Automobile site - Behind the wheel

The Porsche company cannot boast of considerable age. It was formed much later than many of its “compatriots”, such as Audi or Mercedes.

Ferdinand Porsche opened a design bureau only in 1931. The design bureau was directly related to vehicles, but was not involved in their production.

The founder of the famous company was born in 1875. As a teenager, he began helping his father in his repair shop. Ferdinand did not become a tinsmith like his father. He was interested in technology since childhood. As a young man, he built a generator. From that time on, electric lighting appeared in the house - a wonder of which there were only two in the entire city. And one is in the house of the Porsche family.

After completing his studies, young Porsche began working at Bela Egger & Co. The electrical company was located in Vienna. The talent did not go unnoticed: from a simple worker in a short period of time, Ferdinand “grew” to the position of head of the testing chamber.

At the age of 22, Porsche changed his employer and began working in the royal carriage manufactories. Here he developed a hub motor. At an exhibition in Paris (1900), the engine created a real sensation. And the inventor received enormous fame.

Before opening his own Design Bureau, Ferdinand managed to work in various companies, including Austro-Daimler and Daimler-Benz.

The Type 22, a racing car, was developed in the bureau at the request of Auto-Union in 1936. And then Porsche received Hitler’s order to develop a “people’s car.”

The task was completed perfectly. “Beetles” (the official name is “Volkswagen”) have been traveling on the roads of different countries and continents for many years, but not in the numbers expected when they were created.

Porsche sports cars

The National Sports Committee provided Porsche with great support in its work on the racing car.

The same “Beetle” was taken as a basis. The standard engine with twenty-four “horses” was removed from the “People’s Car” and installed with fifty.

Perhaps the car would have won, having arrived first in Rome, where the marathon was supposed to end. But he never managed to get to the start. The Nazis themselves, once again, prevented the implementation of their own plans.

Long years of war were devoted to the creation of special equipment: heavy tanks, amphibians, self-propelled guns. Among the government orders were off-road vehicles intended for staff workers. To be fair, it is worth saying that the development of military equipment was not Ferdinand Porsche’s strong point.

Another Porsche, Ferry, returned to creating sports cars in 1948. Ferdinand Sr., after leaving the French prison, where the professor was accused by the Ministry of Justice of France - one of the victorious countries, could no longer independently deal with the affairs of the bureau. He passed on everything he could to his son, and he limited himself to the position of consultant.

Then a very small Porsche 356 was assembled. In essence, it was a streamlined coupe with a souped-up Volkswagen engine. Luck “smiled” on the new product, allowing it to “show itself” almost immediately after getting on its wheels. Victory in the first races went to the 356th. This car went into production with a rear engine. It was produced in this form until 1965, and then the Carrera model was created on its basis. Porsche's father never knew about this: he died in January 1951.

In the same 51st Porsche Jr. began creating another sports car. Development ended by 1953, and the “purely sporty” Porsche 550 was born. He was given the “name” “Spudder”.

The Porsche Spudder won a lot of victories in various races. After another triumph in Mexico at the prestigious Carrera Panamecana race (1953), it was decided to “assign” the name “Spider” to the fastest cars of the company. The following year, the next Spudder received a soft top and a directly positioned windshield.

The last version of the famous 550 was released in 1960. Her “name” was “718/RS”. A year later, the production of another legendary car, the Porsche Carrera 2, was completed.

New times - new requirements

The automotive industry was developing rapidly. The former high-speed cars became obsolete. Time required more and more new technical solutions.

Another representative of the family appeared at the Porsche company - the grandson of the creator - Ferdinand Alexander. He was directly involved in the world-famous Porsche 911.

The first appearance of the “Nine Hundred and Eleven” took place at the Frankfurt Motor Show in ’63. Four years later, anyone could become the happy owner of three modifications of the Porsche 911 Targa. The most “modest” option was designated with the letter “T”. The luxury model is “marked” with the letter “E”. And especially for representatives of the United States of America, whose markets were inaccessible to the Germans for some time, they developed a model with the designation “S”.

The two-door, four-seater coupe was so successful that it was produced for many, many years, periodically modernizing it and bringing it closer to the requirements of the time.

In the sixties, several models of racing cars were created. The first was the 904 GTS. It was followed by “906” - “908”, “917”. All models were united by exceptional reliability and excellent style.

The title of the most economical sports car in the world was awarded to the Porsche 924 (born 1975). The “younger” Porsche 928 (born 1977) was also given the title. In the vastness of the Old World, an eight-cylinder with 240 “horses”, it was recognized as the “Car of 1978”.

With each subsequent development, Porsche cars became more environmentally friendly, more reliable, more powerful and faster. Maximum speeds significantly exceeded two hundred kilometers per hour. It is not surprising that such cars (“956”, “959”, “962”) still often “took prizes” at various competitions.

Return of Spider

For three decades, the name “Spider” was not mentioned in the names of models. They “remembered” him only at the very end of the 80s and never forgot about him.

Modern Spiders, for example, are represented by the Porsche 918 supercar. The development of German engineers in 2013 is presented in two versions: standard and lightweight.

The squat car (only 1,167 meters high) has incredible power - 887 hp. Similar indicators are provided by three engines: one internal combustion and two electric, located on the axles of the car. At the front (on the front axle) there is a 95 kW electric motor, and on the rear axle there is a more powerful 115 kW motor.

Only with electric motors can a car travel at a speed of 150 km/h. True, you can travel no more than thirty kilometers without refueling.

Complete restoration of electrical forces occurs in three hours. The car's developers offer an additional charger that allows you to “saturate” the batteries in just 30 minutes. You can buy such a charger for 20 thousand euros (almost a million Russian rubles).

In general, the 918 Spyder can cover a distance of 345 km in a maximum hour.

As for the estimated acceleration, the Porsche 918 reaches hundreds in less than 3 seconds. It will take him about 7.3 seconds to accelerate to two hundred km/h. After 20.9 seconds, the car will be racing one and a half times faster.

