Words by: Glen Smale Images by: Glen Smale & Corporate Archives Porsche AG Ferdinand Piëch knew it, the FIA/CSI knew it, and the motor racing public knew it too. The Porsche 917 KH and LH variants were only ever going to be eligible for three racing seasons – 1969, 1970...
When Henk Spin purchased a 356 A Coupé as a restoration project, he had no idea that it was not a standard-issue vehicle, but rather a factory one-off full of special requests. Ten years later, the 1958 classic car had been restored to its former glory in the special color...
906: Born to Race Considered one of the most distinctive designs of the 1960s, the Porsche Carrera 6, more popularly known as the 906, was certainly also one of the most remarkable pieces of German engineering. As is already well known, the origins of the model can be traced back...
A New Era for Porsche Performance “We are in the GT business,” said Porsche racing engineer Norbert Singer, “so we will make one.” That was in the summer of 1995 when Porsche responded to the revival of interest in GT-class racing and the challenge of the McLaren F1 by starting...
Porsche 917 Factory Racing In 1969 Porsche’s new 917 was never intended to be ready for the two Florida races, Daytona and Sebring, at the beginning of the 1969 season. As it happened, the 917 also missed the first two European races of the Championship for Manufacturers, namely Brands Hatch...
Without question, Ferdinand Piëch’s crowning glory came with the arrival of the Porsche 917 in 1969. This race car brought Porsche the one trophy that was missing from its trophy cabinet, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Remember, this was a time of great change in many aspects of life as...
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...
History In contrast to the American norm where the big three car makers would restyle their ranges every couple of years, the Porsche 911 remained essentially the same for most of its first decade. There were minor visual changes – chrome disappeared gradually, the wheelbase was lengthened by two inches...
With the obligatory shift away from ICE, the 911 60th anniversary model, the 992 S/T may well come to be seen as the pinnacle of the internal combustion sports car. The 2023 911 S/T is likely to serve as a salutary reminder of the exemplary automotive engineering that society has...
There’s no shortage of electric cars that go fast in a straight line. But when Porsche says it’s building an electric Boxster and Cayman that feel like real sports cars, ears perk up and so do expectations. With its legacy on the line, Porsche isn’t chasing gimmicks or numbers. Instead,...
As has been observed before, the advent of the 996 was a revolution at Porsche. If the longest-running sports car model in history was to have a future beyond the 1990s, it would require a comprehensive retranslation for the twenty-first century. The outcome was the radical new 996, which at...
Still a 911 Guy… But Curious I try not to be a 911 snob, but like most long-time Porsche owners, the rear engine, air-cooled 911 is – and always has been – “Top of the Pops” for me. Other makes and models invariably come up short. Certainly, the car has...
History & Tech The 991 Range In modern manufacturing, car makers generally reckon to get a maximum of two model generations from platform as they are now called. Chassis and engineering improvements and above all the continued march of safety legislation mean that after a decade, the next generation will...
Story by Glen Smale. All images courtesy of © Porter Press Int. Porsche’s Type 956, 962 and 962C is the world’s most successful prototype race car ever produced. Developed specifically for the Group C class that ran between 1982 and 1992, and the IMSA series in the USA, these three versions...
History & Tech More significant to North Americans is that the street version of the 2003 second-generation GT3 met EPA norms making it the first ‘hot’ 911 to be allowed officially in the US since the Carrera 2.4 S of 1972. When Porsche began making sports cars in the late...
Love at First Sight: Graham Lister In 1977, Graham Lister flew halfway around the world to collect his first Porsche, a 911, from the factory. For his second Porsche, he stayed closer to home. “I noticed a little 356 A Coupe on a side street in Napier, New Zealand, in...
The world of barn finds is an intriguing one, filled with hidden gems. It is a space littered with forgotten classics, each with its own unique story and just waiting to be discovered. Porsche has had its own fair share of this automotive ‘diamonds in the rough.’ From rust-covered racecars...
