Who produces the Porsche country. Porsche cars: country of origin, product range, brand history

History of Porsche

Porsche is that rare case when the history of a well-known brand could have ended before it began. The Porsche lineup today is one of the most diverse among sports car manufacturers from companies such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati. Despite all the problems that have been in the history of Porsche development, the company was able to take a leadership position ...

Ferdinand Porsche was born on September 3, 1875 in Maffersdorf near Bohemia. The father of young Ferdinand was a plumber, and therefore his son followed in his footsteps, later continuing his undertaking - he gets a job as an assistant to his father, a plumber.

Porsche was initially purposeful, so he did not stay in companies for a long time in various positions. Thanks to this quality and a fortunate combination of circumstances in Stuttgart (Germany), the first small design firm of the young "creator" Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

The well-known name of Porsche in the circle of automotive industrialists contributed to the imminent appearance of the first order for the newly minted company. In 1931, NSU placed an order for the construction of a car as part of a program to create a "people's car" for the people of Germany.And after two years of hard work, a car is born under the index 32, which will later become the predecessor of the famous Volkswagen Beetle. The features of the mass "Beetle" will also appear in the first sports model of Porsche itself - the Porsche Type 60 car.

Designed by Franz Reimspiess, the air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine had to increase in volume from 985 to 1500 cc. The body of the "athlete" was designed by the author of the appearance of the "Beetle" Erwin Komenda (Erwin Komenda). Mathematician Josef Mickl, taking into account the high aerodynamic parameters of the body, the estimated weight and engine power, calculated the maximum speed - 145-150 km / h. Contrary to the plans of Ferdinand Porsche, the automobile plant in Wolfsburg did not want to produce a sports model: the board of the German Labor Front, the founder of Volkswagen-Kdf, was preparing the enterprise for war - there was no time for sports. Then Ferdinand decided to conclude a contract with the German Labor Front to receive the necessary automotive components from Wolfsburg. But this initiative was also rejected. It seemed that the Type 64 project was doomed to be buried. An unexpected continuation of the story occurred in 1938. The German National Sports Committee is funding the development of a sports car for the 1,300-kilometer Berlin-Rome auto marathon. The car race along the German autobahns and the Italian highways was a kind of demonstration of solidarity between the two countries. Naturally, Ferdinand Porsche jumped at this chance, and the bureau received a budget for the construction of three prototypes. An engine from the "Beetle" was installed on the marathon car - this was a double benefit. Firstly, the time and costs associated with the construction of a new power unit were reduced. Secondly, there was a great opportunity to shine at the race, showing the extraordinary abilities of the people's car. The engine displacement remained the same - 985 cc, but thanks to the installation of a new carburetor, an increase in the compression ratio and an increase in the diameter of the valves, the power increased from the original 23.5 to 50 hp. After wind-tunneling a mock-up of the original body, Komenda and Mikl made several improvements to its configuration. Then the drawings were transferred to the Stuttgart company Reutter, which produced 3 aluminum bodies.

So in the summer of 1939, the first Porsche car brands of the 60K10 model appeared. They did not have to participate in the race - the outbreak of war crossed out the plans for the marathon. The sports prototypes left without "work" passed into private hands: Ferdinand Porsche, his son Ferdinand Porsche (yes, the son was named after his father, however, in order to avoid confusion, the younger Ferdinand was called Ferry in the family and among the people), and the third went to Bodo Lafferenz, director of Volkswagen. In the first months of the war, the third prototype ceased to exist - Laffers fell asleep at the wheel and smashed the car to smithereens.

During the war, a couple more unpleasant events occurred: the building of the Porsche company was destroyed by bombs of the allies, where all the archives of the work carried out over the past twelve years burned down, and the house of the Porsche family. To save themselves from bombs regularly falling from the sky, the Porsche family, having captured the surviving equipment of the company of the same name, moved to Austria. At the beginning of May 1945, units of the 42nd Rainbow Division of the 7th US Army entered the Austrian city of Zell am See, which consisted mainly of prisoners from the Sing-Sing maximum security prison (amnesty was promised for service at the front). And they had to find one of the Porsche 60K10 sports prototypes in the premises of the flight school. The convicts, armed with metal shears, turned the racing coupe into a roadster, cutting off the roof, and then rushing around the airfield in a car. But, since they didn’t bother to check the oil level, the engine soon rattled, and the convicts were left without a toy, and the world lost one more of the first Porsches. The surviving last copy is now in a private collection.

The release of the 356th model, whose production scale was initially limited to only 500 cars, lasted until 1965; By this time, over 78,000 units of this model had been assembled.

The design of a new sports car, designated type 356, began in 1948 in the Austrian village of Gmund. The work was led by Ferry Porsche: his father, Professor Ferdinand Porsche, was imprisoned and could not leave the French occupation zone to help his son. During the construction of the car, many elements of the design of the people's car were used: the brake system, steering mechanism, non-synchronized four-speed gearbox, front suspension and, of course, the engine. By the way, the standard motor of the post-war "Beetle" had a volume of 1131 cc. After increasing the diameter of the valves and increasing the compression ratio from 5.8 to 7.0, the engine power was 40 hp. at 4000 rpm instead of the previous 25 hp The body was designed, as it was ten years ago, by Erwin Komenda, and Friedrich Weber, an excellent bodybuilder and longtime friend of the Porsche family, took up the implementation of his ideas in metal.

