Ferdinand Porsche was a genius. He designed all kinds of vehicles and several outstanding cars—like the Volkswagen, for instance.But until 1948, his creations bore the names of other manufacturers: Austro Daimler, Mercedes-Benz, Wanderer, Zündapp, NSU, Auto Union, Cisitalia, and of course, Volkswagen.
They were racing cars, touring cars, off-roaders. But Porsche had a special love for sports cars.
They were racing cars, touring cars, off-roaders. But Porsche had a special love for sports cars.
Designed with an aluminum frame that allowed it to reach a top speed of 152 km/h, the Type 64 never left the drawing board. The Porsche studio kept trying to sell the design to other manufacturers, while also working on a series of complex projects for a sports car—Type 114.Finally, in 1938, the studio secured funding to build three prototypes of sports cars intended to compete in the prestigious Berlin-Rome race.
These cars used the chassis of the Volkswagen Type 64 and a slightly modified version of the Type 114 body.But events took a turn—war broke out, and the race never happened.
These cars used the chassis of the Volkswagen Type 64 and a slightly modified version of the Type 114 body.But events took a turn—war broke out, and the race never happened.
After the end of the war—and a series of events that led the Porsche family to a brief imprisonment in France—in 1946 the creative workshop settled in an old sawmill in the small Austrian village of Gmünd.In 1948, Ferdinand and his son unveiled the Porsche 356—the first car to finally bear the Porsche name. The two-seater, built using Volkswagen components, was called 356 simply because that was the project’s archive number. The first version featured a tubular chassis, and for the first time, the legendary Porsche name appeared on a body designed by Erwin Kommenda, in a logotype that has remained nearly unchanged to this day.Later 356 models used the Volkswagen floorpan, while keeping Kommenda’s body design and the same mechanical layout.
Why was the chassis changed so quickly? The answer is simple: the Porsche team were perfectionists. And since all models were produced in relatively small numbers, making changes wasn’t a big issue. The result? A collection of fascinating, intricate cars—each one invariably better than the last.Their core characteristics, just like the brand itself, remained unchanged for 27 years: except for a brief flirtation with open-wheel race cars, Porsches always had rear-mounted, air-cooled engines and independent suspension. Only in 1975 did the newer models adopt the more conventional front-mounted, water-cooled engines.In 1951, the 356 raced at Le Mans in a more powerful version. Ferdinand Porsche lived long enough to see his 356 coupés win at Le Mans—and to witness his company rise to become one of the greatest forces in road racing.
Why was the chassis changed so quickly? The answer is simple: the Porsche team were perfectionists. And since all models were produced in relatively small numbers, making changes wasn’t a big issue. The result? A collection of fascinating, intricate cars—each one invariably better than the last.Their core characteristics, just like the brand itself, remained unchanged for 27 years: except for a brief flirtation with open-wheel race cars, Porsches always had rear-mounted, air-cooled engines and independent suspension. Only in 1975 did the newer models adopt the more conventional front-mounted, water-cooled engines.In 1951, the 356 raced at Le Mans in a more powerful version. Ferdinand Porsche lived long enough to see his 356 coupés win at Le Mans—and to witness his company rise to become one of the greatest forces in road racing.
In 1952, the company passed into the hands of Ferry, Ferdinand's son, who moved the headquarters to Stuttgart. There, he began focusing heavily on racing as a way to promote production models—inevitably facing the need to design a more powerful engine.One of Porsche’s young engineers, Ernst Fuhrmann, was tasked with developing an ultra-modern flat-four engine with overhead valves, working alongside Ferry Porsche and technical director Karl Raabe, the senior assistant of the old Professor.This powerful engine was installed in a roadster named the 550. Porsche’s American dealers encouraged the production of this highly specialized model, which—constantly improved—kept the company at the forefront of 1950s racing.With continuous modifications, the 550 began to resemble open-wheel race cars more and more. By 1957, with just a few adjustments, it was ready to compete in Formula 2.