Background While Porsche has long since been revered as a European sports car company, “Supercar” has not been part of their vocabulary. That changed with the Porsche 959, introduced in 1986, which many consider the first German supercar. Designed as a technological marvel, it featured advanced all-wheel drive, a 2.85L...
The 987 Cayman and its immediate successor the 981 Cayman model represented Porsche’s first volume production mid-engined coupé. Using naturally aspirated flat six engines, it ran for a little over a decade until a turbocharged flat four changed the character of the car. Subtly differentiated from the Boxster from which...
Preamble No, I haven’t been lucky enough to have cumulatively clocked 10 years behind the wheel of a GT4, or multiple GT4s for that matter, but I did have a chance to sample a truncated version of what this experience would be like. That said, I think that having close-to-a-month...
Story by Greg James. Photos by Dan O’Connell. I love reading road tests. Especially those that involve shootouts when cars are pitted against each other. However, in the traditional automotive rags that get their revenues from advertisers, it’s often comical how close any number of performance cars finish points-wise when...
Background & Tech In the late 1960s, as California’s new anti-smog legislation became operative, it was apparent that highly tuned cars like the Porsche 911 would be affected. Breathing through carburettors and running on premium fuel, the 911 was soon in difficulty with traffic authorities. The S was even withdrawn...
Best Porsche Under $250K: The Ultimate Performance Machines With a budget of $250,000, you gain access to some of the most desirable Porsches ever built. From high-performance 911 GT models to rare, limited-production supercars, this price range opens the door to an elite level of driving excitement. Whether you’re looking...
The Porsche 911, with its distinctive rear-engine layout and flat-six boxer engine, has been a cornerstone of the sports car world for decades. At the heart of this icon lies the 911’s Boxer engine, a flat-six powerplant that has defined the model’s identity and reputation since its debut in the...
Words by: Glen Smale Images by: Corporate Archives Porsche AG The Porsche 956, and its later sibling the 962, became the most successful sports prototype in racing history during its domination of Group C between 1982 and 1992. Once the Porsche factory released the race car to private teams from...
Photography courtesy of Road Scholars. No need to squint. That lump hanging out the back of this Meyers Manx is a genuine Fuhrmann four-cam engine. Indeed, this is a real, fully functional, road-and-track ready (if you have the balls for it) Meyers Manx, the output of a collaboration between noted...
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...
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 it came out, the Porsche 924 became a world-beater right away. Nowadays, it’s often regarded as a milestone in Porsche’s history. But this nameplate’s origins could have taken it down a very different road. Before it became the sleek, high-performance sports car we know today, the 924 almost emerged...
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...
When discussing the top sports car manufacturers throughout history, Porsche is perhaps the first name that comes to mind. Of course, other iconic marks like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren are typically up there, too. However, Porsche’s decades-long legacy and relentless evolution have set the benchmark for sports car performance and...
Best Porsche Under $150K: Supercar Performance Without the Supercar Price A budget of $150,000 brings you into the realm of true Porsche excellence. At this price point, you can access high-performance 911 models, track-ready GT cars, and even lightly used supercar-level machines. Whether you’re after a thrilling weekend toy, a...
Can a Porsche and the surfing lifestyle coexist? According to this 928’s owner, the answer is a resounding YES. For proof of this, look no further than the 928 Surfari – an unlikely project dreamt and realized by a passionate Polish surfing community. No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate...
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...
Background Since the 1960s, Porsche has been optimizing the aerodynamics of future racing and production vehicles in the wind tunnel with the help of special miniature models. The example of the legendary Porsche 935/78 shows how this works. Model vehicles feature in many a display case as diminutive dream cars....
The Macan EV is the latest step in the evolution of Porsche’s lineup, being the first vehicle of the brand to be released that is totally transitioning from petrol to battery power. This transition is not just about electrification, however, as it also marks the first time that technology from...
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....
