History Lesson From Stuttgart: From Zero to 911

"alexotics" (alexotics) 08/18/2013 at 07:25 • Filed to: PORSCHE

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This summer I had planned to tick off two major boxes on my automotive to-do list. One was the Hungary F1 race, and the other was the BMW Welt and Museum in Munich. I'll post about those later, but today I’m documenting my spur of the moment visit to the Porsche Factory and Museum in Zuffenhausen near Stuttgart.

This wasn’t the first time I have visited the architectural feat that is the Porsche museum, but at Porsche, no two visits are ever the same. 2013 marked the 50 th anniversary of the 911, which debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963 - and received very little to no enthusiasm from the Porsche fanatics in love with their prettier (and much cheaper) 356s. The anniversary meant that the entire museum was wiped clean of Boxters, Caymans, Panameras, and even their best selling car, the slightly better looking in new guise, Cayenne. Just plain 356, 911, and race car goodness.

As always, a visit to the any museum begins in the parking lot. And what a lot! GT3s piled to the rafters with a smidge of vintage and tequipment rarities dotted in between. Forget the Nikki Beach parking in Monte-Carlo, forget the Ritz’s underground at Place Vendome, you can find the World’s most interesting garage right underneath the Porsche museum.

But our time was limited if we were to make our overnight stop, Munich, by dusk. After a deliciously crispy sandwhich and a litre of Weisbier consumed with a view of Porsche’s museum workshop and their historical archive (for cultural, business, social, and cultural matters relating to Porsche AG and its subsidiaries), we purchased some tickets from a lovely girl who raved about Vancouver, and proceeded to the first car in line and subsequently, Porsche’s history – a ‘Typ 64’ from 1939 with a mere 33 horsepower.

The first production Porsche on display debuted in 1948 and featured a 40 horsepower 4-cylinder capable of a (wobbly) 140 km/h. They called it the 356/2 Coupé. 52 cars were made by hand in Austria and it allowed for Porsche’s first move in to motorsport. Quite an iconic car, then. We then got to the first car that rolled out of the Stuttgart factories. It happed on the Thursday before Easter 1950 and it was of course a Type 356, or as the engineers called it “a test bench on wheels.”

As the 356 was ordered around the world, the North American market, or more specifically US-American Porsche importer Max Hoffman, demanded not only a roadster model, but a roadster that could be sold for less than $3,000. Dubbed the “America Roadster,’ it was quite a bit lighter than the 356 Coupé at a astonishing weight of only 605 kilograms made possible by extensive use of aluminum body panels. Eventually, Porsche further sorted the car and the spartanly furnished 1954 356 Speedster was born. A gorgeous little car that to this day is still being sold as replica.

But we still haven’t reached the 911. But we’re close. As next in line was the T7. Quite an ungainly prototype that featured free-standing headlights and a flat, sloping hood with underneath a 4-cylinder Boxer engine that was capable of a big 200kmh. Tall windows and a light notchback certainly didn’t turn it in to a concours d’elegance champion, but none of that takes away from the fact that this was the unofficial 911 predecessor.

The last 356 that sort of completes the lead up to the 911 is the 1956 Porsche 356 A 1600 S Coupé. With only 75 measely horsepowers it reached a top speed of 175km/h. Can you picture an Autobahn fly-by in the mid 1950s at 175km/h? Insanity. Consequently, this particular Porsche model was a huge success at the Mille Miglia race.

It wasn’t until 1963 that the 911 as we know it was introduced to a crowd of wincing spectators. And it must be said that parked next to a 355, a 901 looks like a BMW M6 parked next to a Lamborghini Miura. Both great designs, but you know which one you’d want to park inside your living room. Anyways, the 911 had it’s market launch in the fall of 1964 and featured a new engine, frame, and suspension. Inside it featured a larger more comfortable interior with a boot that fit a golf bag. (hello, target market). Over the next 9 years, a 912 in S,T,L and E versions hit the streets in addition to a Targa and a very collectible Carrera RS 2.7 model. And so the success of the 911 began.

That's it for today, let's crack a beer and enjoy the last bit of summer.

tobythesandwich > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 09:57

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Huge fan of Porsches. So this article was pretty much car porn for me.

I still want a vintage 911 or 356. Instead I am a damn fool in my ownership of a 944 lol.

Nisman > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 10:25

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So much want. Ideally, it would be a 356 with a modern Porsche boxer engine. Hoon city, b*tch.

Bill Caswell > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 10:47

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hockenheim ring does a track touring thing every morning at 11am...

ya-hey-everyone-ya-hey > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 11:22

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It would seem you are implying that the 356 was the better looking car, but I disagree. That last 911, in grey with a red interior, is more worthy of the space now occupied by my couch and TV then the 356 above it, in my estimation. Beautiful!