To organize a full-fledged production, Porsche moves back to its native Stuttgart, where it was sheltered in its premises by the bodywork studio Reutter, thus providing itself with a guaranteed customer. Porsche 356 began to be equipped with a 1300 cc engine, which could be found on the "Beetle". Only Volkswagen engines were carefully fine-tuned and balanced at Porsche, as a result of which the assembly of the engine by one master took 25 hours. Reutter treated the production of bodies with all responsibility: manual assembly, surface grinding with wet sand (special attention was paid to welds), coating only with high-quality paint and varnish. As a result, the body shone like a Christmas tree toy. An interesting detail: any Porsche car produced before 1952 is easily recognizable by ... the absence of an emblem! There was only a chrome-plated Porsche inscription, and that's it - in Europe this was quite enough. The year 1952 came, and Porsche cars began to be delivered overseas. Maximilian Hoffman, an American of Austrian origin, having received the rights of a Porsche dealer, once, having lunch with Ferry Porsche in one of the restaurants in New York, said: “Herr Porsche, your cars are excellent, but in order for them to sell really well, they need to get their original emblem." Ferry Porsche himself was well aware that the emblem is a necessary thing for a car. Therefore, in the evening in his hotel room, Ferry Porsche sat down at his desk and sketched out a sketch of the future emblem, which, upon arrival in Germany, was transferred to the design department. The emblem was the emblem of the city of Stuttgart with a rearing bay stallion, placed in the center of the Varangian four-part shield of the Württemberg house, in the first and fourth parts of which there are black stylized images of deer horns on a gold background, in the second and third - alternating stripes of scarlet and black colors. The upper part of the emblem is adorned with the word Porsche.

There are companies such as the Brazilian Chamonix, the French Boschetti and many others that offer buyers copies of the Porsche 550 Spyder.

If so, then we would not talk about it, but ... The fact is that there are such companies as the Brazilian Chamonix, the French Boschetti and many others that offer buyers copies of the Porsche 550 Spyder. Well, if there is a demand, we will have to tell you how this machine arose. The owner of the Porsche showroom in Frankfurt am Main, Walther Glekler, decided to create an extreme racing projectile from a sports Porsche 356. And since one Gleckler to master such work, due to lack of experience, is too tough, he invited one of the Porsche engineers as a partner. The partners, having conjured with the engine, were able to extract 58 "horses" from the depths of 1131 cc instead of the prescribed 40 (for the Porsche 356, as you remember, the "Beetle" cost 25 forces).

The basis of the car was a space frame made of aluminum tubes, in the rear part of which a forced engine stood across. Soon the duo of enthusiasts turned into a trio - a master tinsmith from the Wiedenhausen body shop joined the business. It was this master who created the shell for the future conqueror of the tracks. The resulting machine with a barquette body (this is a roadster in which the “windshield” is replaced by a low windshield), small in size and goggle-eyed headlights, resembled the original Porsche 356 and at the same time completely different. The car was ready in 1953, and Gleckler, saddling the newcomer, threw himself into the maelstrom of racing. Having won several national championships, Gleckler put a 1.3-liter 90-horsepower engine into his car. So he caught the eye of Porsche employees. One of Porsche's engineers, Wilhelm Hild, redesigned the chassis of the racing car, but the body remained the same. An order for a batch of bodies was placed at the same Wiedenhausen studio, the master of which created the skin of a single racing instance. Car engines were, by those standards, high-tech products. Judge for yourself: the cylinder block and both of its heads (don't forget that the engine is boxer?) were made of aluminum alloy; the camshafts were driven by two short vertical shafts rather than a chain; each cylinder had two spark plugs - therefore, there were a pair of coils and distributors; there were also two carburetors - Solex 40PJJ with a falling stream. As a result of all these "bells and whistles" with a volume of 1498 cc, the engine gave 110-117 hp. at 7800 rpm. The total weight of the car was 594 kg, so the maximum speed was a very significant 235 km / h. The car, called the Porsche 550 Spyder, as already mentioned, is a racing car, and they did not plan to sell it, but there were originals who asked Porsche to make them the same car for their personal use. Well, how can you refuse an influential banker or a famous singer - a favorite of the public? So the American movie star of the first half of the fifties, James Dean, owned such a Porsche. Once, having lost control on a mountain road, the film actor crashed his 550 Spyder to death. Naturally, there were no stiffening elements or a safety cage on the racing Porsche, and the car was torn in half from the impact. By the way, it was this case that attracted the attention of Americans to an exotic German automobile brand.

But with the retirement of the 356th model, the story, of course, does not end. A milestone in it is 1963, when the first 911 was born. The car was created under the guidance of the son of Porsche Jr. - Ferdinand Alexander. The 911 was first presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show and a year later it was already on the conveyor. The first version of the new six-cylinder engine developed the same power as the 356 Carrera 2, namely 130 horsepower.

By the way, initially this model should have been called not the 911th, but the 901st. But the zero in the middle of the three-digit name has already been officially staked out by the French from Peugeot. So the Germans had to attribute one more unit.

For those for whom the “nine hundred and eleventh” turned out to be a little expensive, Porsche in 1965 released the 912 model. became the most popular car in the lineup. About 30 thousand of these cars were produced from 1965 to 1975. What can not be said about the beautiful Porsche Targa with a removable roof, added to the lineup in the autumn of 1966. In the same year, Porsche celebrated its anniversary - the 100,000th car was born. Anniversary was just the model 912, handed over to the German police.

And everything would be fine, but in 1975 the 912th had to be discontinued. The reason is simple: Porsche came up with a new, even cheaper to manufacture, car - the 914, developed jointly with Volkswagen. And for the price at which the 912 was offered, a 110-horsepower 911T began to be sold on the market. At the same time, a sports modification 911R appeared with a 6-cylinder engine with a capacity of 210 “horses” and a lightweight body structure. A total of 20 such machines were produced. A real rarity.

A legend is born - the first Porsche 911 Turbo, codenamed 930, saw the light of day at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. The powerful engine (260 hp) made this 911 one of the fastest cars of its time.

Porsche continued to expand its lineup with the introduction of the 924 in 1975 (later to be replaced by the 944). All with the same 4-cylinder engine, but from a light alloy. The designers created a wonderful car in all respects at a relatively affordable price, which was confirmed by the sales results.

The company needed not only an expensive and powerful 911, but also a more affordable car. The Porsche 914 is already outdated, and therefore the 924 entered the scene. A real Porsche for very adequate money.

In 1977, a front-engined version appeared - the Porsche 928. Its V8 engine boasted American dimensions (4.5 liters, 240 hp). The Porsche 928 was the first (and so far the only) sports car to win the Car of the Year award.

