70 years of Porsche

October 07, 2018 01:00 AM

Here's a look back at some important Porsche dates, events and products since 1948.

1948

Ferry Porsche negotiates a contract with Volkswagen to supply components for Porsche sports cars and also opens up the VW distribution and service network to Porsche.

The first sports car to bear the name Porsche is created as a midengine sports car with a VW engine increased to 35 hp. With Herbert Kaes at the wheel, the Porsche 356 "No. 1" completes a brief demonstration lap at the Innsbruck, Austria, city street race on July 11, 1948.

1949

On Nov. 26, Stuttgart-based Porsche Konstruktionen GmbH is founded, with Ferry Porsche and his school friend Albert Prinzing as managing directors. Soon after, Porsche GmbH leases a workshop from Karosseriewerke Reutter & Co. GmbH in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and starts to prepare for production of the 356.

The first 356 Coupe and Cabriolet debut at the Geneva auto show on March 17, 1949.

1950

In October, Swiss journalist Max Troesch arranges a pivotal meeting at the Paris auto show between Ferry Porsche's father, Ferdinand, and U.S. car importer Max Hoffman. As a representative of various European auto brands, Hoffman operates his own dealer network on the U.S. East Coast. He presents the Porsche 356 in New York before the end of the year.

Beginning in March, the first Porsche sports cars are produced in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

Ferdinand Porsche

1951

Porsche attracts global attention with a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Driving a Porsche 356 SL Coupe with an alloy body, French Porsche importer Auguste Veuillet wins the 1.1-liter class together with Edmond Mouche.

Ferdinand Porsche dies on Jan. 30 at 75.

1952

A Porsche 356 wins the German Sportscar Championship.

1953

After successful bench tests, the four-camshaft engines designed by Ernst Fuhrmann (547 model) are unveiled at the Paris auto show. The "Fuhrmann engine" will be installed in the 550 racer and later Carrera versions of the 356.

1954

Porsche KG employs nearly 500 people and produces 1,853 vehicles. This includes the 15-type 356 Speedster.

1955

1,514 sports cars are sold in North America. Otto-Erich Filius sets up the company's first U.S. office in New York in October, and builds an independent dealer network — Porsche of America Corp.

1957

At the Monza track in Italy, Rolf Goetze, Paul Ernst Strähle and Richard von Frankenberg set world records for 1,000 miles, 2,000 kilometers and 12 hours in a Porsche 356 A Carrera Speedster.

1961

Porsche competes in Formula 1 with a four-cylinder 718/2 single-seater. Driver Dan Gurney takes second place on the podium at the Grand Prix races of Reims, France, Monza and Watkins Glen, N.Y.

1962

The Porsche 804 is the first racing car designed specifically for Formula 1. With this vehicle Gurney wins the French Grand Prix in Rouen, France, in July, the first Formula 1 win for Porsche.

1963

On Sept. 12, a prototype of the Porsche 901 is unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show. In addition to a six-cylinder engine with overhead camshafts, the successor to the 356 features a suspension with semi-trailing arm rear axle, and a self-supporting body.

1964

Thirteen prototypes of the 901 roll off the assembly line on Sept. 14. In October, the production-ready model is presented at the Paris auto show. Since Peugeot already owns the rights to three-digit vehicle names with a zero in the middle, Porsche is forced to rename the model range, and the 911.

1965

After requests by the sales department for a cheaper entry-level model below the Porsche 911 Coupe, the four-cylinder Porsche 912 is unveiled in April.

1969

At the Geneva auto show in the spring, Porsche debuts the 917, developed under Ferdinand Piëch and available in a homologation series of 25 units.

The Type 917 malfunctions at its first three races due to technical defects, then begins a long run of racing success with a victory in August at the 1,000-kilometer race on the Österreichring in Austria. The drivers are Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens.

914

1970

The VW Porsche 914 becomes a sales hit thanks to its low base price.

1972

Shareholders of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG turn the limited partnership into a public limited company.

911 Turbo

1974

The 911 Turbo is exhibited at the Paris auto show. Referred to internally as the 930, the car is immediately recognizable by its wider body and tires, front spoiler and rear wing.

1976

Assembly of the 924 is contracted to Audi NSU Auto Union AG in Neckarsulm, Germany.

1977

In the spring, the Porsche 928 is unveiled as a luxurious high-performance sports car.

1981

German-U.S. citizen Peter Schutz replaces Professor Ernst Fuhrmann as CEO.

Porsche unveils the 944 at the Frankfurt auto show.

1992

Faced with falling sales during a global economic crisis, Porsche fights back with an extensive program of measures under Wendelin Wiedeking, head of manufacturing since October 1991. New "lean production" organizational and production work flows are introduced.