These cars were met with immediate success, and when the engine displacement for Formula 1 was limited to 1.5 liters, the team from Stuttgart enthusiastically set out to build Grand Prix cars. However, this type of racing proved too expensive, and Porsche decided to shift focus back to sports cars and production vehicles—which continued to bring in victories.The ultralight Spyders won the European Hill Climb Championship, entered under Austrian nationality. High-performance and rally cars were built under the name Carrera, in honor of a class win at the notoriously tough Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico. That name held irresistible appeal in Porsche’s biggest market: California.Although demand for the 356 was constantly growing, it became clear that a new model was needed for the 1960s. This led to the creation of the 901—renamed 911 after realizing Peugeot had already trademarked all three-digit numbers with a zero in the middle.Ferry Porsche personally defined all the key traits of the 911: not much bigger than the 356, and still able to comfortably seat two adults and two children.As soon as it rolled off the assembly line in 1964, the 911 was an instant hit. It went on to evolve through numerous updates, always staying true to its original character. This car would go on to write many chapters in motorsport history—from the Monte Carlo Rally to the 24 Hours of Le Mans—and even today, under the 935 designation, it still races in high-speed competitions.
In the early 1960s, Porsche made the crucial decision to separate track cars from road cars. It was the only viable solution to compete at an international level.The result was a series of rear-engined, ultra-lightweight models with increasingly powerful air-cooled engines—culminating in the 3-liter 908/3, which triumphed at the Targa Florio, and the formidable 917/30 Can-Am Turbo, capable of reaching 370 km/h.The 917 series secured major victories, and only a change in regulations gave other manufacturers a fighting chance. The cars developed during this period became increasingly powerful—and more expensive—as Porsche strived to maintain peak performance while also complying with U.S. emissions standards.
Alarmed by the unsustainable spiral of rising costs, Porsche’s leadership soon decided to renew its partnership with longtime ally Volkswagen, aiming to produce a more affordable model: the 914. Equipped with a mid-powered engine, the 914 ultimately failed to win broad success.In order to finally introduce a more budget-friendly model into its lineup, Porsche broke with tradition in 1975 and launched the 924—a front-engined, water-cooled car that made extensive use of Volkswagen components.To round out its model range, Porsche also developed a more ambitious vehicle: the 928, powered by a V8 engine.
In the early 1980s, Porsche’s lineup included the classic 911 in both turbocharged and naturally aspirated versions, the 935 race variants, the 936—a smaller offshoot of the 917—the relatively affordable 924, and the 928, the grand touring car that went on to win Car of the Year.The 1970s and ’80s were marked by the production of several controversial models, such as the 944 (originally conceived for Audi) and the 968. All featured front-mounted engines with rear-wheel drive and rear-mounted transmissions.
Despite their excellent agility, balanced weight distribution, and generous cabin space, these models achieved less commercial success than expected.
Despite their excellent agility, balanced weight distribution, and generous cabin space, these models achieved less commercial success than expected.
In 1996, Porsche introduced the Boxster—a two-seater roadster with a water-cooled flat-six engine mounted in a true mid-engine position, just behind the seats and within the rear axle. This layout gave the model outstanding handling.The Boxster later gave rise to the Cayman, a coupé featuring a 3.4-liter engine with 295 horsepower. The Boxster marked the beginning of a new era for Porsche, as it was the brand’s first liquid-cooled production car.
In 2002, Porsche launched the Cayenne—its first SUV—developed in collaboration with Volkswagen and Audi. The most recent addition is the Panamera, a four-door, four-seat luxury sedan that shares part of its engineering and powertrains with the Cayenne. Both models are built at the Leipzig plant, which was constructed specifically for their production.These models reflect Porsche’s clear intention to boost sales, revenue, and commercial presence in new markets—while also strengthening its position in the traditionally lucrative U.S. market.
In 2012, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche—grandson of the founder—passed away. That same year, after various financial ups and downs and failed attempts by Porsche to acquire a controlling stake in the Volkswagen Group, an agreement was reached for Volkswagen to purchase the remaining 50.1% of Porsche’s shares, for a total of €4.46 billion. As of August 1, 2012, Porsche became fully owned by the Volkswagen Group—though the Stuttgart-based brand had been closely linked to Wolfsburg from the very beginning.In 2013, after several years in development, Porsche unveiled the groundbreaking 918—a mid-engined hybrid supercar boasting the highest power output and performance ever achieved by a Porsche road car.
In February 2018, Porsche officially announced the end of its diesel vehicle production, choosing to focus exclusively on hybrid and petrol engines.Finally, in 2019, Porsche entered the electric vehicle market with the Taycan—a sleek, three-box shooting brake sedan.
In the new millennium, the German automaker has managed to evolve without ever losing the iconic touch that has defined it throughout its history.To preserve and celebrate Porsche’s legacy and its most iconic creations, the Porsche Museum opened in 2009—a space dedicated to safeguarding, honoring, and telling the story of the most emblematic cars in international automotive history.