Three years after the appearance of the 944, the Porsche 959 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This car was the embodiment of the most modern developments. In 1987, the company announced the production of two hundred of these machines. The 3.2-liter engine with two turbines developed 449 hp. It was a real supercar, a specially prepared version of which won the Paris-Dakar marathon in 1986.

Then came the turn of the new generation of the 911 model (body 964). The car received a completely fresh chassis: already without torsion bars, with power steering, anti-lock brakes and “intelligent” all-wheel drive for the Carrera 4. All 911s began to be equipped with an automatic rear spoiler that extended at a certain speed. The engine had six cylinders and a power of 250 horsepower.

The turbo version saw the light in the new decade. The new 911 Turbo hit dealerships in September 1990 with a 3.3-liter engine and 320 horsepower. In 1992, the Porsche family of cars was replenished with another model - the 968th. She replaced the entire range of 944s.

And in 1993, the premiere of a new generation of the 911 model (body 993) took place. The new Porsche differed from its predecessor in a more powerful (272 hp) engine, a fundamentally new rear multi-link suspension and “smooth” body shapes. Also, two types of boxes became available to choose from - a six-speed "mechanics" or a four-band "automatic".Unfortunately for the most loyal fans of the brand, this generation was the last of those whose engine was air-cooled.

Three years later, another premiere took place - this time in the class of inexpensive sports cars. The compact two-seater roadster was named Boxster and had quite impressive characteristics for its class (2.5 liters of volume and 204 hp). The engine is a brand new 6-cylinder boxer, with four valves per cylinder, which was installed in front of the rear axle with water instead of air cooling. This year was also significant in connection with the release of the millionth Porsche, it was - again, like the one hundred thousandth anniversary - the police 911 Carrera.

The Porsche Boxster mid-engined roadster made its debut in 1996 and became the brand's most affordable model. It was equipped with a 2.5-liter boxer "six", and after restyling, a 250-horsepower 3.2-liter Boxster S modification joined it.

In 1997, another premiere. To build on the success of the Boxster, the company is presenting the all-new 911 (postcode 996) in Frankfurt, which closely resembles the Boxster in appearance. A year later, the public was also shown a convertible based on it. The roof of the car was opened and closed hydraulically with a simple push of a button.

And in 2001, a prototype of the Carrera GT was presented in Paris. The concept supercar received a V10 formula-type engine with a capacity of 558 “horses”. Since 2004, the car, already with a 612-horsepower engine, went into series. A total of 1270 cars were produced.

In 2002, an unexpected car for Porsche appeared - the Cayenne SUV. Its production in Leipzig accounted for nearly half of Porsche's annual sales. The top version of the Cayenne Turbo S carried a mighty 4.5-liter V8 with 521 horsepower. He made the Cayenne one of the fastest SUVs in the world.

In 2002, the 996 was restyled and received a “face” in the style of the 911 Turbo model. In addition, the engine capacity has increased to 3.6 liters, and the power of the basic versions has increased to 320 horsepower.

In 2003, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the 911, Porsche released a batch of 40 Fast Years anniversary coupes. They were distinguished by a special Carrera GT Silver color, polished 18-inch wheels, a new exhaust system and increased engine power to 345 “horses”. A total of 1963 cars were made - in honor of the year the first 911 was born.

In 2004, the production of the very Porsche itself started - the masterpiece Carrera GT roadster. The high-tech supercar was equipped with a 5.7-liter V10 with 612 horsepower and carbon-ceramic brakes. It was able to reach 200 km/h from standstill in 9.9 seconds. In total, it was planned to produce 1500 cars, but due to too stringent new passive safety requirements, the assembly was stopped, making 1270 copies.

The last generation of the 911 to date appeared in 2004. The engine of the base Carrera developed 325 hp, while the Carrera S already had 355 hp. Porsche also has grandiose plans for the future. The big flagship Panamera is getting ready for the release, the new generation of the crazy GT2 has just debuted. Fans are running circles on 911 GT3 RS versions…

Having accumulated considerable experience in projects such as the 16-cylinder racing Auto Union and the Volkswagen Kafer, the outstanding engineer Ferdinand Porsche founded his company in 1931. The first car of the German brand was the Porsche 64, in the design of which components from Volkswagen Kafer were used.

During the Second World War, Porsche participated in the development of heavy tanks "Tiger" and produced products for military needs: command vehicles and amphibians.

In 1945, Ferdinand Porsche was arrested and imprisoned on charges of war crimes. The engineer spent almost two years behind bars, but his work was continued by his son Ferdinand Anton Ernst, who assembled a prototype 356 with an engine in the base and an open aluminum body. This copy was ready for public roads by the summer of 1948. The first mass-produced Porsche cars had the engine behind the rear axle, which significantly reduced the cost of production and freed up space for two additional seats in the cabin.

Over the years, the design of Porsche cars has become more and more perfect, the volume and power of engines have grown, disc brakes and a synchronized gearbox have appeared on all wheels. The units from Volkswagen installed on the Porsche were replaced by elements of the company's own design. In addition, new bodywork options have appeared in the Porsche model line - roadsters and hardtops.

In 1951, Ferdinand Porsche, whose health had been significantly undermined while still in prison, died of a broken heart at the age of 75.

In 1963, the Porsche 911 was first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The design of a modern sports car with classic body lines was developed by the grandson of the founder, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche.

In the early 70s, the German company ceased to be a family business, the legal status of the company changed. After the restructuring, the Porsche family partially lost control over the company's affairs, because the Piech family now also had a share of the capital in it. The first head of the company, who was not from the Porsche family, Ernst Fuhrmann made the unfortunate decision to replace the Porsche 911 with a classic sports car. But the sluggish commercial start of the new project showed the indispensability of the 911 model.

After Fuhrmann was fired, Porsche's American manager Peter Schutz took his place. He returned to the Porsche 911 the unspoken status of the main model of the German company. Among the high-profile novelties of the era of Schutz's reign is the Porsche 911 Carrera in the Turbo-look version with wide rear fenders and a large spoiler (in the common people - "tray", "whale tail" or "picnic table").