The most interesting thing is that with super power and the same speed, Proshe-918 “eats” very little. The Germans claim that per hundred you need only 3.0 liters of high-quality fuel. The news is absolutely incredible!

The car comes with a 4-year warranty (electric batteries are longer - 7 years).

Amazingly beautiful two-seater roadster

Porsche 918 Spyder, according to manufacturers, will be released in limited quantities - 918 units. And this despite the fact that already in 2012 a much larger number of applications for its acquisition were submitted.

The initial cost of a modern Spider is slightly less than 770 thousand euros. But this does not seem to stop those who want to get a supercar.

For Russian buyers, the price is much higher - 991.3 thousand euros (the cost of the basic configuration). It’s incredible, but even for such “mad” money (991,300 x 49.0 (exchange rate in May 2014) = 48.6 million rubles) our compatriots are ready to purchase an extremely environmentally friendly hybrid sports car.

Porsche history

Ferdinand Porsche was born on September 3, 1875 in Maffersdorf near Bohemia. Young Ferdinand's father was a plumber and therefore his son followed in his footsteps, later continuing his endeavor - he got a job as his father's assistant, as a plumber.

Porsche was initially purposeful, so he did not stay long in companies in various positions. Thanks to this quality and a successful coincidence of circumstances, the first small design company of the young “creator” Dr. is founded in Stuttgart (Germany). Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

The well-known name of Porsche in the circle of automobile industrialists contributed to the rapid appearance of the first order for the newly formed company. In 1931, NSU placed an order to build a car as part of a program to create a “people's car” for the people of Germany.And after two years of hard work, a car with the index 32 was born, which would later become the predecessor of the famous Volkswagen Beetle. The features of the mass-market Beetle will also appear in the first sports model of Porsche itself - the Porsche Type 60.

Designed by Franz Reimspiess, the air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine was to increase in displacement from 985 to 1,500 cc. The body of the “athlete” was designed by the author of the Beetle’s appearance, Erwin Komenda. Mathematician Josef Mickl, taking into account the high aerodynamic parameters of the body, the estimated weight and engine power, calculated the maximum speed - 145-150 km/h. Contrary to the plans of Ferdinand Porsche, the car plant in Wolfsburg did not want to produce a sports model: the board of the German Labor Front, the founder of Volkswagen-Kdf, was preparing the company for war - there was no time for sports. Then Ferdinand decided to conclude a contract with the German Labor Front to receive the necessary automotive components from Wolfsburg. But this initiative was also rejected. It seemed that the Type 64 project was doomed to be buried. An unexpected continuation of the story occurred in 1938. The German National Sports Committee has undertaken to finance the development of a sports car to participate in the high-speed 1,300-kilometer Berlin-Rome motor marathon. The car race along the autobahns of Germany and the highways of Italy was a kind of demonstration of the solidarity of the two countries. Naturally, Ferdinand Porsche jumped at the chance, and the bureau received the budget to build three prototypes. The marathon car was equipped with an engine from the Beetle - this had a double benefit. Firstly, the time and costs associated with building a new power unit were reduced. Secondly, there was a great opportunity to show off at the race, showing the extraordinary abilities of the people's car. The engine capacity remained the same - 985 cc, but thanks to the installation of a new carburetor, an increase in the compression ratio and an increase in valve diameter, the power increased from the original 23.5 to 50 hp. After wind-tunneling a mock-up of the original body, Komenda and Mickle made several improvements to its configuration. The drawings were then transferred to the Stuttgart company Reutter, which produced 3 aluminum bodies.

So in the summer of 1939, the first Porsche automobile brands, model 60K10, appeared. They did not have to take part in the race - the outbreak of war crossed out plans for the marathon. The sports prototypes left without “work” passed into private hands: Ferdinand Porsche, his son Ferdinand Porsche (yes, the little son was named after his father, however, to avoid confusion, the younger Ferdinand was called Ferry in the family and among the people), and the third went to Bodo Lafferenz, director of Volkswagen. In the first months of the war, the third prototype ceased to exist - Lafferentz fell asleep at the wheel and crashed the car to smithereens.

During the war, a couple more unpleasant events occurred: Allied bombs destroyed the Porsche building, where all the archives about the work carried out over the past twelve years, and the Porsche family house were burned. To escape the bombs that regularly rained down from the sky, the Porsche family, seizing the surviving equipment of the company of the same name, moved to Austria. At the beginning of May 1945, units of the 42nd Rainbow Division of the 7th US Army, consisting mainly of prisoners from the Sing-Sing maximum security prison, entered the Austrian city of Zell am See (prisoners were promised an amnesty for their service at the front). And they had to find one of the Porsche 60K10 sports prototypes in the flight school premises. The convicts, armed with metal scissors, turned the racing coupe into a roadster by cutting off the roof, and then raced the car around the airfield. But, since they didn’t bother to check the oil level, the engine soon began to knock, and the prisoners were left without a toy, and the world lost another one of the first Porsches. The last surviving copy is now in a private collection.

Production of the 356 model, whose production scale was initially limited to just 500 cars, lasted until 1965; By this time, over 78,000 units of this model had been assembled.

Design of the new sports car, designated Type 356, began in 1948 in the Austrian village of Gmund. The work was led by Ferry Porsche: his father, Professor Ferdinand Porsche, was imprisoned and could not leave the French occupation zone to help his son. When building the car, many design elements of a people's car were used: the brake system, steering mechanism, non-synchronized four-speed gearbox, front suspension and, of course, the engine. By the way, the standard engine of the post-war Beetle had a volume of 1131 cc. After increasing the valve diameter and increasing the compression ratio from 5.8 to 7.0, the engine power was 40 hp. at 4000 rpm instead of the previous 25 hp. The body was designed, as ten years ago, by Erwin Komenda, and Friedrich Weber, an excellent coachbuilder and longtime friend of the Porsche family, took on the implementation of his plans in metal.

