Car Sight

1875:
On September 3, Ferdinand Porsche is born in the Bohemian town of Maffersdorf. In 1889, after attending grammar school there and the Staatsgewerbeschule (State Vocational School) in Reichenberg, he enters his father’s business as an apprentice plumber.
1900:
The Lohner-Porsche electric car is presented at the World Fair in Paris. The wheel hub engines of the young engineer Ferdinand Porsche bring him international attention. In the same year, he develops an all-wheel-drive racecar, as well as a hybrid petrol/electric vehicle – a world first.

1906:
Ferdinand Porsche becomes Technical Director at Austro-Daimler in Wiener Neustadt. At the age of only 31, he is responsible for the model range of one of Europe’s largest automotive concerns.

1909:
Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, later known as ‘Ferry’, is born on September 19 in Wiener Neustadt.

1910:
The Austro-Daimler touring car designed by Ferdinand Porsche scores a triple victory in the Prince Henry Trials. At the wheel of the winning car sits none other than Ferdinand Porsche himself.

1923:
As Technical Director and Board Member of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in Stuttgart, Ferdinand Porsche designs the legendary Mercedes Compressor Sports Car. The following year, the 2-litre racecar developed under his aegis wins the Targa Florio. The Mercedes-Benz S-Type models dominate international motorsport from 1927.

1931:
Crowning his career, Ferdinand Porsche opens an office for ‘engineering and consultation on engine and vehicle design’ in Stuttgart on April 25. Created for such renowned manufacturers as Wanderer, Zündapp and NSU are not only entire vehicles, but such trend-setting detail solutions as the Porsche torsion bar suspension.

1933:
For Auto Union, Porsche develops a Grand Prix racecar with a 16-cylinder engine in mid-ship configuration. The rear-engine vehicle concept designed for the compact car (Type 32) developed for NSU is ultimately incorporated in the Volkswagen Beetle.

1934:
The company Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG receives an official order for the design and construction of a German Volkswagen. Only one year later, the VW prototype is test driven. The ‘Ur Beetle’ is assembled in the garage of the Porsche villa in Stuttgart.

1935:
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche is born on December 11 in Stuttgart as the eldest son of Ferry Porsche.

1936:
Parallel to road trials of the Type 60, production facilities are erected under the direction of Ferdinand Porsche for the Volkswagen renamed the ‘KdF-Wagen’.

1939:
Under the designation Type 64, three racing coupés are developed at Porsche in Zuffenhausen. Built for long-distance endurance competition, the ‘Berlin–Rom-Wagen’ are considered the forefathers of all later Porsche sports cars.

1944:
Owing to wartime conditions, the Porsche KG engineering office moves to Gmünd in the Austrian province of Carinthia.

1946:
Under the direction of Ferdinand Porsche’s son Ferry, design of an all-wheeldrive Grand Prix racecar – the ‘Cisitalia’ (Type 360) – is begun for Italian industrialist Piero Dusio.

1948:
The 356 is the first sports car to bear the Porsche name. ‘No. 1’ is roadcertified in June. Only one month later, the lightweight mid-engine roadster wins its first class victory at
the Innsbruck Stadtrennen.

1950:
Porsche KG returns to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and commences series production of the Porsche 356.

1951:
Company founder Ferdinand Porsche dies on 30 January at the age of 75. With the class victory of a 356 SL at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the young sports car manufacturer Porsche wins international acclaim.

1953:
The Porsche 550 Spyder debuts at the Paris Auto Show. Driven by an extremely powerful 4-camshaft engine, the light and agile racecar scores countless international triumphs.

1956:
Coinciding with the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the 10,000th Porsche 356 leaves the factory. At the Targa Florio the Porsche 550 A Spyder for the first time logs an overall victory.

1960:
During its very first racing season, the Porsche 718 RS 60 scores overall victories at the Targa Florio and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In Formula 2, Porsche finishes first, second and third in the 150 Miles of Aintree, Great Britain, with the Type 718/2.

1962:
In April, the 50,000th Porsche, a 356 B, rolls off the assembly line. In Weissach, the first segment of the new test grounds becomes operational. In Formula 1, the Porsche 804 wins the French Grand Prix.

1964:
The Porsche 911 launched in the previous year as the ‘901’ goes into series production. The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS likewise designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche is acclaimed for its exceptional design and outstanding performance.

1965:
Presented as the ‘Safety Cabriolet’, the Porsche 911Targa is introduced and enters series production in 1966.

1967:
Following the previous year’s success of the Porsche 906 Carrera 6, the Zuffenhausen factory team scores a triple victory with the Porsche 910 at the Targa Florio. For the first time Porsche logs an overall victory in the legendary 1,000-kilometre race on the Nürburgring.

1968:
Porsche achieves its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona with the Type 907-8. The grand successes of the previous year at the 1,000-kilometre race on the Nürburgring and the Targa Florio are repeated. The 911T wins the Monte Carlo Rally.

1969:
At the Frankfurt Auto Show, the mid-engine VW-Porsche 914 sports car makes its debut. In addition to the Monte Carlo Rally and the Targa Florio, Porsche for the first time wins the World Championship of Makes with the 908/02 and the new 917.

1970:
With nine of ten possible victories, Porsche captures its second consecutive World Championship of Makes. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Hans Herrmann and Dickie Attwood chalk up a first overall win in the Porsche 917.

1971:
The new Porsche Development Centre in Weissach is inaugurated. In motorsport, Porsche again takes top honours in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the World Championship of Makes.

1972:
Porsche KG goes public under Supervisory Board Chairman Ferry Porsche. As a sporting top-of-line model, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 reaches the market.