During the 90s, front-engined cars and classic 911 models disappeared from the Porsche line, and the conceptually new Porsche Boxster and 911 (966) Carrera appeared in their place. Due to the economic crisis, the German company suffered significant losses, and its production volumes fell catastrophically - Porsche was clearly not in the best shape.

Despite certain difficulties, under the leadership of the next manager, Wendelin Wiedeking, the fourth generation of the flagship of the German brand, the Porsche 993, entered the car market. . Once again, its engine was slightly boosted, but the rear suspension was improved quite noticeably.

In the late 1990s, the company released the Porsche 986 Boxster central motor roadster, which became the new face of the German brand. All work on its exterior was completely under the control of a talented Dutch designer named Harm Lagaay. The Dutchman took as a basis the appearance of the earlier open-top Porsche 550 Spyder and 356 Speedster models. The main difference from its predecessor was that the 986th Porsche was originally designed as a convertible, and not remade from a closed body version. One of the most unusual models of the beginning of the 21st century was the Porsche Cayenne SUV, built in collaboration with the Volkswagen concern and in many ways similar to the Volkwagen Touareg. To produce this car, the company built a new factory in Leipzig, and as it turned out, for good reason: Cayenne became the most sought-after product of this brand, despite the controversial design.

Porsche model range

In the Porsche lineup, there are no economical subcompacts, midsize and business class sedans, because this brand focuses on high-income buyers. The Porsche lineup starts with luxury cars (Porsche Panamera), continues with SUVs (Porsche Cayenne) and ends with a line of sports cars and convertibles. Many politicians, show business stars and just influential people prefer to have a car with the emblem of the Stuttgart coat of arms on the hood in their garage. Status, impeccable dynamic characteristics of Porsche, luxurious and original design - all these undoubted advantages make Porsche cars so popular in our country, especially in its pretentious capital.

Porsche cost

The cost of Porsche starts at two and a half million for the cheapest version of the Boxster and reaches ten million for the executive class Porsche Panamera Turbo S. For those who want to buy a Porsche SUV, it is worth counting on an amount of three to eight million. You can find the cost of a Porsche of any generation and any configuration in our catalog.

September 3, 1875 in the town of Maffersdorf (Maffersdorf, now Vratislavice) in Bohemia, the future founder of the great company, Ferdinand Porsche, was born. After receiving his education, Ferdinand continued the family business, taking a job as his father's assistant - a plumber.

In 1898, the young engineer went to work for Jacob Lohner, where he developed the Lohner-Porsche Electric Car. In 1906, Porsche became an employee, and then the head of another company - Austro-Daimler. But Ferdinand set high goals for himself and soon moved to Germany, to Stuttgart. There, Porsche opened its engineering office and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

On behalf of NSU, as part of the program to create a "people's car" for Germany, in 1933 the model 32 was developed - the predecessor of the first Volkswagen Beetle. Starting in 1936, intensive prototype tests were carried out in Stuttgart. Under the leadership of Porsche in 1938, the first Volkswagen assembly line was built in Wolfsburg (Wolfsburg). But then the war began, during which Porsche was not engaged in cars at all, but in military projects, for example, such as the Tiger tanks.

And yet, after the war, in 1948, under the leadership of Ferry Porsche, the son of Ferdinand, in the Austrian Gmund (Gmund), on the basis of VW, their own car was created. It was a sports roadster made of light alloys, bearing the designation 64. It was equipped with a 50 horsepower engine and could accelerate to 160 kilometers per hour. In total, three such cars were produced, but only one of them has survived to this day.

And the first production model of Porsche was the 356th. The first drawings of this machine were ready on July 17, 1947. And a little less than a year later - on June 8, 1948 - the first "live" production car with the proud name of Porsche was born. And there is nothing wrong with the fact that most of the components (1.1-liter engine with 35 horsepower, gearbox, suspension) were borrowed from the notorious and then still very fresh Beetle. It was a real Porsche.

By the way, interestingly, the body design of the Porsche 356 and Volkswagen Beetle is the work of one person - the Austrian Erwin Komenda, who later took an active part in the body design of other Porsche cars.

In 1950, Porsche returned to Stuttgart, where the German manufacturer's headquarters are located to this day. A little later, more powerful modifications of the 356s appeared - 1,300 and 1,500, having from 44 to 70 horsepower. Ferdinand died in 1951.

In 1959, the Porsche 356 B was shown for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car got a slightly different body, became much more powerful and received disc brakes on all wheels. The flagship of the lineup is the Carrera 2 with a two-liter engine with a capacity of 130 "horses".

Now many replicas of the legendary 356 are being made, but the original models are a real find for collectors. For some, the most rare, modifications (such as the Carrera Speedster) are now laying out several hundred thousand dollars.

But with the retirement of the 356th model, the story, of course, does not end. A milestone in it is 1963, when the first 911 was born. The car was created under the guidance of the son of Porsche Jr. - Ferdinand Alexander. The 911 was first presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show and a year later it was already on the conveyor. The first version of the new six-cylinder engine developed the same power as the 356 Carrera 2, namely 130 horsepower.

By the way, initially this model should have been called not the 911th, but the 901st. But the zero in the middle of the three-digit name has already been officially staked out by the French from Peugeot. So the Germans had to attribute one more unit.

For those for whom the “nine hundred and eleventh” turned out to be a little expensive, Porsche in 1965 released the 912 model. became the most popular car in the lineup. About 30 thousand of these cars were produced from 1965 to 1975. What can not be said about the beautiful Porsche Targa with a removable roof, added to the lineup in the autumn of 1966. In the same year, Porsche celebrated its anniversary - the 100,000th car was born. Anniversary was just the model 912, handed over to the German police.

And everything would be fine, but in 1975 the 912th had to be discontinued. The reason is simple: Porsche came up with a new, even cheaper to manufacture, car - the 914, developed jointly with Volkswagen. And for the price at which the 912 was offered, a 110-horsepower 911T began to be sold on the market. At the same time, a sports modification 911R appeared with a 6-cylinder engine with a capacity of 210 “horses” and a lightweight body structure. A total of 20 such machines were produced. A real rarity.