To organize full-fledged production, Porsche moved back to its native Stuttgart, where it was sheltered in its premises by the Reutter body shop, thus providing itself with a guaranteed customer. The Porsche 356 began to be equipped with a 1300 cc engine, which could be found in the Beetle. Only Volkswagen engines underwent the most thorough fine-tuning and balancing at Porsche, as a result of which engine assembly by one craftsman took 25 hours. Reutter treated the production of bodies with full responsibility: manual assembly, sanding the surface with wet sand (particular attention was paid to welds), coating only with high-quality paint and varnish. As a result, the body shone like a New Year's tree decoration. An interesting detail: any Porsche car produced before 1952 is easily recognized by... the absence of an emblem! There was only a chrome Porsche inscription, and that’s all - in Europe this was quite enough. The year 1952 came, and Porsche cars began to be shipped overseas. An American of Austrian origin, Maximilian Hoffman, having received his Porsche dealer license, once had lunch with Ferry Porsche in a New York restaurant and said: “Herr Porsche, your cars are excellent, but for them to sell really well, They need to get their own original emblem." Ferry Porsche himself understood perfectly well that the emblem was a necessary thing for the car. Therefore, in the evening in his hotel room, Ferry Porsche sat down at his desk and sketched a sketch of the future emblem, which upon arrival in Germany was transferred to the design department. The emblem was the coat of arms of the city of Stuttgart with a rearing bay stallion, placed in the center of the Varangian four-part shield of the Württemberg house, in the first and fourth parts of which there are black stylized images of deer antlers on a gold background, in the second and third there are alternating stripes of scarlet and black colors. The upper part of the emblem is decorated with the Porsche inscription.

There are companies such as the Brazilian Chamonix, the French Boschetti and many others that offer customers copies of the Porsche 550 Spyder.

If so, then we wouldn’t talk about it, but... The fact is that there are companies such as the Brazilian Chamonix, the French Boschetti and many others that offer customers copies of the Porsche 550 Spyder. Well, if there is demand, we will have to tell you how this car came about. The owner of the Porsche showroom in Frankfurt am Main, Walther Glekler, decided to create an extreme racing projectile out of a sports Porsche 356. And since Glöckler alone couldn’t handle such a job due to lack of experience, he invited one of the Porsche engineers to be his partner. The partners, having tinkered with the engine, were able to extract 58 “horses” from the depths of 1131 cubic cm instead of the required 40 (for the Porsche 356, as you remember, the “Beetle” made do with 25 horsepower).

The basis of the car was a space frame made of aluminum tubes, in the rear part of which a forced engine stood across. Soon the duo of enthusiasts turned into a trio - a master tinsmith from the Wiedenhausen body shop got involved in the matter. It was this master who created the shell for the future trail conqueror. The resulting car with a barchetta body (this is a roadster, in which the “windshield” is replaced by a low windproof visor), small size and bug-eyed headlights, was reminiscent of the original Porsche 356 and at the same time completely different. The car was ready in 1953, and Glöckler, riding the newcomer, rushed into the whirlpool of racing on it. Having won several national championships, Glöckler installed a 1.3-liter 90-horsepower engine in his car. This is how he caught the eye of Porsche employees. One of the Porsche engineers, Wilhelm Hild, redesigned the chassis of the racing car, but the body remained the same. An order for a batch of bodies was placed at the same Wiedenhausen studio, whose master created the skin of a single racing example. Car engines were, by those standards, high-tech products. Judge for yourself: the cylinder block and both of its heads (have you forgotten that the engine is opposed?) were made of aluminum alloy; the camshafts were driven by two short vertical shafts rather than by a chain; each cylinder had two spark plugs - therefore, there were a pair of coils and distributors; There were also two carburetors - Solex 40PJJ with falling flow. As a result of all these bells and whistles, with a volume of 1498 cc, the engine produced 110-117 hp. at 7800 rpm. The total weight of the car was 594 kg, so the maximum speed was a very significant 235 km/h. The car, called the Porsche 550 Spyder, as already mentioned, is a racing car, and they did not plan to sell it, but there were originals who asked Porsche to make them the same car for personal use. Well, is it possible to refuse an influential banker or a famous singer - a favorite of the public? So the American movie star of the first half of the fifties, James Dean, owned such a Porsche. Once, having lost control on a mountain road, the film actor crashed his 550 Spyder to death. Naturally, the racing Porsche did not have any stiffening elements or a safety cage, and the impact tore the car in half. By the way, it was this incident that attracted the attention of Americans to the exotic German car brand.

But the story, of course, does not end with the retirement of the 356th model. A milestone in it is 1963, when the first 911 was born. The car was created under the leadership of Porsche Jr.'s son, Ferdinand Alexander. The 911 was first presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show and a year later was already on the assembly line. The first version of the new six-cylinder engine produced the same power as the 356 Carrera 2, namely 130 horsepower.

By the way, initially this model should have been called not the 911, but the 901. But the zero in the middle of the three-digit name has already been officially staked out by the French from Peugeot. So the Germans had to attribute another one.

For those for whom the 911 turned out to be too expensive, Porsche released the 912 model in 1965. Compared to the 911, it had two cylinders cut off, and, having a more affordable 4-cylinder engine with 90 horsepower, it quickly became the most popular car in the lineup. About 30 thousand of these cars were produced from 1965 to 1975. The same cannot be said about the beautiful Porsche Targa with a removable roof, added to the lineup in the fall of 1966. That same year, Porsche celebrated its anniversary - the 100,000th car was born. The anniversary model turned out to be the 912 model, handed over to the German police.

