Speed Read Porsche 911

The History, Technology and Design Behind Germany's Legendary Sports Car

Wayne R. Dempsey

• Publisher: Motorbooks
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780760363232
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technologie et ingénierie
• Subtopic: Transport et ingénierie de l'automobile

This beautifully designed and illustrated essential guide to Porsche 911 from Motorbooks' Speed Read seriesexplores the ins and outs of one of the world's premier sports cars; see what makes it tick, what makes it work, and how it managed to win so many titles and championships. Author Wayne Dempsey examines the creation and design of Porsche's rear-engined wonder, providing an inside look into every aspect of the 911. In sections divided by topic, you'll explore the evolution of the 911 from its initial design to its current form, the storyof Porsche 911's racing success, tales of some of the greatest 911s ever produced, and the passionate community that has evolved around the 911 from its earliest days. Each section ends with a glossary of related terms, and informational sidebars provide fun facts, historical tidbits, and mini-bios of key people. Sleek illustrations brilliantly capture the 911 in its many elegant forms. With Motorbooks' Speed Read series, become an instant expert in a range of fast-moving subjects, from Formula 1 racing to the Tour de France. Accessible language, compartmentalized sections, fact-filled sidebars, glossaries of key terms, and event timelines deliver quick access to insider knowledge. Their brightly colored covers, modern design, pop art–inspired illustrations, and handy size make them perfect on-the-go reads.

THE PEOPLE’S SPORTS CAR

Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche

Porsche 356

Butzi Porsche

Early 911 Long Hoods (1964—1973)

Targa

Separating Family from Company

G-Series (1974—1989)

Cabriolet

964/993 (1989—1998)

Peter Schutz

The Near Death of the 911

Glossary

THE PEOPLE’S SPORTS CAR

FERDINAND AND FERRY PORSCHE

It all started with Ferdinand, the founder of Porsche and patriarch of the famous family. Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche design and consulting firm in 1931. In 1934, under the direction of the German government, he designed the original Volkswagen Beetle. Known as the “people’s car” (translated into the term “Volkswagen”), its design was similar to his previous work on the 1931 Zündapp Type 12 car and the Tatra V570, both of which featured a rear-engine design with air-cooled engines.

After World War II, Ferdinand Porsche had difficulty restarting his company in the wake of post-war embargoes and reparations. To assist, Ferry Porsche, Ferdinand’s son, took the helm of the company with his sister Louise. In 1948, Porsche built its first car, the original 356, which was a two-seater, open-top roadster with a mid-engine layout. At the same time, they developed the 356/2—a unibody, rear-engine design that closely echoed the design of the Volkswagen Beetle.

Porsche marketed the new 356 sports car to Volkswagen dealers and it proved popular with wealthy customers. About fifty early, handcrafted aluminum cars were built inside a rickety old sawmill in the town of Gmünd. More than 78,000 units were sold over seventeen years of production, establishing the foundation for Porsche’s future success.

Ferry Porsche would also kickstart the company’s racing efforts. On July 11, 1948, a Porsche 356 made history with a class victory in the Austrian Rund um den Hofgarten, a rally through the residential streets of the ski town of Innsbruck.

In 1972, amid internal family feuding, Ferry Porsche transformed the company from a limited partnership into a public company (see “Separating Family from Company”).

ADDITIONAL READING: Cars Are My Life, by Ferry Porsche

FUN FACT

Ferdinand Porsche is credited with creating the world’s first hybrid electric car—in 1899! The Lohner-Porsche “Semper Vivus” was essentially an electric car with an internal combustion engine combined with a generator. The car had all-wheel drive and four-wheel brakes—the first of its kind.

HISTORICAL TIDBIT

Porsche officials inked an important contract in the spring of 1949. As part of an effort by Volkswagen to improve the design of the Beetle, Porsche earned a royalty on every car produced, and gained access to Volkswagen’s network of dealers and service centers. Volkswagen also agreed to supply the raw materials for 356 manufacturing. This became a huge windfall for Porsche as more than 20 million Type I Beetles were built.

KEY PERSON

Aton Piëch was the son-in-law of Ferdinand Porsche. The Piëch and Porsche families feuded for decades.

THE PEOPLE’S SPORTS CAR

PORSCHE 356

The Porsche 356 was based upon founder Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche’s 1948 design of a hand-built, mid-engine cabriolet, and it established the company’s reputation for engineering prowess and racing success. The 356 became a German icon and put Porsche’s name on the map.

Ferry Porsche was the principle designer of the Volkswagen Beetle, and the similarities between the 356 and the Volkswagen “bug” are numerous. The two cars share their small size, air-cooled rear engine design, two-door configuration, and numerous parts. The Porsche 356 engine is a higher-performance version of the air-cooled Volkswagen Type 1 engine, complete with similar push rods, upright fan cooling, center-mounted camshaft, and big, air-cooled cylinders.

The shape of the 356 has evolved slightly over the years, but its signature design element—the sloping rear deck over the engine bay—endured and foreshadowed the look and feel of the Porsche 911 in future years.

The 356 was lightweight, nimble, well designed, and well constructed. Although very expensive at the time, the 356 earned a large following; Porsche ultimately sold approximately 76,000 units from 1948 to 1965. As with the early Porsche 911, the 356 has a unique cachet with owners who appreciate the German engineering, handling, and overall uniqueness of the car.

The Porsche 901 (soon to be renamed the 911) made its debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show and was a natural evolution of the 356 design; Porsche needed to alter the chassis and expand the engine compartment to make room for the more powerful six-cylinder “Mezger” engine developed for the 911.

ADDITIONAL READING: Porsche Speedster Typ 540: Quintessential Sports Car, by Steve Heinrichs, Marco Marinello, Jim Perrin, Lee Raskin, Charles A. Stoddard, and Don Zingg

FUN FACT

The 356 name reflects that it was engineering project #356 for the design company Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

HISTORICAL TIDBIT

The first fifty Porsche 356s were built inside of an old sawmill located in the German town of Gmünd. Weighing about 1,400 pounds apiece, the aluminum-bodied Gmünd coupes are known as the lightest of all 356 models.

KEY PERSON

Max Hoffman, the US importer for Porsche, convinced Ferry Porsche to design a lightweight, inexpensive model for the American market. Dubbed the 356 Speedster, it was a stripped-down version of the more luxurious cabriolet. An instant success, it was particularly popular with racers who appreciated the lightweight design.

THE PEOPLE’S SPORTS CAR

BUTZI PORSCHE

I’m guessing when they flunked Ferdinand Alexander Porsche...