Engine power gradually increased: the 911's 6-cylinder boxer increased the engine displacement to 2341 cubic centimeters and was offered in three versions: 911T (130 hp), 911E (165 hp), 911S (190 hp). With.). Later, an RS version appeared with a 2.7-liter engine with a capacity of 230 “horses”.

A legend is born - the first Porsche 911 Turbo, codenamed 930, saw the light of day at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. The powerful engine (260 hp) made this 911 one of the fastest cars of its time.

Porsche continued to expand its lineup with the introduction of the 924 in 1975 (later to be replaced by the 944). All with the same 4-cylinder engine, but from a light alloy. The designers created a wonderful car in all respects at a relatively affordable price, which was confirmed by the sales results.

In 1977, a front-engined version appeared - the Porsche 928. Its V8 engine boasted American dimensions (4.5 liters, 240 hp). The Porsche 928 was the first (and so far the only) sports car to win the Car of the Year award.

Three years after the appearance of the 944, the Porsche 959 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This car was the embodiment of the most modern developments. In 1987, the company announced the production of two hundred of these machines. The 3.2-liter engine with two turbines developed 449 hp. It was a real supercar, a specially prepared version of which won the Paris-Dakar marathon in 1986.

Then came the turn of the new generation of the 911 model (body 964). The car received a completely fresh chassis: already without torsion bars, with power steering, anti-lock brakes and “intelligent” all-wheel drive for the Carrera 4. All 911s began to be equipped with an automatic rear spoiler that extended at a certain speed. The engine had six cylinders and a power of 250 horsepower.

The turbo version saw the light in the new decade. The new 911 Turbo hit dealerships in September 1990 with a 3.3-liter engine and 320 horsepower. In 1992, the Porsche family of cars was replenished with another model - the 968th. She replaced the entire range of 944s.

And in 1993, the premiere of a new generation of the 911 model (body 993) took place. The new Porsche differed from its predecessor in a more powerful (272 hp) engine, a fundamentally new rear multi-link suspension and “smooth” body shapes. Also, two types of boxes became available to choose from - a six-speed "mechanics" or a four-band "automatic".

Three years later, another premiere took place - this time in the class of inexpensive sports cars. The compact two-seater roadster was named Boxster and had quite impressive characteristics for its class (2.5 liters of volume and 204 hp). The engine is a brand new 6-cylinder boxer, with four valves per cylinder, which was installed in front of the rear axle with water instead of air cooling. This year was also significant in connection with the release of the millionth Porsche, it was - again, like the one hundred thousandth anniversary - the police 911 Carrera.

In 1997, another premiere. To build on the success of the Boxster, the company is presenting the all-new 911 (postcode 996) in Frankfurt, which closely resembles the Boxster in appearance. A year later, the public was also shown a convertible based on it. The roof of the car was opened and closed hydraulically with a simple push of a button.

In 2000, the Turbo model was released - the flagship of the 911 series. The changes affected the body design and the power unit, which, with a volume of 3.6 liters, produced 420 horsepower. Of course, two turbines played an important role in this. The body was overgrown with many air intakes with aerodynamic elements that gave stability on the road even at a maximum speed of 305 km / h.

And in 2001, a prototype of the Carrera GT was presented in Paris. The concept supercar received a V10 formula-type engine with a capacity of 558 “horses”. Since 2004, the car, already with a 612-horsepower engine, went into series. A total of 1270 cars were produced.

In 2002, an unexpected car for Porsche appeared - the Cayenne SUV. Its production in Leipzig accounted for nearly half of Porsche's annual sales. The top version of the Cayenne Turbo S carried a mighty 4.5-liter V8 with 521 horsepower. He made the Cayenne one of the fastest SUVs in the world.

The last generation of the 911 to date appeared in 2004. The engine of the base Carrera developed 325 hp, while the Carrera S already had 355 hp. Porsche also has grandiose plans for the future. The big flagship Panamera is getting ready for the release, the new generation of the crazy GT2 has just debuted. Fans are running circles on 911 GT3 RS versions…

Porsche is the rare case when a sports car manufacturer has such a huge lineup. And the followers of the great Ferdinand are not going to stop there.

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is a German manufacturer of premium sports cars, sedans and SUVs, founded by the legendary designer Ferdinand Porsche. Part of the Volkswagen Group. The headquarters is located in Stuttgart.

The founder of the company, Ferdinand Porsche, was born on September 3, 1875 in the town of Maffersdorf, Bohemia, in the family of the owner of a repair shop. He was the third child in the family, and after the death of his eldest son, he became the heir to his father's business. From the age of 15, Ferdinand worked in a workshop, and after graduating from elementary school, he went to a technical school.

In 1898, a young engineer received an order to design an electric car and in a few weeks created a prototype - a fast and compact electric car that could accelerate to 40 km / h. The only drawback of the car was the heavy weight, because capacious lead batteries were very heavy. Having presented the prototype to the owner of Jacob Lohner, Porsche immediately gets the position of chief designer and starts work on his first car, the Lohner-Porsche Electric Car.

In 1898, Porsche moved to Austro-Daimler. Under his leadership, legendary models are born: Sascha, ADM, Prinz-Heinrich and ADR. During the First World War, he was engaged in the design of engines for aircraft and airships, as well as cars with a hybrid power plant. For innovative developments, he receives the title of Honored Professor of the Vienna Technical University and the Cross of Merit.

In 1923, Ferdinand began working for Daimler-Benz AG, where he supervised the creation of such sports cars as the S and SS. In the 1930s, he visited Russia, where he got acquainted with the work of aviation and tank factories. Here he receives an offer to move with his design bureau to the USSR to work in the automotive, aviation and tank building industries. Porsche refuses and returns to Germany, where, during World War II, the Nazis extort information from him about the equipment and technologies used by the Russians in the military industry.

