The history of Porsche sportscars is peppered with iconic models that stand out as special, from the earliest models to the very latest. One of the most notable achievements by Porsche’s designers is how they have retained the silhouette of the model through the ages, first with the 356, and then with the 911. Despite the addition of new technology, the inclusion of a plethora … [Read more...]
Arno Bohn – The Porsche Outsider
Arno Bohn was managing director of Porsche from 1990-92. An outsider who came from the computer industry, he arrived at a company seared by falling sales and riven by internal division about future direction. He left a Porsche which though still weak, had a new 911, the 993, in the wings and had conceived the 986/996 platform, a strategy which would be the beginning of its … [Read more...]
From a 356 to the latest 991.2 GT3 Clubsport
They were all there, from a Pre-A 356 to the latest 991.2 GT3 Clubsport, by way of the most mouth-watering collection of 911s, 956 and 962s, including the indomitable 917. The occasion was the first Rennsport Collective display, open to the public, with quite simply the most sensational and compelling presentation of Porsches you could hope to see. The setting was the 230-year … [Read more...]
Porsches and wall-to-wall sunshine
I received the email inviting me to join the judges panel for the 2018 Concours Masters Celebration of 70 Years of Porsche on Saturday, 1st September. It didn’t take long for me to accept as this would be an opportunity to get up close to some stunning machinery, and to be involved in a very special anniversary event. As it happened, we had glorious weather with wall-to-wall … [Read more...]
Porsche’s 70th anniversary – we look back 30 years to 1988
Last month we looked at some of Porsche’s milestones around the time of the company’s 50th anniversary in 1998. This month we track back a further ten years to 1988, and we look back 30 years at what was happening in the world of Porsche around the year. With the Type 2708 CART, Porsche ventured into unchartered waters as it sought to test the American CART racing scene. … [Read more...]
RM Sotheby’s 2018 Amelia Island Sale
Now in its 20th year, RM's 2018 Amelia Island sale is once again set to take place in March 2018. The auction preview, on the Thursday and Friday, is arranged on the lush oceanfront grounds of The Ritz-Carlton hotel, providing a breathtaking backdrop for the stunning selection of automobiles on offer. Amelia Island is perched on the idyllic sun-kissed coast of North-eastern … [Read more...]
Dr Ulrich Bez – father of the 993
Hailing from the Bad Cannstatt district of Stuttgart, Ulrich Bez, who as Porsche Technical supremo hatched the 993, had two significant stints at Porsche. During the 1970s he worked in research and was responsible for establishing Porsche’s crash test programme; in the 1980s, he followed Porsche’s head of research to BMW and set up BMW Technik, the department which designed the … [Read more...]
On Auction: Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8
Every so often, Porsche creates a short production run of cars that celebrates the attributes of one of their special models. In 1993, the Stuttgart engineers decided to develop a race version of their 911 Type 964 Carrera RS, aptly named the Carrera RSR 3.8, and aimed it squarely at the race track. With the 1993 Carrera 2 as the starting point, Porsche had to make at … [Read more...]
Celebrating the Porsche Carrera heritage
The origin of the model name, Porsche Carrera, is not only interesting but also somewhat hazy. It all started in a dusty town called Tuxtla Gutiérrez near the southern border of Mexico. The year was 1950, and an epic road race was about to get underway, La Carrera Panamericana, in celebration of the completion of the Mexican section of the Panamerican highway which stretched … [Read more...]
1991 Carrera Cup contender
A bit of history It had long been Porsche’s goal to participate in motorsport at varying levels, and in an effort to nurture new talent from amongst its customer racing base, a new customer racing series was being planned. 1990 marked the birth of the one-make motor racing series which has today become the envy of the motoring industry, the Porsche Carrera Cup. This year marks … [Read more...]