1973:
‘Dr. Ing h.c. F. Porsche AG’ is officially entered in the commercial register. The 911 model range of the ‘G Series’ with safety bumpers is presented. In the Can-Am racing series, the Porsche 917/30 wins with ease.

1974:
At the Paris Auto Show during the height of the oil crisis, Porsche presents the 911Turbo – the world’s first production sports car with exhaust turbocharger and pressure regulator.

1975:
With the 924, Porsche for the first time produces a front-engine sports car in transaxle configuration. Porsche becomes the first car maker to employ a double-sided galvanising process for body steel.

1976:
The Porsche 935 and 936 racecars win the double World Championship in Sports Car and Make rankings.

1977:
Conceived as successor to the 911, the Porsche 928 takes new paths in technology and design. Serving as power plant of the luxurious high performance sports car is a light-metal alloy V8 engine. In addition to successfully defending its title in the World Championship of Makes with the Type 935, Porsche once again wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Type 936.

1981:
The Porsche 944 with a 163 hp, 4-cylinder engine rounds out the transaxle model line. In Le Mans an overall victory of the Porsche 936/81 crowns the company’s 50th anniversary.

1982:
With the 911 SC Cabriolet, Porsche offers an open version of its sports car classic. With the Types 956/962, Porsche wins five Team, Constructor and Driver World Championships between 1982 and 1989. In all, this racing sports car books no less than six Le Mans victories.

1984:
The ‘TAG-Turbo’ Formula 1 power plant built by Porsche celebrates the first of its three World Championships. Besides the World Championship of Makes title, Porsche with the 911 Carrera 4x4 marks its first victory in the Paris–Dakar Rally.

1985:
The high-performance, high-tech Porsche 959 is presented at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Shortly thereafter, it wins the Pharaoh’s Rally. In the following year, the 959 is likewise victorious in the Paris–Dakar Rally.

1988:
In the 25th anniversary year of the 911, Porsche introduces the newly developed 911 Carrera 4 with all-wheel drive.

1989:
The Porsche 911 Carrera appears for the first time with the novel ‘Tiptronic’ automatic gearbox system. Body versions offer a choice of Coupé, Cabriolet and Targa.

1991:
Porsche becomes the first car maker in Germany to equip all production models with an airbag for driver and front passenger as standard equipment.

1992:
Dr Wendelin Wiedeking takes charge as Spokesman of the Executive Board and steers Porsche back onto a success course with a comprehensive turnaround package.

1993:
At the Detroit Motor Show, Porsche displays the study for a roadster with boxer mid-engine named the Boxster. The totally revised 911 Carrera premieres at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

1995:
With Emission Control System OBD II, the 911 Turbo becomes the world’s lowest-emission production car. In addition to the 911 Carrera 4S, the 911 Targa with power glass roof expands the model range. The Porsche 911 GT2, which can also compete in motorsport, is launched in a limited series.

1996:
After only 31/2 years development time, production starts on the Porsche Boxster. The 1 millionth Porsche rolls off the Zuffenhausen assembly line on July 15.

1997:
Under the motto ‘Evolution 911’ a new generation of the Porsche 911 Carrera is presented. For the first time, it is powered by a water-cooled four-valve 6-cylinder horizontally opposed engine. To satisfy high demand, the Boxster is now also produced by Valmet Automotive in Finland.

1998:
On 27 March, Ferry Porsche dies at the age of 88. The decision to initiate production of the third series is announced – the Cayenne is on its way. With the 911 GT1, Porsche logs a double victory in Le Mans and can now chalk up a total of 16 overall wins.

1999:
With the 911 GT3, Porsche rounds out the 911 series with an exceptionally sporty version. The Boxster S, a higher performance version of the mid-engine roadster, is available. The Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) is presented as a world first.

2000:
At the Louvre in Paris, Porsche celebrates the world premiere of the highperformance Carrera GT sports car. The ready-for-the-road concept car features a carbon-fibre chassis, as well as a 10-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. In Leipzig construction begins on a new Porsche assembly plant for the multi-purpose Cayenne SUV.

2001:
The new 911 GT2 is equipped with the PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake as standard and generates 462 hp. The new generation of the 911 Carrera receives a 3.6-litre engine with variable valve lift. Available as new versions are the 911 Carrera 4S and 911Targa.

2002:
Porsche presents its third series: the sporty and off-road Cayenne SUV. The revised Boxster, thanks to VarioCam technology, achieves lower consumption and emission ratings with simultaneous power boost.

2003:
Series production of the Porsche Carrera GT starts up in Leipzig. By 2006, a total of 1,270 units of the fast (up to 330 km/h) high-performance sports car are built. In addition to the new Porsche 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS, the 911Turbo Cabriolet and the 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet further expand the product line.

2004:
The new generations of the 911 and Boxster sports car series are introduced in both Basic and S versions.

2005:
At the Frankfurt Auto Show, the Porsche Cayman S with 6-cylinder boxer mid-engine is presented for the first time. Additionally, the model range is extended with the 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Carrera 4S in Coupé and Cabriolet versions. Porsche becomes the largest Volkswagen shareholder. In Zuffenhausen, construction begins on the new Porsche Museum.

2006:
Alongside the new 911 GT3, the 521 hp Cayenne Turbo S marks a new power peak. In Geneva, the new 911 Turbo with Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) is introduced. The Cayman with 245 hp rounds out the model range. Further new entries are the 911 GT3 RS and the 911Targa 4 models. In the American Le Mans series, the Porsche RS Spyder prototype achieves a championship victory in the LMP2 class. Expansion of production facilities begins in Leipzig. There assembly of the Panamera, commences in 2009.
http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/porschehistory/milestones/