In 1932, Ferdinand Porsche invented the torsion bar suspension, which was later used by all car manufacturers. After returning from the USSR, he becomes the chief designer of Auto-Union and develops the Type 22 racing car for the company. His next work is the famous “people's car” Volkswagen Beetle.

Before the outbreak of the First World War, Porsche manages to create the first car - the Porsche 64, which will become the progenitor of all models of the brand. It was distinguished by a streamlined body shape, which looked completely different than the usual cars of those times. Under the hood was a 100-horsepower air-cooled boxer engine, which allowed the car to accelerate to 160 km / h. In total, three copies of the model were made.

Porsche 64 (1939)

During the Second World War, Porsche produced jeeps, amphibians, military vehicles. Ferdinand Porsche takes part in the design of the Tiger and Panther tanks, as well as the Ferdinand self-propelled guns. For his participation in Nazi military projects, he was arrested in December 1945 and imprisoned for 20 months. At this time, Fenny Porsche, his son, took up the development of the brand.

Together with a team of engineers, Porsche Jr. assembles the brand's first production model, the 356. Most of the parts, including the 1.1-liter 35-horsepower engine, suspension and gearbox, were borrowed from the Beetle. The body was developed by the same person who designed the body of the Volkswagen Beetle, Erwin Komenda. This model became the basis for the creation of the Carrera and was produced until 1965.

Porsche 356 (1948-1965)

Since 1950, the company has been based again in Stuttgart, and a year later, its founder, Ferdinand Porsche, dies.

Now only steel is used to make body panels. Gradually, the company is abandoning Volkswagen engines, which are being replaced by power units of its own design. So, the 356A series was equipped with an engine with four camshafts and two ignition coils. Later, the B series comes out with a more powerful engine and disc brakes on all wheels, and then the C series with a number of improvements.

In 1951, the Porsche 550 Spyder sports car appeared, which repeatedly won races. In 1954, a modification of the model with a soft top and a straight windshield was released.

The Porsche 356 was a very popular car and for 15 years held the title of one of the most prestigious in the world. However, time flew by, and the market needed to offer something completely new, but no less impressive. In 1963, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the company presents the 911 model, developed under the direction of Ferry Porsche. The original model name, 901, was changed to 911 to avoid litigation with Peugeot, which reserved the name for itself. This did not affect the success of the car, it soon becomes a cult.

Initially, the 911 was equipped with a 2-liter engine with 130 hp, which was aggregated with a five-speed manual transmission. In 1964, a sports version of the Porsche 911 Carrera appeared with a water-cooled engine. Since 1966, the Targa modification has been produced with a characteristic open body, including a glass roof.

Porsche 911 (1963)

In 1965, Porsche introduced the 912 with four cylinders. Compared to the six-cylinder 911, it was cheaper and quickly gained popularity. In the late 60s, this model was replaced by the 914, developed jointly with Volkswagen. The car was offered in two versions: with 4 and 6 cylinders, and the 914/6 was bought rather poorly, while the cheaper 914/4 became a bestseller from Porsche.

In 1972, the company ceased to be only a family business, having received the status of a public company. The Porsche family lost control of business management, and Ernst Fuhrmann became the head of the brand. He made the decision during the 1970s to replace the 911 with the large, rear-wheel-drive, front-V8 928 sports car. However, as you can see, the 911 outlived the 928. In the early 1980s, Fuhrmann was replaced by Peter W. Schutz, a 911 enthusiast.

In 1976, the 914 was replaced by the 924, also developed with Volkswagen. The German auto giant invited Porsche to develop an affordable sports car that was to be equipped with an Audi transmission. However, as a result of the oil crisis, management began to doubt the need to release a model. Then Porsche bought the project from Volkswagen.

The 924 was distinguished by its timeless appearance, classic layout, almost perfect weight distribution and economical four-cylinder air-cooled engines. Three years after the start of sales, the car received a turbocharged version.

Porsche 924 (1976-1988)

After Peter Schutz was appointed to the position of head of the company, the Porsche 911 again becomes the favorite of the brand. In 1982, an open-top version appeared, in 1983, a 911 Carrera with a 231-horsepower engine.

In 1980, the Porsche 959 debuts with a 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine with two turbochargers, developing 450 hp. Body parts were made of Kevlar, the computer controlled the operation of four shock absorbers, the amount of ground clearance, and also distributed torque between the axles.

In 1990, Porsche signs an agreement with Toyota to provide training in lean manufacturing methods. Since 2004, the Japanese company has been helping Porsche develop hybrid technology.

In 1993, the premiere of a new generation of the 911 model took place, which received a new powerful engine of 272 hp, a rear multi-link suspension and a body shape unlike anything else.

In 1996, the Boxster two-seater roadster debuted, which, unlike other models, was originally conceived with an open top. Its water-cooled motor developed 204 hp. and located in front of the rear axle.

A year later, the new 911, similar to the Boxster, was released, which later received a version with an opening top, controlled by a hydraulic drive.

In 2002, a completely unexpected, but very impressive novelty was presented - the Cayenne SUV, which became one of the most popular models of the brand all over the world, including in Russia. The model was developed with the participation of specialists from the Volkswagen concern. A completely new platform was created for her, providing for a longitudinal engine, a body with subframes and completely independent suspensions of all wheels. Volkswagen Group has released its version of the model - Touareg.

The Cayenne has become the brand's bestseller thanks to its reliable suspension, good handling and excellent off-road performance. The younger brother of the Cayenne, the Porsche Macan compact crossover, was introduced in 2013 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The brand was inspired to create it by the success of its first SUV.

Porsche Cayenne (2002)

The history of the brand in Russia began in 2001, when ZAO Sportcar Center sold the first Porsche car, the 911 Carrera. Russian buyers quickly fell in love with the German mark, and its sales in Russia, despite the change in the economic situation, show stable growth.

Now the Porsche brand is improving its model range, which, in comparison with other sports car manufacturers, is the most diverse. Among other things, the automaker has released several hybrid versions of its cars and, according to management, will continue to work in this direction. Continuing the legacy of its founder, Porsche remains a leader in many areas of the automotive industry, remaining a cult brand for a whole army of fans.