And everything would have been fine, but in 1975 the 912 had to be discontinued. The reason is simple: Porsche came up with a new, even cheaper to produce car - the 914, developed jointly with Volkswagen. And for the price at which the 912 was offered, the 110-horsepower 911T began to be sold on the market. At the same time, a sports modification, the 911R, appeared with a 6-cylinder engine producing 210 horsepower and a lightweight body design. A total of 20 of these machines were produced. A real rarity.

The birth of a legend - the first Porsche 911 Turbo, codenamed 930, was released at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. The powerful engine (260 hp) made this 911 one of the fastest cars of its time.

Porsche continued to expand its model range, introducing the 924 in 1975 (later replaced by the 944). All with the same 4-cylinder engine, but made of light alloy. The designers created a car that is wonderful in all respects at a relatively affordable price, which was confirmed by the sales results.

The company needed not only an expensive and powerful 911, but also a more affordable car. The Porsche 914 is already outdated, and therefore the 924 came onto the scene. A real Porsche for very reasonable money.

In 1977, a front-engine version appeared - the Porsche 928. Its V8 engine boasted American dimensions (4.5 liters, 240 hp). The Porsche 928 became the first (and so far the only) sports car to receive the Car of the Year title.

Three years after the appearance of the 944th model, the Porsche 959 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This car embodied the most modern developments. In 1987, the company announced the production of two hundred of these machines. The 3.2-liter engine with two turbines developed 449 hp. It was a real supercar, a specially prepared version of which won the Paris-Dakar marathon in 1986.

Then came the turn of the new generation 911 (body 964). The car received a completely new chassis: without torsion bars, with power steering, anti-lock brakes and “intelligent” all-wheel drive for Carrera 4. All 911s began to be equipped with an automatic rear spoiler, which extended at a certain speed. The engine had six cylinders and a power of 250 horsepower.

The turbo version saw the light of day already in the new decade. The new 911 Turbo appeared on dealer shelves in September 1990 with a 3.3-liter engine producing 320 horsepower. In 1992, the Porsche family of cars was replenished with another model - the 968th. It replaced the entire range of 944s.

And in 1993, the premiere of a new generation of the 911 model (body 993) took place. The new Porsche differed from its predecessor in a more powerful (272 hp) engine, a fundamentally new rear multi-link suspension and “sleek” body shapes. There are also two types of gearboxes available to choose from - a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.Unfortunately for the most loyal fans of the brand, this generation was the last of those whose engine was air-cooled.

Three years later, another premiere took place - this time in the class of inexpensive sports cars. The compact two-seater roadster was called Boxster and had quite impressive characteristics for its class (2.5 liters of volume and 204 hp). The engine is a completely new 6-cylinder boxer, with four valves per cylinder, which was installed in front of the rear axle and was water-cooled rather than air-cooled. This year was also significant in connection with the release of the millionth Porsche; it was - again, like the hundred thousandth anniversary - the police 911 Carrera.

The mid-engined Porsche Boxster roadster made its debut in 1996 and became the brand's most affordable model. It was equipped with a 2.5-liter flat-six, and after restyling it was joined by a 250-horsepower 3.2-liter Boxster S modification.

In 1997, another premiere. To consolidate the success of the Boxster model, the company presents in Frankfurt a completely new 911 (index 996), which in its appearance was very similar to the Boxster. A year later, a convertible based on it was shown to the public. The roof of the car was opened and closed hydraulically by simply pressing a button.

And in 2001, the Carrera GT prototype was presented in Paris. The concept supercar received a V10 formula engine with a capacity of 558 horsepower. Since 2004, the car, already with a 612-horsepower engine, went into production. A total of 1,270 cars were produced.

In 2002, a car unexpected for Porsche appeared - the Cayenne SUV. Its production in Leipzig accounted for almost half of Porsche's annual sales. The top version of the Cayenne Turbo S carried a powerful 4.5-liter V8 with a capacity of 521 horsepower. It made the Cayenne one of the fastest SUVs in the world.

In 2002, the 996 was restyled and received a “face” in the style of the 911 Turbo model. In addition, the engine capacity has increased to 3.6 liters, and the power of the basic versions has increased to 320 horsepower.

In 2003, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the 911, Porsche released a batch of 40 Fast Years anniversary coupes. They were distinguished by a special Carrera GT Silver paint, polished 18-inch wheels, a new exhaust system and engine power increased to 345 horsepower. A total of 1,963 cars were made - in honor of the year the first 911 was born.

In 2004, production of the very Porsche began - the masterpiece Carrera GT roadster. The high-tech supercar was equipped with a 5.7-liter V10 producing 612 horsepower and carbon-ceramic brakes. It was capable of reaching 200 km/h from a standstill in 9.9 seconds. In total, it was planned to produce 1,500 cars, but due to too stringent new passive safety requirements, the assembly was stopped, making 1,270 copies.

The latest generation of the 911 appeared in 2004. The engine of the base Carrera developed 325 hp, while the Carrera S had 355 hp. Porsche also has grandiose plans for the future. The big flagship Panamera is getting ready for release; a new generation of the crazy GT2 has just debuted. Fans are driving laps of 911 GT3 RS versions...

Extraordinary and stunning, unique and recognizable, and the character of its owner, stylish and pretentious, sporty and comfortable. Cars that cannot be confused with any other and cannot be forgotten. Cars with charisma and history. But what was it like, the Porsche story?

