Pronunciation of Porsche's Cars

"K-Roll-PorscheTamer" (k-roll390) 07/05/2014 at 15:55 • Filed to: porsche

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I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this, or maybe it's just me, but everyone pronounces the internal names for Porsche differently. Let me explain..

Back in 1960s, there was the 911(Neunelf for ze Germans), 914, 912, and the 356 which was just at the end of it's production life in 1965. When you hear someone refer to the 911, it's pronounced "nine-eleven", not "nine-one-one"; I've never met a single person that refers to the car as the latter; The same goes for the 912 as the "nine-twelve". However, when it comes to the 914 and 356, it's been pronounced in as "nine-fourteen" or "nine-one-four" and "three-fifty six" or "three-five-six" respectively.

I've noticed this especially with the original water-cooled cars. While I was watching the 1500-pound Porsche Challenge on Top Gear, I noticed that Clarkson, Hammond and May referred to their cars as the 928(nine-two-eight), 924(nine-two-four), and the 944(nine-four-four) respectively; and even the 968(nine-six-eight). I've met many who call the 944 either the aforementioned pronunciation or as the "nine-forty-four". Why is it that we pronounce it differently?

The same goes for each generation of the 911; When I talk Porsche with people, these cars are always pronounced as three syllable names, each number being a syllable, nine-six-four(964), nine-nine-three(993), all the way up to the nine-nine-one(991). The only exception to this rule that I've noticed as being almost universal, is that no one has ever referred to the 930 as the nine-three-zero, always nine-thirty. So the question remains, how'd we come to pronouncing them differently? How do you pronounce these cars? Perhaps we heard it pronounced a certain way, or maybe even out of convenience as one might roll off the tongue easier than the other. What is it?

Edit: Arch Duke has given a most logical reason, "Because a sequence of numbers has no set pronunciation, where as words, do."

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:01

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Because a sequence of numbers has no set pronunciation, where as words, do.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:02

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Based on what Porsche owners say the most, it's "Open your mouth. I thought you said you've been flossing."

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > PanchoVilleneuve ST 07/05/2014 at 16:03

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Ouch man.

desertdog5051 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:07

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The Brits seem to have their own way of pronouncing car names. I don't trust them as reliable sources.

feather-throttle-not-hair > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:16

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I have never thought about this, but you're totally right. Here is this awesome 356 interior shot i took this weekend in celebration of your totally rightness. Body colored dash is hawt.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > desertdog5051 07/05/2014 at 16:18

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I mean for the 924, 944, 928 and 968, the "British" pronunciation sounds better IMO. I can't call them the nine-twenty four, nine-forty four and so forth; it just sounds weird to me.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > feather-throttle-not-hair 07/05/2014 at 16:18

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SO HAWT I CAN'T EVEN INTO! :P

desertdog5051 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:28

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I grew up with 9-eleven, 9-twenty four, etc.

1337HPMustang > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:39

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I call it the ninety-one-one because fuck you

1337HPMustang > 1337HPMustang 07/05/2014 at 16:42

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and/or beetle

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > desertdog5051 07/05/2014 at 16:43

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Well 9-eleven is the way I've always pronounced it.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > 1337HPMustang 07/05/2014 at 16:44

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Oh you rascal you.(-_-)

scoob > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:53

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Interesting topic. Weirdly I say "Nine Four Four", "Nine Six Eight", etc., but the 911 will forever be "Nine Eleven".

I also cringe every time my friend who thinks he likes cars (he only likes supercars because he thinks owning one means you're rich) says "Four Fifty Eight" as in the 458. I say "Four Five Eight".

Viggen > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 16:55

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I mostly use the British pronunciation. But I use both Nine-One-Eight and Nine-Eighteen for the 918. I prefer Nine-One-Two.

But if anyone ever says Nine-One-Nine I'll probably ignore them.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > scoob 07/05/2014 at 17:00

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Exactly the way I pronounce Porsche cars; and your friend is weird.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Viggen 07/05/2014 at 17:01

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I haven't heard anyone use nine-one-eight before, that's a first.

scoob > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 17:33

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Haha, well he admits I know a lot about cars, at least a lot more than he does.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > scoob 07/05/2014 at 17:35

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Then convince him that he's wrong about the........."four fifty eight" *proceeds to vomit* :P

scoob > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 17:36

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How though? How do you say the F430? I say "Four Thirty", and then he'll think he's right. Also the 360. "Three Sixty".

THIS DEBATE AGAIN AISASDGIOSDGSISPKLJ

desertdog5051 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/05/2014 at 17:39

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Leave it to Arch Duke to throw some logic into an emotional discussion. :)

desertdog5051 > 1337HPMustang 07/05/2014 at 17:40

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Foreigner.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > scoob 07/05/2014 at 17:42

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Damn you're right. I HADN'T CONSIDERED THAT!! -_-

Cé hé sin > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 17:53

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This is very simple.

911 = nine eleven

All others: nine four four etc. There are no exceptions to this.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Cé hé sin 07/05/2014 at 17:59

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Yes.

lonestranger > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 20:01

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For the 912, I say "nine-one-two", so there.

Apart from the 911 (nine-eleven), I usually say each numeral. Some models such as 356, 917, and 928, I'll use either pronunciation.

P.S. I imagine nine-one-one isn't a common pronunciation because that's the phone number for emergency services in North America.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > lonestranger 07/05/2014 at 20:04

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912-You're the first I've heard to pronounce it like that, good for you! :P

Agreed with everything else.

And you may be on to something there...

lonestranger > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/05/2014 at 20:26

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I've heard that the phone number "911" is not supposed to be referred to as "nine eleven" in order to avoid confusing people who are panicked and trying to find the "eleven" button. I have no idea whether or not that's true or just an old wive's tale.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > lonestranger 07/05/2014 at 20:27

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That's kinda funny. :P

Viggen > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 07/06/2014 at 00:18

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You mean I'm the only one who says nine-one-eight? I feel so lonely now...