Porsche Milestones Throughout the Years
What makes a company like Porsche legendary is its impressive milestones, and this German manufacturer has lots of them.
1. 1948
It all started in 1931 when Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche company, which was registered as a design and consultancy company for engine and vehicle construction. However, its real impact on the automotive industry happened in 1948 when the very first Porsche was produced. The Porsche Type 356 was a major hit, and only 50 units were ever built that year. The industry-changing Porsche was designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche's son, nicknamed Ferry Porsche, and it was equipped with an air-cooled V-4 engine that was located in the rear of the vehicle, sending power to the rear wheels. This is the Porsche responsible for every single model we love and enjoy today.
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2. 1951
This year was bitter-sweet for the legendary German automaker, with more bitter than sweet. In 1951, Ferdinand Porsche passed away at the age of 75. His death came only five months prior to a major milestone for the company, which was the first Porsche 356 SL to finish the extremely-popular 24 Hours of Le Mans race. On June 24 of 1951, the 356 placed in the 20th place overall, and it also placed first in the 1100cc class. This was the milestone that put Porsche on the map as a reputable racing vehicle.
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3. 1959
As the years went by, Porsche became more and more popular in the racing world, but it wasn't until 1959 that it left a permanent stamp on the world of racing. This was a good year for the German automobile maker, as their Porsche 718 RSK placed third, fourth, and fifth in the overall ranking for the 12-Hour of Sebring. This model was evolved from the very first Porsche, and it gave Porsche the nickname "Giant Killers" in the racing industry because they were beating race cars that were larger and more powerful.
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4. 1961
By 1961, Porsche was no longer a stranger to race tracks, and the name "Porsche" was well known. Its reputation grew larger in 1961 when Porsche entered the legendary Formula 1. Unfortunately, the 1.5-liter motors were more successful in the sport-racing world and the more enduring races, but the accomplishment of entering the Formula 1 couldn't be denied.
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5. 1963
Possibly the start of a crazy run that continues to evolve, the year 1963 featured Porsche's debut of the Porsche 911. The Porsche 911 was originally set to be named 901; however, French automaker Peugeot objected, claiming any three-digit model name with a "0" in the middle.
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6. 1970
Perhaps the biggest milestone of all came in 1970 when Ferdinand Porsche's original dream came to fruition. In 1970, Ferry Porsche's nephew, Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, got to raise the 24-Hours of Le Mans' trophy high in the air, putting the Porsche company exactly where it belongs, at the top of one of the most crucial races in the world.
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7. 1976
Porsche is no stranger to being innovative, and in 1976, the company decided to try something new when they introduced the very first ever Porsche with a front engine in the 924 model, which happened to be the very first sports car with a front engine. The new step opened the door for three other models within the Porsche lineup: the 928, the 944, and the 968. After 16 years of production, a total of 386,000 units of the front-engine Porsches had been produced.
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8. 1997
In 1993, Porsche pulled back the curtains on what became one of the most popular models in their lineup: the Porsche Boxster. However, the Boxster's deliveries didn't start until 1997. The Boxster was an entry-level model that became extremely successful because of its affordable price. Its debut took place at the Detroit Motor Show and the production did not disappoint a few years later.
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9. 1998
1998 marked the end of the legendary air-cooled flat-six engines in the Porsche 911, and the water-cooled flat-six engine took their place. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the German company, and to celebrate that, Allan McNish, Laurent Aiello, and Stephane Ortelli won the Le Mans trophy again, making it the 16th victories at the world famous race.
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