How it all started

This story might not have happened if a boy had not been born, who was given the name Ferdinand. The history of the Porsche brand began with this name Porsche. This happened in September 1875 in the city of Liberec. A baby was born into the family of Anton Porsche, a coppersmith who was considered the best in his difficult business in the city. Already at the age of 16, Ferdinand began to study electrical engineering seriously. The end of the 19th century, in general, was marked by a general craze among the population for any type of technology. At that time, self-propelled carriages were already fully replacing horse teams. What other dream could a teenager have? Of course, design cars. He entered the university, graduating in 1898. And, without thinking twice, he began to try his hand at an invention bureau. The young specialist’s first place of work was the Loner automobile plant in Vienna. I had to work hard for seven years in a row. Ferdinand's first successful work - a wheel with an integrated motor - helped the engineer gain fame. Car companies simply could not miss such a star, and in 1906 Austro-Daimler got a new chief designer. This, of course, becomes Ferdinand Porsche. His next creation was an artillery tractor, the sight of which was active. But the design soul asks for speed and Ferdinand Porsche becomes a racer. Of course, the author must feel the power of his creations. In the Prince of Prussia auto race, the newly minted racing driver competes in an Austro-Daimler, which he built himself. In this race he comes second, but the next year he gets the palm. After more than ten years of hard work, thanks to the work of Porsche, the concern begins to assemble premium models AD-617 and ADM-1.

Work at Daimler-Benz

Ferdinand Porsche leaves to work for the Daimler-Benz concern. Of course, he gets the post of chief designer. Professionally, Porsche begins to devote a lot of time to developing engines. The compressor units captured his attention. He is engaged in their development and modernization. Creates them for both racing and production cars. In this corporation, he was the first among those who came up with Mercedes, which attracts the attention of people with a good level of income. After bringing his plans to life, Porsche also became involved with the legendary Mercedes K and S series. His ideas subsequently became the inspiration for the production of the flagship models of the SS, SSK and SSKL series. Ferdinand Porsche is invited to the main post of the design department of the Steyr corporation. He returns to his small homeland. And in 1928, two unique models rolled off the assembly line. The new products of that time were called Austria and Type XXX. True, these machines did not bring financial stability to the company. The designer feels an imminent collapse, and therefore decides not to stay long at Steyr and leaves the company.

On the way to a dream

Ferdinand Porsche was quite famous, and therefore in 1924 the Stuttgart Academy awarded the designer - no less than - the scientific degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences. At 56 years old, the famous automaker takes his first step towards his dream - he opens his own design bureau. April 25, 1931 can be marked in red on the calendar. And orders came immediately. They were all quite prestigious. For example, the Zündapp corporation wanted the famous engineer Porsche to create. Another well-known company at that time, Wanderer, placed an order to create an engine for a passenger car. Porsche not only carried out orders that were interesting to him, but also worked on other projects. So, in 1932, a talented designer produced a torsion bar suspension on trailing arms. This has become a new word in depreciation. The ambitious Ferdinand Porsche did not limit himself to this. The leadership of the Soviet Union even offered him the position of chief designer and, of course, all sorts of privileges. But the Austrian refuses and takes another position - the head of the design bureau of the Auto Union corporation. There he hatches the idea of ​​a hitherto unknown racing car and it comes to life. From 1934 to 1937, this car “teared” everyone on the race tracks of Europe, setting records one after another. In the same years, Porsche informed the German Ministry of Transport about its desire to produce a “people's car” (“Volkswagen”).

First Porsche

During the war years, Ferdinand Porsche, with the help of the guys from his bureau, worked hard to produce not cars at all, but weapons: tanks and self-propelled guns. When the war ended, he spent 22 months in prison. Then he finds out that his brainchild, Volkswagen, is already being produced. But at the factory where his idea was brought to life, the designer was no longer useful, and therefore the inventor returned to his homeland. In 1945, he actively participated in the birth of his first child - a sports car with a Porsche badge. In 1948, the long-awaited firstborn with a numerical designation was born. Porsche 356 is the joint child of a son and father. The history of the creation of the brand began with this brainchild of Porsche. The engine, transmission and suspension of the Volkswagen Beetle were encased in an aluminum body. The motor was placed under the rear axle. Two years later, a black Porsche 356 Ferdinand coupe became a gift for the 75th anniversary of the talented automaker Ferdinand Porsche Sr. from his son. A year later, the founder of the company passed away, but this is only the beginning of history worldwide. His son headed the corporation. The first 50 copies of the Porsche 356 were released quickly and easily. Transport, simple and easy, was loved by consumers in post-war Europe. Moreover, at the first races the car won a landslide victory. Almost immediately after birth. The car was decent. Within a few years, the Porsche KG company settled in Zuffenhausen. And today the plant is located on this site. Serial production began precisely from the time the company moved. The Porsche and Volkswagen companies exchanged components and therefore sold cars through a single network. The cars entered production with a steel body, which turned out to be cheaper. And the engine was already moved behind the rear axle. The line was complemented by coupe and convertible bodies.

Development of the company

It is no coincidence that the rearing horse became the emblem of Porsche cars. This is a combination of the heraldic shield of the Ducal House of Württemberg and the coat of arms of Stuttgart. This badge became a reflection of Porsche. perfect sports car. For a PR company at that time, it was simply necessary to attract attention by participating in races. And the main thing is to win. For this purpose, Ferdinand Porsche Jr. creates a purely sports car. This happens in 1953. Then the Porsche 550 Spider saw the light of day. It was this representative of the line that more than once became a prize-winner in sports competitions, winning palms one after another. He was nicknamed “Carrera” because of his victory at the auto race of the same name in Mexico. From now on, the fastest models of the corporation began to be called that way. In 1954, numbers began to appear on the trunk that indicated the displacement. At the same time, the first Spider was born. Its distinctive feature was its unusually straight windshield, as well as its canvas roof.

Company success

The first Carrera flew out of Porsche's garage in 1955. Corporation employees came up with a new “engine” specifically for this project. It later became the heart of the 550 model. The company's success was enormous. In 1956, the 356 model was updated. This version entered the American market. The line has been expanded with the 550A model. A completely new sports car, the Porsche 718, both externally and internally, rolled off the assembly line in 1957. It was lighter than its predecessors. The headlight sockets were hidden under the glass. All this was aimed at improving aerodynamics. The beloved Spider was replaced in 1958 by another car - the powerful horse 356D. In 1960, Porsche created the 718/RS model. It is different from the previous dynasty of 550 models. The car was equipped with an unbreakable windshield and also added headlights. In mass production, Porsche played a major role with the 356B code. It could be easily recognized by the shape of the bumpers. Three configurations were put up for sale. Super-90 became power in the flesh. In 1961, the fastest car in the Carrera line appeared - Carrera-2. In 1963, the 356C was born.

