Porsche 597 Was the Original Off-Road SUV From the Brand
The Porsche 597 is a military vehicle that could hang with pretty much anything off the pavement.
Different Kind of Porsche
Recently, Porsche has made waves by rolling out off-road-focused models like the 911 Dakar, but the truth of the matter is that the German automaker has a pretty rich history of churning out more rugged vehicles. In fact, long before the Cayenne became its first mass-produced SUV, the 597 - otherwise known as "Jagdwagen" or "hunting car" - was the brand's response to a government request for a utilitarian model it intended to use for military purposes.
Photos: Porsche
Predated
When the German government came calling for a lightweight, versatile, reliable, and capable off-road vehicle, Porsche was one of three automakers that responded with a concept. The 597 was a bit revolutionary in that regard, and it even predated the Volkswagen Type 181 - or "The Thing" as it's known in the U.S.
Photos: Porsche
Trailblazer
The 597 was a true trailblazer in many other ways, including the fact that it was the very first all-wheel-drive model from Porsche. It wasn't exactly a barn burner, however, as it was powered by a 1.6-liter Boxer engine derived from the 356 that churned out a mere 50 horsepower - giving it a top speed of just 62 mph.
Photos: Porsche
Light and Capable
On the flip side, the 597 didn't need to be exceptionally quick - just capable - and it weighed a mere 1,918 pounds, to boot. The Porsche SUV was equipped with a four-speed manual with a low gear designed specifically for conquering off-road obstacles, and it could climb grades of up to 65 percent without straining the engine at all.
Photos: Porsche
Floating on Water
Thanks to its water-tight monocoque body shell, the 597 could also float across bodies of water like a boat, which is precisely why some examples don't have doors. Plus, thanks to its short length of 141.7 inches, the rugged SUV was also easy to maneuver around obstacles, too.
Photos: Porsche
Ahead of Its Time
Underneath, the 597 was a bit ahead of its time with an independent front suspension, selectable all-wheel-drive system, and telescopic shocks, even in spite of its old-fashioned powerplant. However, the goal here was reliability - not all-out performance - unlike pretty much everything else in the Porsche lineup over the years.
Photos: Porsche
Rare Bird
Regardless, Porsche only built 71 units of the 597 in total, as it wound up losing the government contract to another outfit. Even fewer examples have survived to this day, meaning that the 597 is incredibly collectible and valuable, with nice, military-spec examples selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars today.
Photos: Porsche
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