The Porsche company has existed for more than half a century, leaving a noticeable mark in the automotive world. Nevertheless, there is a whole range of questions that each time must be answered anew. For example, which country is the manufacturer of Porsche? Although, of course, there are specific answers to them.

The emergence of the Porsche brand

The well-known automobile company Porsche (manufacturing country Germany), is currently a famous brand in its field. And the path of the company began at the beginning of the twentieth century. Even before the First World War, the future head of the corporation, Ferdinand Porsche, creates various models of cars, which allows him to gain useful experience. He worked in several firms in Austria and Germany, he created several models of Mercedes and other cars.

The rise began in the interwar era. In 1931, a design company was founded by Ferdinand Porsche. It is then that it becomes clear that Porsche cars have a manufacturing country - Germany. In the early years, Ferdinand Porsche took on the design and production of individual parts for automobile companies, and a few years later he became the chief designer of Auto-Union. In the 1930s he creates a number of new products, including the "people's car" - one of the models of "Volkswagen", which brought him great popularity.

Before the outbreak of hostilities in the early 1940s. Fredinand Porsche worked on a significant number of orders on the side, creating, in particular, the celebrity KdF-Wagen (in the Russian version of the "Beetle" - the car that became the base in the line of Volkswagen models). Porsche's constructive successes include the Type 22, a sports model built at the commercial suggestion of Auto Union AG.

Most of the developments of those years were later included in the basic equipment of Porsche cars. So who makes the Porsche? Car manufacturing country - Germany.

However, the militarization of Germany also affected the activities of Ferdinand. At first, he created army vehicles, and during the war years, armored vehicles - the well-known Tiger and Panther tanks and the Ferdinand self-propelled gun. This activity earned him a bad reputation. Although the designer spent less than two years in prison for his work, Ferdinand Porsche failed to find his place on the Olympus of engineering thought, and in 1951 he died.

The first Porsche brands

The management of the company passed to his son, also Ferdinand, who produced the first car models under the Porsche brand (the country of origin is still Germany). The cars were mainly of a sports orientation: "Porsche-356", "Porsche-718" and others. Often, Porsche 356 parts were manufactured by Volkswagen, this was done to reduce the cost of cars. The unusually successful design of the models made it possible to achieve popularity among most motorists.

In the first post-war years, Porsche became a world-famous company in the sports world. The pinnacle of movement in this direction is the Porsche 911 (1963). The model turned out to be one of the most successful moments in the biography of the Porsche company. A new development appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The appearance of the model was developed by the eldest son of Ferdinand Porsche Jr. - Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who was the grandson of the founder of the firms. The novelty was created in such a way as to present a new design, but at the same time not very far from the usual rules of the company. As a result, configurations known to everyone were created, which are sold with enviable success until today.

In the following decades, the Porsche company designed many successful and very mass-produced cars, but it was not possible to make a breakthrough up to the present day. One thing worth emphasizing is that over the past decades, the company has designed many original models of machines.

On the basis of these cars, other models were also created: Porsche-924, Porsche-928 with a modified appearance and a seriously rebuilt number of parts. In the penultimate decade of the twentieth century, another novelty of the brand appeared - Porsche 959. Country of origin - Germany.

Firm in the 1980s/90s

In the eighties there is another change in the management of the company. The new head, Henri Bon, is betting on the modernization and styling of the most famous models, in particular the Porsche 911, under the modern style. Receiving new, more powerful engines, upgraded materials and parts, Porsche in the late eighties and nineties competed quite successfully in the global automotive market.

In 1994, the models received a new coating. The chassis was equipped with a new suspension. In 1995, a new convertible appeared; during its creation, the company brought to life many original technical solutions at that time.

This policy has led to the fact that Porsche is becoming one of the leaders not only among sports models, but also among inexpensive mass models. The Boxster, which appeared in the middle of the last decade of the twentieth century, only confirmed this position. It was a two-seat car with a six-cylinder engine ("boxer") mounted in front of the rear axle, with a soft, automatically folding roadster-type body.

Porsche at the present stage

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Porsche (manufacturing country Germany) is still striving to experiment with new models, but at the same time maintain a general line on creating recognizable cars. At present, the company no longer plays the role of ordinary automakers, this has long been a thing of the past. Porsche designers have been playing leading roles in the automotive world for many years. In recent years, Porsche cars have been recognized as the most reliable in every respect.

The beginning of the century was marked by the activity of the company at a high level. The designers continued not only to produce typical racing cars, the basic parts for which were developed in 1948, but also began to introduce radically new solutions. For example, the Porsche Cayenne crossover and the Porsche Panamera sports car are produced.

The country of origin of Porsche is Germany, nothing changes in this matter over time. Along with other giants of the automotive industry, the automaker decided to develop modern technologies of the twenty-first century. There were cars that have electric motors, on their basis sports hybrid cars were designed. The use of new concepts made it possible for the Porsche 918 Spyder model to cover a distance of twenty-five kilometers at a speed of 160 km / h on a single electric motor.

Porsche Cayenne: the beginning

Big changes are taking place in the traditional Porsche automotive industry. The next stage of development was the Porsche Cayenne, a five-seater mid-size racing car. Country of origin "Porsche Cayenne" - Germany.

The model was produced with the active involvement of the Volkswagen concern in the work. The creation of the entry level (Type 955 / 9PA) started in 2002, and in the United States the project has been underway since 2003. The name of the car model, Cayenne, was formed from the name of the central colonial possession of France. By 2002-2003, the influence of global automotive trends reaches such a level that one can ask the question: who produces the Porsche Cayenne, which manufacturing country?

In 2008, the cars were equipped with more modern engines, a direct fuel transfer mechanism was installed in the car. For example, a typical car (manufacturing country Germany) Porsche Cayenne, as before, was driven by a six-cylinder engine, its volume was 3.6 liters, and its power was up to 290 liters. With. Other cars had 4.8-liter eight-cylinder engines with a power of 385 hp. With. up to 542 l. With.