The unique “911” and others

For decades, the Porsche 356 has been the most prestigious car on the world stage. But the time came when the consumer wanted change. Ferdinand Porsche simply needed to create something completely new. Feeling the spirit of the times and realizing that further success depends on it, the mastermind of the company creates a car that many owners still dream of. This car was simply destined to become a masterpiece. This is a Porsche 911. The grandson of Porsche's founder, Ferdinand Alexander, took part in the creation of the car. In 1963, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the canopy was removed from a brand new Porsche car. The power is demonstrated by the six-cylinder engine. It accommodated 160 “horses”. Cooling was by air. The stunning and unique Porsche 911 car has won the hearts of motorists around the world. In the sports industry, the 904 GTS entered the arena. In 1965, a Porsche 912 with a four-cylinder Super 90 engine rolled off the assembly line. In 1967, motorists around the world began to dream of the Porsche 911 Targa convertible, which became the safest of its brothers. A few years later, the 911S underwent a change. The wheelbase was increased by moving the rear axle. The buyers were happy. The line of Porsche cars was replenished with new modifications. At the same time, a joint project of the mega-corporations of the automotive world, Porsche and Volkswagen, was created. But this work could not be called successful. Despite all the disadvantages, the 914/916 was sold under the Volkswagen-Porsche brand for almost ten years.

A new milestone in history

In 1972, three companies that had previously collaborated merged into one large corporation - the joint-stock company Porsche AG. It included: the design bureau, Porsche and Volkswagen-Porsche. Also in 1972, Carrera was revived. Received the name 911 RS, the car acquired a more than two-hundred-horsepower unit and a hitherto unseen spoiler. The wing pressed the car to the ground at high speed. In 1974, the concern introduced the 911 Turbo. Presentation takes place at the Paris Motor Show. A work of art appears on stage. A powerful 260 horsepower engine, a large spoiler and stunning appearance. Aggressiveness and elegance - in one bottle. The Porsche car was equipped with bumpers with a rubberized part for a small impact in the color of the body.

New design

Porsche had to move on; he did not want to stop at the success he had already achieved. The decision was prompted by the spirit of the times. A completely new car was invented. The engine was in the front. The axle and gearbox are located at the rear. This is what the Porsche 924 became. 125 horsepower in a light metal “package”; a body unlike its predecessors. The designers even hid the headlights in the body. Every effort was made to reduce resistance. The Porsche 924 Turbo entered the automotive arena three years later. 170 “horses” under the hood and, surprisingly, the lowest consumption among sports competitors. At the same time, the 928th model was released. 8 cylinders and 240 horsepower. Excellent aerodynamics, unique, always up-to-date appearance, Porsche character. Turning headlights, integrated bumper. All this in a coupe body earned this model the title of “Car of 1978”. He beat the rest of the Europeans. Thanks to this success, an even more powerful swallow appeared the next year. 928S. Almost 300 “horses” in a miniature car. It was capable of accelerating to 250 km/h. Three years later, the Porsche 944 rolled off the production line. The flared nostrils of the wings, inherited from the special version of the 924 Carrera GT, have become a new breath. The appearance was unforgettable. Yes, and other indicators have improved. Over 9 years, 160 thousand of these swallows were released. In various modifications. Among them are S, S2, Turbo, Convertible. The evolution of cars with an engine under the hood ended in 1992–1995. It was a 968 model.

Group "B"

Group B is known to everyone who is interested in auto racing and cannot imagine life without cars. This is a milestone in the history of motorsport. She brought changes to the lives of many people and automakers. The history of Porsche 959 began with it. This happened in 1980. The company was attracted by its liberal requirements. No restrictions, only release of 200 homologation copies. Porsche simply could not pass by. 6-liter engine, 450 horsepower, 4 shock absorbers per wheel, all-wheel drive, computer-controlled torque distribution between the axles, floating ground clearance, Kevlar body parts. This is not a car, this is a dream. In 1986 it was presented in the Dakar Rally. And she takes the first two places. Only group B did not exist for long. The tragic death of pilots and spectators forced the leadership of the motorsport federation to close the race. But the consumer liked the car, and therefore more than 200 of the required copies were produced. Production ended in 1988.

The ideas that formed the basis of the Porsche sports car began to be used to assemble production cars. The 964 and other versions were equipped with all-wheel drive, the turbocharging system was given to the cars of the Turbo line, and the body was modified for the 993. The proprietary PASM adaptive suspension, which is now equipped with all modern cars of the brand, is an analogue of the one that was first installed on the Porsche 959.

Change of years

The brand's flagships soon left the scene, replaced by completely innovative cars - the Boxster and 911 (996) Carrera. The latter was equipped with 4-wheel drive and an automatic transmission. Improved dynamics, new frame, larger rear spoiler, 3.6-liter engine. Carreras were also equipped with other drives. The turbocharged version was initially equipped with a proven engine with a displacement of 3.3 liters, and in 1993 a 3.6-liter version was also launched, with 360 horsepower. The 911 Turbo S semi-racing car and the 911 America Roadster were limited editions. The limited edition sold out very quickly.

911 Turbo, series 964

The modern appearance of the Porsche 911, aerodynamic bumpers, streamlined shapes, new lighting technology - all these are components of a huge step in the evolution of the famous model. The rear suspension has changed significantly, the engine has become more powerful. The Turbo version was equipped with all-wheel drive and a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged engine. Larger intercoolers, a huge spoiler, 408 horsepower, wide rear fenders. Power in the flesh. The personification of auto aggression with an elegant cover. At 34 years old, the history of this model has turned another page. In 1997, Porsche designers gave the Turbo S an even more powerful engine. The pinnacle of sports production was the car that the craftsmen created for the BRP Global GT Series championship. The GT2 engine has become even more powerful. It acquired dual ignition, power was up to 450 hp. With. This happened in 1998. This version was nicknamed “leaving widows” due to frequent accidents. Also in 1998, in the summer, the last Porsche 911 with a naturally aspirated power unit rolled off the assembly line.

