As far as Porsche enthusiasts are concerned, I have had a pretty good series of experiences.
See here, here, here and here, to name just a few. However, I will admit that it took me far too long to go to Stuttgart to visit the Porsche Museum – but I am so incredibly happy that I finally did that.
My apologies for the Soppy title, but the truth is that the Porsche Museum is one of the most incredible places I have ever visited – Hand Op Hart.
Of course the experience starts at the start of the journey of the automaker, with some of the earliest cars to bear the name Ferdinand Porsche.
The Porsche 356 prototype was certainly a highlight, especially considering the layout of the mid-engine. If that fact was better known, I think it would be the critics who reject the Boxster and Cayman as the ‘poor man Porsches’, to silence-because the model was meant from the very beginning in 1948 as a car in the mid-engine.
It is fascinating to see the evolution of Porsche over the years, with various 356 variants and the earliest Formula Junior cars.
The Le Mans racers from the middle to the late 20th century produced some of the most iconic machines in the brand, with the 906 Carrera standing out as one of the most beautiful and purest examples of the Porsche variety.
Free from enormous wings and excessive bodywork, the iconic curves of Porsche can be seen much more clearly on the 906 than in later prototype samples to compete on the world stage.
Samples such as the 917 and the various iterations – including the legendary 917/20 ‘Pink Pig’.
A collaboration between Porsche and Paris -based engineering firm Sera R&D, the aerodynamics of 917/20 attracted a lot of criticism when it was first unveiled. With its blunt nose and thick bends it was quickly compared with a pig. Instead of ignoring the comparison, the team decided to possess it by decorating the car in a livrei reminiscent of the cutting schedule of a butcher, which strengthens the legendary status in the process.
The 962 remains one of the fastest racing cars that the Mulsanne ever drives directly to Le Mans, although it wonders if it ever had enough downforce to maintain this position at any speed.
‘RSR’ is a mythical set of letters in 911 circles, and you can see its evolution in Stuttgart, followed by the 935 – a car that changed the game with its radical aerodynamics and flat nose.
The inheritance of the 935 has been revived in the form of a track-oriented 991 GT2 RS, but for real racing heritage, the RSR name has lived with subsequent generations of water-cooled racing cars, with an interesting detour in the 997 GT3 R hybrid, a one-off technological demonstrator of 2010.
I just got away from racing cars, my heart skipped a beat when I saw a Porsche that I had never thought I would see personally, let alone close.
I have mentioned it in different articles at the moment, but my #1 dream car – the one I would choose over everyone else – was in Stuttgart for me. The 964 Porsche 911 Turbo S 3.3-liter Leichtbau – or ‘lightweight’ in English.
For the non -ingewives it looks like any other 964 from a distance. It is not wider than the regular turbo, with the same optional speedline split rims and Thebeslade or whale tail on the back.
But check, and you will see that the wing is missing the rather ugly black rubber strap flap that is found on typical 964 turbo models. Instead, there is a sleek composite item in one piece and a few intakes are for the wide, turbo -specific rear wheel arches.
Then there is the script under the doors, which means that this precisely Car that I have stored in my ‘favorite’ photo file for more than ten years.
I was full of awe. The truth is, no matter how rare, no matter how special, or how historically important every other car was in the building, they all faded compared to this one.
If you have ever been lucky to spend time in your favorite car, I am sure you will understand. View the gallery below to see which other treasures could be seen in the Porsche Museum, but I just can’t surpass those 964. I hope you don’t mind.
Mario Christou
Instagram: MCWPN” mariochristou.world
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