Photos & Technical Details: Flat 6 Motorsports. Do you have an interesting Porsche build that you want to show off? Email us: editor @ stuttcars.com. The Macan SUV Combines Luxury & Performance Our team here at Stuttcars features many high-performance street cars, race cars, and vintage variants. However, we also...
Best Porsche Under $100K: High-Performance Icons Within Reach With a budget of $100,000, you enter the realm of truly exceptional Porsches. This price range unlocks access to high-performance 911s, track-focused Caymans, and even some modern luxury grand tourers. Whether you’re looking for a raw, analog driving experience or cutting-edge performance...
Whether aerodynamics, connectivity, range, or driving dynamics, the innovations in the new Macan are setting benchmarks. At the same time, Porsche is working toward a strategic milestone with full electrification of this popular series. No Subscription? You’re missing out Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content. Get Started...
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....
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...
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? Enjoy this throwback to 2023’s premier celebration of the Porsche automobile. 356 #001 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...
Best Porsche Under $75K: Unlocking High-Performance Excellence With a budget of $75,000, you’re stepping into serious Porsche territory. This price range offers access to some of the brand’s most thrilling sports cars, including high-performance 911s, mid-engine Caymans, and even track-ready models. Whether you’re after a modern Porsche with cutting-edge technology...
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...
Best Porsche Under $25K: Affordable Thrills on a Budget Dreaming of owning a Porsche but working with a budget of $25,000? You’re in luck! While Porsche is often associated with high-end luxury and performance, there are still great options that offer the brand’s signature driving experience without breaking the bank....
Best Porsche Under $50K: Performance and Prestige on a Budget A budget of $50,000 opens the door to an exciting range of Porsches, blending performance, luxury, and timeless design. Whether you’re searching for a mid-engine sports car, a high-performance coupe, or even a capable SUV, there are plenty of options...
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,...
For some, motor racing is an inevitability. It is a passion that they are born with and it is just a matter of time before they slip behind the wheel of a racing car. For these chosen few, this inborn factor elevates them to a level above the rest of...
After what felt like an eternity for Porsche enthusiasts, the seventh “family affair” of monumental proportions kicked off on the Monterey Peninsula, California on September 28th. Rennsport Reunion 7 includes a spectacular array of everything from vintage 356s to the new Mission X all-electric Hypercar which is on display for...
It’s a rare and privileged opportunity for a vehicle to be inducted into the National Register of Historic Vehicles and an even rarer moment when it’s a Porsche. The Hagerty Drivers Foundation erected its mobile museum on the National Mall in Washington D.C., among numerous museums and galleries of The...
One of the most colorful episodes in the history of Porsche was their 13th Le Mans victory in 1994 with the racing version of a road car derived from a racing car. This hubris served the car company well and less so a participant. This was the car that Porsche...
In discussions about vintage Porsches, the iconic 356 always comes to light as the cornerstone of air-cooled Porsches. Respected for its simple but effective design over a decade-long production span, its balance and agility redefined small displacement sports cars of the 1950s through 1965. Offering accommodation for two passengers and...
Did you know that 2023 sees the Porsche 356 C turning 60? We think it’s a birthday still worth celebrating, even in a year with so much else going on in it. This fine example has been living in a garage in Bielefeld for more than half its life and...
Invitation to race from Charles Faroux Charles Faroux was a car enthusiast, a racing official, a leading French motor-publication editor at La Vie Automobile and a charmer. Europe’s major automobile manufacturers entrusted their engineering secrets and newest models to him in hopes of a favorable review. Everyone respected his opinions....
Origin Story It’s been widely acknowledged—even by Porsche themselves—that the Cayman and Boxster (alongside the Cayenne) are hugely responsible for the company’s change in fortunes during the early 21st century. Designers Stefan Stark and Grant Larson beside the clay concept model. Photo credit: Porsche The diminutive sports cars helped to...
We have partnered with Sports Car Digest to bring amazing Porsche content from the SCD archives to Stuttcars. This piece was originally published on February 2, 2015 and is here for Stuttcars members to enjoy! The first efforts with the 924 rally car involved a non-turbo version, the Monte Carlo...
