One of the special exhibits at the World of Speed in Wilsonville, Oregon, looked at the Porsche 911, one of the most iconic and influential sports car designs in the world. According to the museum display:
“It is a seemingly perfect balance of beauty and performance that resides at the very heart and soul of Porsche. While its technology has improved dramatically over time, the spirit of the original design has remained true.”
The two-seat sports car, the Porsche 356, was successful and Ferdinand Porsche wanted to create a larger, more powerful car to break into the four-seat sports car market. The new car was designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the founder’s eldest son. The initial prototype was produced in 1960 and included the flattened hood, inclined built-in headlights, and rear engine.
In 1962, a fastback coupe with 2 rear jump seats, designated as prototype 901, rolled out of the factory. This prototype drew critical acclaim from automotive magazines when it made its debut at the International Automobile Show in Frankfurt. Shortly after production on the Porsche 901 began, one of the cars was displayed at the 1964 Paris Motor Show. French carmaker Peugeot objected to the 901 designation, claiming that it infringed on their French copyright and trademark protection. Porsche changed the designation to 911.
Shown above is the Porsche 3.0L Twin-Turbo Flat-Six Engine.
Another view of the engine
Shown below are some of the Porsche 911 street cars which were on display.
1967 911 “S”
The model “S”, which stood for “super” had vented disc brakes and upgraded suspension. It sold for $7,247 and had a top speed of 140 mph.
1988 Porsche 959 “Sport”
This was the most technologically advanced road-going sports car of the period. This was one of the first high performance car to use all-wheel drive. The 959 could not legally be be imported to the United States until 1999 when the “Show or Display” law passed. It sold for $295,000 and had a top speed of 195 mph. A total of 294 road cars and 29 sport (or racing) cars were produced.
1988 911 Turbo Targa Top
The 911 Turbo was developed to meet racing requirements for mass-produced street cars. It sold for $54,785 and had a top speed of 157 mph.
1988 930 S Cabriolet
According to the display:
It sold for $84,000 and had a top speed of 175 mph. A total of 112 were produced.
2012 911 GT3 RS4
This is a stripped-down track car with a 4.0 liter flat-six with a six-speed manual transaxle. According to the display:
“Gone were luxuries like a dashboard stopwatch and navigation system; instead it had carbon-fiber body work, thinner carpet, and a unique rear wing. A limited production run guaranteed hero status for this car.”
It sold for $175,000 and had a top speed of 197 mph. A total of 141 were produced for the U.S.; 600 globally.
2016 911 R
This car sold for $189,000 and had a top speed of 200 mph. It has a 500 horsepower engine and a six-speed manual transmission.
More Automobile Museums
World of Speed: A Tale of Two Demons (Photo Diary)
World of Speed: Post-1960 Street Cars (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: 1930s Fords in the Classic Auto Museum (photo diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles of the 1970s (photo diary)
LeMay Family Collection: Cars before 1920 (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Coachbuilt Cars (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: British Automobiles (Photo Diary)
