginable today—from wartime apprentice to manager of Weissach via workshop, development testing, race track, Porsche in the US, and Formula 1....
While the cars with the record for most expensive auction values ever generally come from Italy, the little German company from Stuttgart also has enthusiastic and wealthy collectors who are willing to open the bank account to get a piece of history. While it is pretty rare for one of...
The 24 Hours of Le Mans. Even just the name evokes memories of classic races, unbelievable tragedy, and some of the fiercest battles ever fought over an 8.5 mile (13.6 KM) stretch of road known as “le Circuit de la Sarthe.” These hallowed grounds are where Porsche ultimately proved their...
When I’m not helping to sell the occasional old race car, or visiting old race car meetings, I’ve usually got my head down, researching various projects for clients, usually to do with Porsches—although Lola T70s and the like often pass my way too. Probably the most interesting project that I’ve...
Chassis No: 911 460 9029 Engine No: 684 0053 Prod. No: 104 2302 G/box No: 716 1222 (15/1) Colour: White/Gold First delivered to: Sonauto Dealership , Paris, France Aluminum roll bar fitted First registered as: 556 ACR 75 Awaiting the start of the 1974 edition of the Tour de France...
Fourteen years before the Cayenne was introduced, Ferry Porsche made a statement that seemed to have foretold of the Cayenne, saying, “If we build an off-road model according to our standards of quality, and it has a Porsche crest on the front, people will buy it.” The Cayenne, since its...
Imagine, if you will, that you are in Paris, France, in October 1972. There is an automobile show, a fairly large one, currently happening at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles convention center, and all the big names you know of are there. Renault, Peugeot, Ferrari, Aston Martin, the whole...
When I first started writing my book, “R to RSR: The Racing Porsche 911s” in 1987, whilst living in England, I had little or no idea which RS/RSR cars had been raced in France. This was despite the fact that France was only 21 miles away across the Channel. The...
People usually recall the Chevrolet Corvair as the car that was “unsafe at any speed” which is rather unfair because the Corvair itself occupied barely a chapter in Ralph Nader’s infamous book. Indeed, amongst others, the VW Beetle also received a pasting—and Mr. Nader thought the VW Microbus was too...
This story covers the development of the Porsche 911 RS/RSR prototype in the middle of 1972. Surprisingly, the very first Porsche RS/RSR, chassis number 911 360 0001 started life as a rally car—a factory built ST, 911 230 0769, which the factory itself re-numbered after the car had been returned...
Every year on a late winter weekend, the Porsche world turns its focus to Southern California. Crowds converge in Los Angeles for the LA Literature, Toy, and Memorabilia Show—and for the accompanying Porsche shop tours. Thankfully, the tradition resumed in 2022 after a 2021 hiatus. No Subscription? You’re missing out...
Vic Elford, Porsche motorsport legend, passed away at his home in Plantation Florida on March 13. In the last few years, the 86-year-old battled cancer with the same courage, will, and determination that he had on track. These same values made him one of only four drivers to have six...
A Brief History In mid-1967 the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced that it had decided to modify the regulations pertaining to the Sport Prototype, Sport and Gran Turismo categories. As a result, the World Brands Championship was on the brink of the greatest crisis in its history. Many were the...
Porsche Terms The world of Porsche is filled with all kinds of names, terms and abbreviations and it’s hard for even a passionate enthusiast to remember them all. That’s why we’ve put together the following. If you find anything amiss or have anything to add, don’t hesitate to give us...
F.A. “Butzi” Porsche (1935 – 2012) Better known to Porsche enthusiasts as F.A. “Butzi” Porsche, he was the son of Dr.-Ing. Ferdinand “Ferry” and Dorothea Porsche, and grandson of Professor Ferdinand and Aloisia Porsche. While heading up the styling department at Porsche, he played a pivotal role in the design...
Ferdinand Piëch (1937 – 2019) Named car executive of the century in 1999, Ferdinand Piëch transformed Volkswagen into the world’s largest carmaker by revenue. Piëch was the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche. Piëch did everything from leading motor racing operations at Porsche during the 1960s, to turning Audi into a true...
The Story of The Porsche Crest As Germany underwent a revolution in 1918, a German state of Kingdom of Württemberg was transformed from a monarchy to a democratic republic and called Free People’s State of Württemberg. It’s capital was Stuttgart. In 1922 a new coat of arms was introduced that...
Porsche Automuseum Pfeifhofer in Gmünd, Carinthia, Austria Porsche Near Gmünd in 1944-1949 As the Porsche construction office had to move away from Stuttgart’s bombing raids, in 1944 a new location was set up near Gmünd in Carinthia (Gmünd in Kärnten), Austria. It was 320 miles/515 km from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The Porsche...
Porsche Museum Stuttgart Overview & Guide The new 100 million euro Porsche museum was built a 1 minute walking distance away from the old tiny museum that was located on the factory plot. The new museum project was announced in 2004 and the museum was opened on January 31, 2009....
Porsche at Le Mans – The Ultimate Guide to Every Year & Every Result Circuit de la Sarthe is situated 130 miles/209 km west of Paris beside the city of Le Mans in the Sarthe county. The circuit is mostly a combination of country roads closed for the race, but...
We never forget where we come from. Our tradition and our history are part of our DNA. And we are aware that our heritage is both – an honor and an obligation. This is why we have built the new Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen – a place designed to inspire...
Film “Independence” (ca 1991). Listen to the words of Ferry Porsche. These principles are exactly why people started to love Porsche cars and Porsche company. No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content. Get Started Already a Member? Sign in to your account here....
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Ferry Porsche 1909 – 1998 Born on September 19, 1909, of Austrian descent, Ferry Porsche kept the Porsche flame alive when his father was imprisoned in France. Ferry Porsche was one of the first employees to work in his father’s design engineering office, but it is his mark on the...
Ferdinand Porsche (1875 – 1951) Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian-German automotive engineer and founder of the Porsche car company. He is best known for creating the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Volkswagen Beetle, the Auto Union racing car, the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK and several other important automobiles and technologies. Most importantly...
1974 Porsche 911 Turbo #1 chassis no. 911 560 0042. First owned by the late Louise Piëch (older sister of Ferry Porsche), the 2.7-litre 911 Turbo prototype is now on display in the Porsche Museum Inspiration for this feature came from the post published by Porsche in December 2020. It...
Porsche 356 Cabriolet competing at an aerodrome race in the USA, ca. 1952/1953 America has for decades been Porsche’s biggest market, and this was important for the young and growing company. In some ways, the importance of this market even influenced the development of certain models. In this feature, Porsche...
1976 Porsche 924 Coupé It is a fact that most of us with an interest in roadgoing or race cars, will have a favourite model that holds a special place in our memory for some reason. That reason might be something significant that happened in your life where a certain...
The ‘white, red and blue’ 956 LHs line up at Weissach ready for their onslaught at the Le Mans 24-Hour 1982 The decline of Group 6 and the growth of Group C saw the emergence of what is today widely regarded as the most entertaining and successful era in modern...
1969 Porsche 917 LH poses outside the workshops in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen © Porsche Werkfoto The world has become obsessed with anniversaries or facts that you can leverage, in order to bring your message across. And that is also true to some extent about this account of a legendary race car, but...
The Story of the Porsche 911 – A Timeline Porsche Prepares To Evolve Beyond The 356 By the early 1960’s, with the commercial success of the 356 (in all of its variants) over the past decade, Porsche had garnered a reputation for building quality, high-performance vehicles that handled equally well...