Motor racing has always involved risk for the drivers, and sometimes for spectators too, as was seen to horrific effect The chaotic scene just after the #88 car of Huhn/Schwarz crashed at the Nürburgring in 1970. Photo: Porsche Werk in the disaster that occurred at the 1955 Le Mans 24...
In the late 1950s, while senior engineers at Porsche struggled through studies for a successor to the 356, a new generation of Porsche family members was entering the business. Ferry Porsche’s eldest son, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, joined the family firm in 1957. Butzi Porsche—as he was known—spent his first nine...
We have partnered with Sports Car Digest to republish some of their Porsche-centric mcontent on Stuttcars for our members to enjoy. This piece was originally published on May 11, 2021 on Sports Car Digest. In many circles, the term airhead applies to someone who is silly or lacking in intelligence....
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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...
In 1977, Porsche’s “improvised” Type 936/77 took on the full-court press of four Renaults at Le Mans. Retirements and technical troubles suggested that winning was out of the question. But neither its drivers nor Porsche number 4 believed that. Against strong opposition from Alpine-Renault and Alfa Romeo, Porsche took the...
History Long regarded as the best entry-level air-cooled 911, the Carrera 3.2 remains highly desirable. It was the final evolution of the original torsion bar 911 built from 1964 to 1989. Visually the only significant change came in 1974 with the so-called ‘impact bumpers’ of the G series, but under...
Porsche 356A Modern automobile manufacturers would tell you – if you ran the Porsche history past them without putting a name to it – that it couldn’t possibly be true. A father and son leave allied prisons after WWII and set up a small design firm. One of their projects...
For better, and sometimes for worse, corporate culture and business strategy have historically played a significant role in motorsport. Over the years, racecars and racing programs have been created and eliminated for no other reason than to satisfy marketing strategies and brand positioning. While many of us tend to view...
Still affordable, still respected The Porsche 987.1 Cayman, introduced in 2006, was born out of a desire to offer a mid-engine sports car that complemented the iconic Porsche 911. Positioned below the 911, the Cayman offered enthusiasts a more affordable option while maintaining the brand’s renowned performance and driving experience....
First Europe, then North America The 991.1 GTS was the second 911 offered as a GTS sub-brand. The first was the 997.2 in 2009 after Porsche tried it successfully on the Cayenne. The GTS concept was a clever idea: based on the S but priced above it, the GTS version...
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...
The terms Porsche and racing have now become virtually synonymous. In no small part, this is due to the German manufacturer’s stunning 19 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans—more than any other manufacturer. However, the keen enthusiast will know that it took Porsche almost 20 years to...
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When it was launched in Europe in late 1993, the appropriately numbered 911 993 would be the last of the air-cooled Porsches. Indeed, the decision had already been made by Porsche. By the time the second generation 993 emerged in 1995, the coming demise of the 911 as enthusiasts, indeed...
In complete honesty, I am guilty of amassing far too many books and magazine collections on European sportscars, especially Porsche. It’s almost impossible to come across any “never seen before” photos, so when I’m asked to look at a new historical Porsche book, my excitement is understandably tempered. However, I...
It started with the Porsche 356 As we all know, the 356 was the first globally sold car made by Porsche, and firmly planted Stuttgart on many an enthusiast’s map. It came in a variety of body styles, including roadster, cabriolet, and coupe, and quickly became one of the favorite...
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Overview of the Porsche 718 Revealed in 2016, the Porsche 718 was the third generation Boxster/Cayman. Strictly speaking, it was the fourth generation Boxster, the first being the 996-based 986 models of 1997-2004. The Cayman was presented in 2005 and it, and an updated Boxster, shared the 997 chassis. To...
THE HISTORY The Porsche 963 follows on from a long line of successful cars and racing successes. Porsche 963 , #7 at Daytona during the ROAR test session entering Daytona Turn 6. Photo: Copyright Martin Raffauf Ferdinand Porsche started the company bearing his name in 1949. Almost immediately they started...