Tercell81 > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 11:23

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I love going to the Porsche Museum. I live not too far from it, and go there every chance I get. It is a wonderful museum, and I personally like it better than the Benz Museum across town. Every time I go there I fill up a SD card on my camera.

johnnyRoadster > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 11:31

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Here is the replica! 1.6 dual carb boxer easily goes 100 mph (160 kph ). Affordable Jalopnik!

johnnyRoadster > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 11:37

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The 356 Roadster replica is a friendly car that attracts conversation.

Took my 90 year old father for a twisty spin. He yelled over the wind noise that the "car made him feel young"!

Nachi > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 12:58

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dat gap...

between 1939 and 1948

Gurjinder > ya-hey-everyone-ya-hey 08/18/2013 at 13:05

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Different strokes for different folks.

Not to say the 911 is any worse, but the 356 is on a different plane altogether.

996C2 > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 13:39

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And my shot from June. A hint for PCA members; show your membership card to get in for free and 10% off in the Museum store. Across the street in the Porsche dealer they give you 15% off in their souvenir store which in my view is better then the Museum store. There IS a factory souvenir store but it's hard to find and you have to ask at the security gate to get in to it.

996C2 > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 14:05

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The other *must* museum to visit in Munich in my view is the Deutsches Museum. It probably the worlds largest technical museum - actually three different locationshttp:// www.deutsches-museum.de/ ), For car fanatic's the location near the Munich Oktoberfest fairgrounds called Verkehrszentrum is across town about 15 mins by S bahn but really worth it. Trains, motorcycles and automobiles.

The third facility is at a regional airport and is aviation themed, (which we didn't get to). The main Museum near the river (and 10 mins from the main train station) also has aircraft, such as the ME 262, ME163, F104, V1 and V2 etc.

alexotics > Nisman 08/18/2013 at 15:10

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You'd have to modify a 356 a bit more to make it hoon city! ;)

alexotics > tobythesandwich 08/18/2013 at 15:12

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The 944 is a nice step above the 924, though. And you could trade for an early gen Boxter, no?

alexotics > 996C2 08/18/2013 at 15:13

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*adds to bucket list*

alexotics > johnnyRoadster 08/18/2013 at 15:15

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Beauty! Where is she from?

alexotics > Tercell81 08/18/2013 at 15:17

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The Benz museum is much, much larger, but to me doesn't have as much passion behind it. Benz is beautiful and impressive while Porsche is just cool. The fact that they change up the displays so much adds to that as well. They're always telling stories.

alexotics > Nachi 08/18/2013 at 15:21

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During the second World War there weren't a lot of people interested in sports cars. So Porsche built tanks and Volkswagen Beetles instead. Needless to say, their company history is quite something.

alexotics > ya-hey-everyone-ya-hey 08/18/2013 at 15:38

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Personally, I didn't find the 901 to be a stunner right out of the gates. Just look at this picture. The 356 was gorgeous, while the 911 took a few years to smooth out. That grey example is a '65 2.0 911.

Nisman > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 16:04

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True, if I were to just to an engine swap it would be crash city.

tobythesandwich > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 16:25

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The 944 is a great car in so many ways. It's just that I made the mistake of buying an early model. 1985/1 to be exact. Wiring is a total nightmare and mine needs a harness now.

I don't really have a desire for the Boxster. It's not a bad car. I just don't care for the styling. And the early gen boxsters have problems with the rear main seals from what I understand.

Personally I am hoping to eventually get into a 911. Would like a classic 930 chassis. But I'm willing to settle on a 964. Before a lot of the electronics. All in due time of course. Right now I'm trying to find one worth putting on the road.

Nachi > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 17:21

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Something indeed. I do recall them having some unorthodox hiring practices for their assembly lines back then.

johnnyRoadster > alexotics 08/18/2013 at 17:25

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This 1983 replica was built by Intermeccanica. I bought it with Canadian dollars from San Diego. Exchange rate was purr fect. Drove the Pacific Coast Highway home. Very affordable and easy to upgrade. Poor mans dream. Fan belt was $9 and easy to install!

alexotics > tobythesandwich 08/19/2013 at 08:17

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People have been hinting at the fact that 964s are the next in line to appreciate. I'm thinking about one as well, and perhaps stripping it (but still keeping it legal) out like this Blaupunkt one from the museum.

nrj > tobythesandwich 08/19/2013 at 13:45

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My '85.5 also had wiring problems and needed a new harness. I sold it 8 years ago and still miss that car. It seems that many P-car enthusiasts start out with a 944 and then move up to a 911.