Porsche

On 25 April 1931, the design office in Stuttgart at Kronenstraße 24 was entered in the register of companies as Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche GmbH, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau in the register of companies. Porsche held 80% of the company shares, 10% were held by the businessman and racing driver Adolf Rosenberger and 10% by his son-in-law, the Viennese lawyer Anton Piëch.[8] In addition to his son Ferry Porsche, the first employees included the chief engineer Karl Rabe, the transmission expert Karl Fröhlich, the engine specialist Josef Kales and the specialist for axle designs Josef Zahradnik.

Until the 1980s, Porsche successfully maintained its position on the sports car market with a relatively small number of units. Porsche ran into economic difficulties at the end of the 1980s, in particular due to a sharp fall in the dollar exchange rate. In the 1991/92 financial year, the manufacturer sold only 23,000 vehicles and reported a loss of DM 240 million a year later.

Coat of arms

Ferry Porsche commissioned the advertising manager Hermann Lapper to design a company logo. The aim was to create a seal of quality for the Porsche Type 356. The design was ultimately created by Franz Xaver Reimspieß – a Porsche engineer with a talent for drawing. Another source names Erwin Komenda as the author. To this day, only minor changes have been made to the coat of arms. The individual components of the coat of arms symbolise the importance of the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen production site in (Baden-)Württemberg. The Porsche coat of arms contains the Stuttgart heraldic animal, the coat of arms of the free state of Württemberg from 1922 and the words ‘Porsche’ and ‘Stuttgart’.

Racecars

1953-1956 Porsche 550 A racing car developed from the Porsche 356. The top version in 1956 was the 550 A with a tubular frame instead of the ladder frame.

1956 Porsche 645 The Porsche 645 was planned as the successor to the Porsche 550. After an accident in which the prototype burned down, development was discontinued in favour of the Porsche 718.

1957-1961 Porsche 718 An improved two-seater version of the predecessor model Porsche 550, which was also used as a single-seater in Formula 2 (photo) and became a Formula 1 car from 1961 due to rule changes.

1961 Porsche 787 The Porsche 787 is a racing car from Porsche. It was designed for Formula 2 and was also used briefly in Formula 1 in 1961.

1961-1962 Porsche 804 Successor to the 718 in F1, the only racing car that Porsche built specifically for Formula 1.

1963-1965 Porsche 904 The famous racing car that won many race victories for Porsche as the Carrera GTS until the mid-1960s.

1966-1967 Porsche 906 This racing car was marketed by Porsche as the Carrera 6 and was the successor to the Porsche 904.

1967-1968 Porsche 907 Based on the Porsche 910, this prototype was used in racing at the end of the 1960s.

1967-1971 Porsche 908 The last eight-cylinder racing car to emerge from a development series of many Porsche racing cars in the 1960s and was further developed until 1971.

1967-1971 Porsche 908 The last eight-cylinder racing car to emerge from a development series of many Porsche racing cars in the 1960s and was further developed until 1971.

1968 Porsche 909 Bergspyder A lightweight combination of various Porsche racing cars, specially designed for the hillclimb championship.

1966-1968 Porsche 910 The successor to the Porsche 906 and predecessor to the 907, also known as the Carrera 10.

1976-1977 Porsche 934 This racing car was developed from the production model Porsche 930 for Group 4 of the FIA.

1976-1981 Porsche 935 This racing car was developed from the production model Porsche 930 for Group 5 of the FIA.

1976-1981 Porsche 936 As an open racing sports car, a parallel development to the Porsche 935 for Group 6 of the FIA and the Sports Car World Championship.

1980 Porsche-Interscope ‘Indy’ A racing car developed by Porsche for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. Due to changes in the regulations, Porsche ended the project prematurely. The car was never entered in a race.

1982-1984 Porsche 956 The racing car that Porsche and many customers used successfully in the 1980s.

1985-1986 Porsche 961 Racing car based on the Porsche 959 for Le Mans.

1984-1991 Porsche 962 A further development of the Porsche 956, with a longer wheelbase due to a change in the rules.

1996-1998 Porsche 911 GT1 The water-cooled mid-engined racing car achieved a double victory at Le Mans in 1998. A total of 25 vehicles were built for homologation between 1996 and 1998.

since 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 A sports version of the 911 Turbo, originally built as a racing version.

since 1998 Porsche 911 GT3 A road-going 911 with a naturally aspirated engine. Now available in the third generation. Racing versions R and RSR.

1981 Porsche 937 The Porsche 924 Carrera GTS was developed for private racing use. Individual TÜV approval meant that the cars could also be approved for road use.

1980-1981 Porsche 939 The Porsche 924 Carrera GTP was specially developed for use in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was later developed into the homologated Porsche 924 Carrera GTR racing car.

1969-1973 Porsche 917 sports car with 180° V-engine. Also available as Porsche 917/10 and Porsche 917/30 Spyder with turbo engine.

1988-1990 Porsche 2708 CART Single-seater racing car with aluminium-plastic monocoque and specially developed V8 engine for the US CART series.

2005-2008 Porsche RS Spyder The first Porsche developed specifically for racing since the 911 GT1 (1998). The RS Spyder has a V8 mid-engine and complies with the LMP2 regulations. It was used by the Penske Racing team in the ALMS, among others.

2014-2018 Porsche 919 LMP1 prototype, developed for use in the WEC. Features a two-litre V4 turbo engine and a hybrid system consisting of a KERS on the front axle and a generator unit on the turbocharger. Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Developed into the 919 Evo in 2018 without the intention of racing it. Briefly held the lap record at Spa-Francorchamps and holds it on the Nordschleife.