The chassis was equipped with a completely independent suspension of the usual type. There were two types of suspension: standard spring, for the basic version of the Cayenne and Cayenne S, as well as organized pneumatic, allowing you to change the size of the track distance from 157 to 273 mm for the Cayenne Turbo (it was supplied as an option for the two initial models).

Who manufactures the Porsche Cayenne (manufacturing country)? The car is of German quality. The SUV acquired an all-wheel drive transmission, which allows, under typical driving conditions, to concentrate the engine torque between the wheels of the front and rear axles in a ratio of 38 to 62. Because of this, the Cayenne retains the ability to maneuver, common to rear-wheel drive vehicles. The Porsche Cayenne has a manufacturer in Germany, as was said.

Generation of the tenth years of the twenty-first century

The next generation, number 958, was shown to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010. Car sales began in May. The 2011 Cayenne looks smaller, more compact and more muscular than its predecessor.

In order to implement new technical solutions, Porsche is reworking the base for all cars. Now the car has a longitudinal engine, a powerful power body with subframes. In addition, the suspension has become completely autonomous, the transmission is equipped with a lockable center differential.

Volkswagen designers developed an all-wheel drive transmission, and Porsche specialists - suspension, chassis and handling, while each of the firms organized its own range of engines for SUVs. The only exception was the 3.2-liter V6 engine produced by Volkswagen for the Porsche Cayenne model, which is budget by the standards of this company.

Model Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Tuareg are made on a single basis.

In 2009, a diesel SUV model was released with a three-liter turbocharged engine with a capacity of 240 horsepower and a maximum torque of 550 Nm. A number of motorists are wondering: "Porsche Cayenne" - whose car? Country of origin - Germany.

In this modification, the car accelerates to 100 km in 8.3 s, and the absolute pace is 214 km/h. The main useful feature of the model is a significantly low fuel consumption: 11.6 liters per 100 km in urban areas and 7.9 liters on the highway. For this version of the Porsche Cayenne, the country of origin is Germany.

The body of the "Cayenne" is entirely galvanized, which prevents the appearance of rot and rust spots even with frequent use of the car and constant exposure to rain. The machine is comfortable to use.

"Panamera": name and characteristics

Another iconic model for the automaker was the Porsche Panamera. Producer - Germany. Introduced at the Paris Motor Show in the early 1950s, the 550 Spuder, with its four-speed gearbox and original, eye-catching appearance, quickly gained popularity. This new model showed itself very positively at the Mexican Carrera Panamerikana race, reaching speeds of up to two hundred kilometers per hour in places. The name of the model was in honor of this event. For decades, the company has been constantly creating new modifications.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century (in 2009), the company's designers showed another Panamera model - a car with a four-seat cab. An unusual modification was made on a fresh basis of a typical layout.

Panamera debuted with a V8 4.8 gasoline engine, then a version with a V6 3.6 engine with a capacity of 300 horsepower appeared. Car enthusiasts could find versions with rear or all-wheel drive, and as an additional option, you can buy air suspension.

"Panamera" in the tenth years of the twenty-first century

At the beginning of autumn 2010, about 25 thousand cars were sold. In the summer of 2013, the Panamera made the replacement of parts, the marker lights were updated, the designers made some improvements in the cockpit. Although it partially remained a classic Porsche car (manufacturing country - Germany).

Porsche Panamera gets an improved engine. The control of the machine is also subject to modification. Friction is reduced and the weight of moving parts is reduced by 16.5% (9.5 kg). The operating temperature of the engines increased, this made it possible to increase the efficiency of the motor. But the increase in the efficiency of the unit did not affect the power, but led to a decrease in fuel consumption.

The refreshed 2017/18 Panamera racing car was shown to the public in the German capital. The car of the new era stands out from the crowd in a technical aspect, the appearance of the car has also changed significantly.

Auto interior in recent years

At the rear of the car, the overall lighting equipment with limited horizontal rectangles of LEDs attracts the eye. The lanterns are united by a crimson ribbon, under which the name of the brand of the model is written. In a similar manner, the back of other Porsche models is made. Car enthusiasts believe that this model is not far from the 911 Porsche in terms of interior. Whose country is the car manufacturer today? It's still made in Germany.

Changes in ideas about the aesthetics of cars have led to a slight transformation in the appearance of the Panamera. The top of the machine lowers more gently. According to the conceived concept, the distance to the roof from the people in the cabin should have been reduced, but the designers claim that there is enough space. The distance from passenger seats to the roof is enough for convenient accommodation of passengers.

Inside the car is equipped with the most modern devices for cars. Together with various quality interior materials, this creates a comfortable cab interior. The front panel of the machine is used practically only to put a 12.3-inch screen of the general multimedia complex. All other governing details are placed on the main panel, which goes into the inter-passenger niche. Almost all typical standard buttons, which have accumulated a large number, are placed on suitable panels with the ability to easily control various functions of the machine. Removed the extra rear seat.

By filling the car with a variety of electronics, the designers at the same time paid tribute to the past. This is confirmed by the standard analog tachometer dial located in the middle of the dashboard. At the same time, the device is surrounded on all sides by modern measuring devices that reproduce a large amount of information.

In addition to the beautiful interior and electronic equipment, the designers were also puzzled by other aspects of convenience, making a large luggage niche.

Porsche Panamera 2017/18 variant

All Porsche Panamera models of the 2017/18 variant are equipped with an eight-speed PDK II robotic gearbox. The next modification kit includes four-wheel drive, a three-chamber air suspension, a fully controlled chassis, roll suppression structures and a traction vectoring system.

Conclusion

In the modern world, various changes are considered normal, ordinary innovations, which are carried out mainly to unite humanity for the purposes of globalization. In Europe, the process of merging both countries in general and economic associations in particular has been going on for several decades, accelerating in recent years. This means that corporations have less and less "national flavor". And therefore, the question about Porsche is quite obvious: which country is the manufacturer of these cars? Only one thing can be firmly said: this is a European model of cars that has absorbed all the best national features. Although the German footprint is the main one here, therefore, Germany is the country of origin for Porsche cars.