"Look daddy, it's a Porsche," my daughter yelled from the backseat one day last summer as we rolled down the autobahn.
It's a familiar enough expression, and we all dutifully looked out the
window to admire the iconic, rear-engine car roll past. What surprised
me, however, was that the information came from my six-year-old
daughter, who is oblivious to other car brands.
Many may be surprised to learn that the German beauty, the
Porsche 911, is turning 50 this year, giving children and adults alike the chance to celebrate the car's enduring appeal.
Stuttgart's Porsche Museum is throwing a summer-long birthday party with
a new exhibition entitled "50 Years of the Porsche 911." Everyone is
invited to join in the party, and
911 owners and those born in 1963 get
in free.
The anniversary exhibition, the biggest new addition to the museum since
its opening in 2009, promises to draw crowds of
911 fans from across
the globe.
Housed in an elegantly designed building in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the
museum provides informative displays detailing Porsche's past and
present, with at least 80 exhibits on display. The must-sees include the
world-famous 356, the
911, 550 and 917, as well as technical displays
highlighting the innovative know-how of founder Professor
Ferdinand Porsche from the early 1900s.
Prof. Porsche designed the first production-line hybrid car with an
electric engine, for example, debuting it to much acclaim at the Paris
World Fair in 1900. This marked the first historical instance of Porsche
proving to be ahead of its time, launching the brand's long legacy in
innovative motoring.
Other museum highlights include several
rally cars,
films about the production process, sound chambers where you can feel
and hear the power of the
Porsche engines, engine displays, and a
restaurant with seated viewing of a workshop where visitors can watch
expert mechanics fine tune various models.
For the anniversary exhibition, visitors get the added treats of seeing a
variety of never- before-displayed automobiles and exhibits. To mark
the birthday, Porsche engineers have created a stunning replica of the
very first
911 (then called the 901) to be shown at the International
Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1963. They will also learn how
Ferry Porsche's
son came up with the famous design – to meet the demands for a 2+2
seat, rear-engine sports car that could carry a golf bag in the boot –
which has helped cement the brand in motoring history.
In all, the
911 anniversary exhibition gives visitors a chance to see
more than 40 different 911 versions, including limited edition models,
race cars and even prototypes. Mostly, however, it's a chance to
celebrate the classic style and appeal of the 911, which speaks to
children and adults alike.
Unlike other exclusive sports cars, the
Porsche 911 draws admirers from
all walks of life and every social scale. "For most people, it's the
dream car," said Astrid Böttinger from the museum's press office.
The cars on display offer a visual history of the
911's evolution, from
its early heyday through its redesigns and innovative changes. The
models enable visitors to see the subtle yet technically impressive
changes up close, including the innovative Targa roll bar introduced in
1965, the bellows-style bumpers of the 1970s, the
911 Turbo with rear spoiler, first introduced in 1974, up through to the ultra-streamlined models of the 2000s and today.
One wall has been dedicated to the silhouettes of all of the varieties
of
911 ever produced, from 1963 forward, and what strikes the eye is how
little the design has changed, despite seven generations and various
overhauls.
Porsche's engineers strive, said Böttinger, to retain the integrity of
the beloved design. "They can't touch the basics," she explained,
"because our customers are purists. They're passionate about the 911's
design." In other words, fans love the look of the
911 – they always
have and always will.
The low-slung bonnet and gentle curves – which have always enabled the
Porsche 911 to look both classic and modern at the same time – make the
car recognizable from any angle. This is why even my American daughter,
age six, can knowingly and admiringly spot a Porsche.
The fact that the
911 is loved by young and old alike bodes well for the
brand's next 50 years as well. "Perhaps, one day the 911 will fly,"
Böttinger said.
The final museum exhibit is of a breathtaking 50th edition model, a
911
Coupé capable of 300 kliometres per hour. Only 1,963 of these cars will
be made.
For those wanting to leave their own mark on
Porsche's history,
a creativity wall has been set up at the end of the tour where visitors
can draw their own version of a
http://checkered-flag.porschedealer.com/ the Porsche 911 silhouette.
Courtesy of TheLocal.de
