Hans Mezger's 911 Carrera 3.0 Is Back On the Road

Dream Realized

Hans Mezger is a legendary name in the world of Porsche as the man who developed the air-cooled six-cylinder boxer engine, as well as the 12-cylinder powerlant present in the 917. Mezger also owned a Grand Prix White 911 Carrera 3.0 - a former Porsche test car - that he purchased in 1979. He kept this very car until his passing last year, and always wanted to get it back on the road. Now, thanks to his son Oliver, that dream has finally been realized.

Photos: Porsche

Driven Sparingly

In the past, Porsche sold all of its test cars as a frugal move. That includes this Carrera 3.0, which was driven on public roads for the first time in April 1977. It had 27,540 kilometers on the clock when Mezger bought it, when it was also given a new speedometer with the clock set to zero. Almost 40 years later, it had notched up another 10,601 km. Mezger regularly took his 911 Carrera 3.0 on outings in the vicinity of Stuttgart. One of his favorite excursions was to the lakeside home of Monrepos, where he used to stop for a cup of coffee. Because he always drove the latest model from the 911 series, he only covered a few hundred kilometers in his white Carrera 3.0 each year.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Mezger's classic 911 right here in the Rennlist forum.

Registration Problems

In October 2008, Mezger applied for a vintage registration plate for his 911. However, there were problems because the Porsche had been used as a test car in Weissach starting in April 1977, but a full certificate for regular registration hadn’t been issued until August 1979. This seemed strange to the technical inspection agency, and it initially refused to issue the plate. Klaus Bischof, Head of the Porsche Museum at the time, wrote a statement explaining the situation. He included the following in his letter: “Incidentally, Mr Hans Mezger is also the chief designer of the Porsche 911 engine.”

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Mezger's classic 911 right here in the Rennlist forum.

Rolling Tribute

In one of the last interviews that he gave before his death, Mezger spoke about how he wanted to get his 911 back on the road soon. There were just a few minor things that needed fixing because the car had not been driven for a number of years. Sadly, Mezger never saw it happen. He passed away on June 10, 2020 at the age of 90. On the first anniversary of his death, his son Oliver had the 911 made roadworthy again. “The car will stay in the family’s hands and will be driven on special occasions. I’ll be visiting my father at the cemetery in it, and I’ll definitely be taking a trip to the Porsche Museum in his honor,” Oliver said. “Maybe one day I’ll even drive it to Zell am See.”

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Mezger's classic 911 right here in the Rennlist forum.

Making Memories

The Mezger family used to drive to Zell am See every summer. The trip there in the 911, complete with its roof rack, was always the highlight of the holiday, "There’s a tunnel there now, but in the 1970s there was a huge wall of granite in Zell am See coming from the Saalfelden side,” Oliver said. “The wall reflected and amplified the air-cooled Porsche sound so much that the interior of the car almost shook. I’ll never forget that.” It signaled to the children sitting on the foldaway back seats that they were only five minutes from their destination.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Mezger's classic 911 right here in the Rennlist forum.

Timepiece

Oliver also has fond memories of his father’s 50-year-old watch, a Zodiac Astrographic SST with a transparent acrylic glass cover and hands that appear to be printed on the dial that are inspired by space. “As a child, I wondered if it worked by magnetism," he said. "I’m still fascinated by it today. The hands float like spacecraft, the seconds are indicated by a red sphere, and it’s all designed to look like the movement of celestial bodies.” The watch was a gift from a sponsor of the CanAm race series in the 1970s. Oliver likes wearing the watch most of all when he is out in the Carrera 3.0, as it makes him feel close to his father, who, even a year after his death, remains ever-present. Many people talk about him, there are podcasts in which his voice can be heard and videos in which he lectures. “It’s so much more vivid with memorabilia like that than without," Oliver said.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Mezger's classic 911 right here in the Rennlist forum.

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