Overview The GT3s are the low volume 911s, road-going production cars homologated for what was Group 3 competition. The original homologated 911 was of course the famous RS 2.7 in 1972. After that Porsche concentrated on the higher Groups for which the 930 Turbo served as the homologation model. 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...
Written by: Glen Smale Images by: Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale and Corporate Archives Porsche AG 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....
Once the Boxster was established, it was only a matter of time before a coupé version appeared. When the Cayman was launched in 2005, it was clearly a hardtop Boxster, but by pricing it slightly higher and endowing it with fractionally more power, Porsche pitched it as an intermediate model...
In the past, we have covered a Type 964 911 Carrera 2 Speedster, a Type 986 Boxster spec race car, and even a 914/6 Restomod. Today, we continue our Porsche Profiles series with a Type 987 Porsche Cayman S that is, for one man, his complete unicorn car. As well,...
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...
Porsche 911 GT3 Buyer’s Guide (991 & 992) Over the past 2 decades, the Porsche 911 GT3 models—and their variants, such as the RS and Speedster—have gone on to establish a reputation as the world’s quintessential sportscars. The lengths to which the GT3 has blurred the lines between street car...
As we approach the 10 year mark since the Porsche 918 Spyder arrived onto the roads of the world, we thought that it would be appropriate to look back not at how the car was conceived and designed, but how two completely different race cars from Stuttgart heavily influenced that...
After 40 years, the most successful Porsche race car – the Porsche 956 – ever was reunited with its drivers in Leipzig. Now 81 years old, British Derek Bell is still the elegant gentleman he was decades ago. 40 years after the fact, Bell finally admits that he and the...
Let’s face it, the Porsche 911 was the most successful model produced by Porsche in the 20th century, and it is only in recent years that it has started to be outsold by the Macan, the Cayenne, and the Taycan. But many who are not wise in the ways of...
Images by: Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale and Corporate Archives Porsche AG The Porsche 908 is widely regarded as one of the Stuttgart manufacturer’s most reliable and important racers. The 908 came in many different guises, including Coupe, Spyder, long tail, short tail and turbo, and it excelled in all of these...
Germany? Austria? Japan? To understand where ground zero is for the world’s largest 356-only Concours, let’s first go back to the 1960s and 1970s before Porsche had developed their markets in Asia and the Middle East. At one point, approximately 50% of all production was sold to the United States....
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It Has Been A Long Time Coming Porsche 911 Carrera prices increased by more than 50% during the last years. However, the market slowed down during spring. During the summer the market continued to weaken and we can see now the first significant price decreases. The downside risk increased in...
There are many legendary Porsche racing cars that command respect for their legacy, their series of wins in a season, or their pure technological advancement. The Porsche 917LH and the Porsche 917K come immediately to mind, as well as the 935/78 “Moby Dick” (for having one of the craziest whale...
My first “real” racing car was a Porsche RS/R, which I bought in the mid-1980s. Previously, I had done quite a lot of Hillclimbs in England with, first of all, a variety of Jaguar XK120s and then a 1974 Porsche RS 3.0, (911 460 9034), which was followed up by...
The April 6-8 ,2022, Spring Fling at Sebring in Florida was a great event and as always there were some great Porsches around. Our sister site is Vintage Road & Racecar had all the awesome coverage and let us share some of the amazing Porsche’s around for the weekend. Check out...
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...
The 914/6 was the Porsche-engined version of the 914, the joint venture sports car designed by Porsche and built at Karmann using mostly VW running gear. It was intended by VW to be a successor to the Karmann Ghia (and by Porsche to be an entry level model to replace...
The premise was disarmingly simple: a race bringing together the best drivers in motorsport, all competing in identical cars, in a spectacle designed around the requirements of television. It would consist of three forty-five-minute races over a weekend at the end of the 1973 season, followed by a final in...