Legendary Boxter

In 1996, the Porsche company released the Porsche 986 Boxster central-engine roadster. This car has become the new personification of the legendary brand. The car was equipped with a 6-cylinder boxer engine with a volume of 2.5 liters. And only in 2000 it began to be equipped with another 3.2-liter engine, receiving the designation S. The car was well received by consumers for relatively little money.

"Porsche 996 GT3"

Today the Frankfurt Motor Show is one of the most famous in the world. All companies strive to present their new products at the event. This was the case in 1997. Then the Porsche company introduced the new Carrera. She was very similar to her predecessor both externally and internally. The design of the heart of the car, the exterior, the headlights - all this was done in this way to reduce production and development costs. The car became even more powerful, increased in size, but continued to win the hearts of not only car enthusiasts, but also various authoritative sources. The car has repeatedly become the best sports car according to many magazines. In 1998, a convertible and Carrera 4 saw the light of day. And a year later, two more new cars from the Porsche line. One of them was introduced for amateur competition - the GT3 (this additional nameplate replaced the RS) and the new 996 Turbo. The last two engines were very different from the previous ones. The basis for them was the design of the unit of the 1998 GT1 sports prototype. The Turbo version received a dual-supercharged version, while the GT3 version was equipped with an atmospheric one.

New breath

The most unusual car for Porsche was presented in 2002. It was an SUV called Cayenne. To produce this swallow, the corporation even erected a new conveyor belt in Leipzig. Already in 2003, production of this model was put into production. This is a joint project between Porsche and Volkswagen. In many ways it is similar to the Volkswagen Touareg model. Of course, consumers are divided into two teams; those who immediately fell in love with this car, and those who did not understand this step, because the car was not like other Porsches. There are several versions of the car: naturally aspirated V6 and V8, supercharged Turbo and Turbo S, as well as GTS and Turbo S with a 550-horsepower engine.

Legendary Porsches

The history of the Porsche company began a long time ago and will not end for a long time. No matter how the public encountered Porsche cars in different years of their existence, sooner or later they always won the hearts of consumers. These stunning and unforgettable shapes, powerful engines, bold design solutions. Porsche was and remains the dream of many, the goal of life, a manifestation of the status and character of its owner. Consumers just have to wait for the new legendary Porsches, and they will definitely come.

History of development

The company’s emblem is a coat of arms containing the following information: red and black stripes and deer antlers are symbols of the German state of Baden-Württemberg (the capital of Baden-Württemberg is the city of Stuttgart), and the inscription “Porsche” and a prancing stallion in the center of the emblem remind The brand's native Stuttgart was founded as a horse farm in 950. This logo first appeared in 1952, when the brand entered the US market, for better recognition. Before this, the 356 simply had "Porsche" written on its hood.

HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT

1931-1948: from ideas to mass production
By the time the first car was released under his own name, Ferdinand Porsche had accumulated considerable experience.
In 1931 the enterprise Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH, of which he was the founder and leader, had already worked on projects such as the 16-cylinder Auto Union racing car and the Beetle, which became one of the best-selling cars in history.
In 1939, on the eve of the Second World War, the very first Porsche 64 was developed, in which the features of the future Porsche 356 model were already discernible. To build this example, Ferdinand Porsche used many components from the famous Beetle.
Ferdinand Porsche Jr. continued his father's business. Having received his education and the first skills of independent work, he moved to Stuttgart to work in the company that his father had just created.
During World War II, the company was engaged in the production of military products - staff vehicles and amphibians. Porsche also took part in the development of the Tiger tanks.

1948-1965: first steps

Since the end of 1945, when his father was imprisoned in France, Ferdinand Jr. moved the family business to the Austrian city of Gmünd, and also independently headed the production.
Together with Karl Rabe, Ferdinand assembled a prototype of the Porsche 356 and began preparing the model for its mass production. In June 1948, this example was certified for public roads. Like nine years ago, units from the VW Beetle were again used here.
The first production cars had a fundamental difference - the engine was moved behind the rear axle, which made it possible to reduce the cost of production and free up space for two additional seats in the cabin.

The main points in the design remained the same (rear-engine and rear-wheel drive), but it was already a modern sports car with classic body lines in the spirit of the Porsche 356. The author of the design was Ferdinand Alexander "Butzi" Porsche, Ferry's eldest son. Initially, instead of the 911 index, another one was supposed to be used - 901. But the combination of three digits with a zero in the middle was reserved for Peugeot. The car began to be called 911, but the numbers 901 did not disappear anywhere: this is how the 911 began to be called according to the in-plant nomenclature (1964-1973).

In 1966, a modification of the Porsche 911S Targa entered the production line.
After production of the 356 series convertibles ended in 1965, they did not appear in the company’s lineup until 1982.

1972-1981: reign of Ernst FuhrmannIn 1972, the legal status of the company changed from a limited liability partnership to an open (public) one. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG ceased to be a family business, and was now called Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG(full name Doktor Ingenieur honoris causa Ferdinand Porsche Aktiengesellschaft - Joint Stock Company of the Honorary Doctor of Engineering Sciences Ferdinand Porsche) is a German automobile manufacturing concern.
After the restructuring, F. Porsche's grandson, Ferdinand Piech, moved to Audi, and then to Volkswagen, where he eventually rose to the position of general director of the concern.
First President Porsche AG became Ernst Fuhrmann, who had previously worked in the engine development department. One of his first decisions in his new position was to replace the 911 series with the 928, a classic layout with an 8-cylinder engine. During his reign, another front-engine car was put on the assembly line - the Porsche 924.
After its debut at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. modifications of the "Turbo", the development of the 911 line (by that time the modernized 930 series had gone into production) (1973-1989) actually stopped until the early 80s, until Fuhrmann was removed from his position. But cars continued to be produced: the last front-engine models left the plant in 1995.

At the same time, the Porsche 911 Carrera model, somewhat lighter in price, appeared. In 1997, it was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and it became clear that it had a lot in common with its younger brother, from the almost identical front ends with teardrop headlights and similar interiors to the common engine design. Such decisions made it possible to reduce the cost of development and production, since in those years the financial resources of the brand were still very limited.
1998 was a year of losses and gains. In the summer, the last “air” 911 left the gates of the Zuffenhausen plant. Over the entire history, 410 thousand of these were produced; the contribution to this figure of the 993rd is 69 thousand. At the same time, Porsche celebrated its 50th anniversary. And in the same year, in March, at the age of 88, Ferdinand Anton Ernst (Ferry) Porsche died. Porsche Cayenne

Enterprise Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH, originally engaged in the creation of components and assemblies for automobile companies, was founded in 1931. In those years, its founder Ferdinand Porsche had not yet thought about mass production of his own car. But he successfully began to do it for others. Before the outbreak of World War II, he worked on many third-party orders, creating, for example, such a legend as the KdF-Wagen (or, more simply, the “Beetle” - the legendary little car that formed the basis of the Volkswagen company). Porsche's very successful developments also include the so-called Type 22, a racing car commissioned by Auto Union AG. All the developments of that time later formed the basis of the legendary Porsche cars.

During the same years, the Type 64 racing car (also known as the Volkswagen Aerocoupe) was created by order of the Nazi government, especially for the Berlin - Rome race held in 1939. A total of three Type 64s were created, of which only one survived - the first died at the very beginning of the war, and the second was “ridden” by American soldiers, intoxicated by victory and looking for entertainment. The surviving copy even managed to take part in post-war races, and successfully. It is now in a private collection, so the company museum in Stuttgart houses only a recreated copy of the body. When creating the Type 64, the designer actively used the same solutions as in the Beetle - the appearance is recognizable. All this gives reason to believe that the Type 64 became the first prototype for future Porsches.

During World War II, the brilliant designer was involved in the creation of military equipment. He participated in the development of the Tiger, Panther tanks and other types of military equipment. One of the most successful self-propelled artillery units (SPG) of that time, the Ferdinand, was developed by none other than Ferdinand Porsche; it is believed that it was named after him. Not so many of them were produced, but our soldiers called any German self-propelled guns “Ferdinands,” as a result of which many people formed the opinion that this “self-propelled gun” was one of the most popular.

After the end of the war, Porsche was accused of conspiring with the Nazis and sent to prison, where he spent 22 months. Having been freed, the designer was left virtually out of work. At the Volkswagen factories, where he applied first, other specialists were already working and did not need his services. And they didn’t really want to hire a person branded with the labels “unreliable” and “collaborated with the Nazis.” It is not known how everything would have ended if not for the engineer’s son, Ferdinand Porsche Jr. (in the family circle, simply Ferry). It was he who took on the revival of the company, completely building it on the foundation laid by his father.

In 1948, the 356 model appeared, many elements of which were borrowed from previous designs, especially the Type 64 and the Beetle. Many components of the Porsche 356 were produced by Volkswagen, specifically to save money and simplify production. An exceptionally successful design has won the respect of many active driving enthusiasts.

In 1950, the company moved again. To Stuttgart, Germany, where it remains to this day. Porsche 356s were produced for quite a long time, until 1965. During this time, many modifications were introduced. Many of those models are still on the road today. In general, it is no coincidence that Porsche cars are recognized as the most reliable - it is believed that more than 75% of the entire fleet produced over the years are still on the road.

And in 1951, Ferdinand Porsche dies. Death was the result of a heart attack. It is believed that it was caused by the years the inventor spent in prison. He lived to be 75 years old.

One of the most important events in the history of Porsche took place in 1963 - the Porsche 911 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The design of the car, which was destined to become legendary, was developed by Ferry Porsche's eldest son, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The story has been preserved that initially the model was supposed to be called 901, but this was opposed by the French Peugeot, which owned the right to names of three digits with a zero in the middle. The new product was created in such a way as to have an updated design, but at the same time not deviate too much from the company’s usual canons. The result was recognizable forms that are successfully used to this day.

Interestingly, the creators themselves hoped to keep the 911 model on the market for at least 15 years. But more than 50 years have passed since the model appeared, and it is still extremely popular. Moreover, according to Forbes magazine, the Porsche 911 is one of the cars that managed to change the world. Subsequently, the company created many more successful and very successful models, but not one of them has yet managed to repeat the success of the 911. But in general, it should be noted that over the years of its existence the company has presented many very interesting models, a detailed description of which requires a separate book.

The beginning of the 21st century was marked by the start of work in new directions. The company began to produce not only classic sports cars, the principle of which was laid down back in 1948, after the appearance of the 356 model, but also fundamentally new solutions. Such as the Porsche Cayenne sports crossover and the Porsche Panamera five-door sports car.

Since 2012, the Porsche brand has been fully owned by the German automaker Volkswagen, the emergence of which was once also made possible thanks to the genius of Ferdinand Porsche. The transaction value was just under 4.5 billion euros. Interestingly, it was Porsche who initially wanted to absorb Volkswagen. But this was not possible; the company simply did not calculate its strength, as a result of which its financial position suffered.

For Porsche cars, the ignition key is located on the left. This was originally made for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thus, the driver could start the car even before he was completely seated and buckled up. Thanks to this, it was possible to gain a few precious seconds.

Porsche has historically not only created cars, but also offered the services of its engineers and designers to other manufacturers. It is quite well known that they took part in the creation of the VAZ 2108.