Porsche History & Models

Coming from humble beginnings, Porsche history dates back to 1948, where founder Ferdinand Porsche created the Porsche brand with just 200 workers. The first Porsche model was introduced later that year, named the Porsche 356, and 52 cars were then produced in 1949 in a small garage. A few years later, in 1952, the automaker released its most popular model yet, the 550 Spyder, and the brand only continued to grow from there, with the 10,000th Porsche vehicle hitting the roads by its 25th anniversary.

What Is the History of the Porsche Brand and Models?

Dedicated to track-tuned performance, the German-manufactured Porsche brand is an icon in the automotive world. With a foundation built on power, performance, speed, emotion and family, the Porsche brand and its iconic models like the Porsche 911 have stood the test of time and have led many car buyers to ask – what is the history of the Porsche brand and models? Learn more about where and when the Porsche brand got its start with this guide and timeline!

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Porsche Brand History and Timeline

The Porsche brand and its history started with the birth of Ferdinand Porsche in 1875 and the design of the electric Lohner-Porsche C.2 Phaeton Model – known as the P1 – which was built in 1899. In the next few decades, the Porsche family experienced great success with the birth of Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche and its involvement in the design of the original Volkswagen Beetle. In 1931, Ferdinand Porsche opened his own office in Stuttgart, Germany, which was later to moved to Gmünd in Austria, due to the World War II wartime conditions.

The iconic 1948 Porsche 356/1 signaled the birth of the Porsche brand and implemented adapted Volkswagen parts, a flat four-cylinder, mid-engine design, a sleek roadster style and a top speed of 84 mph. Porsche-brand models that followed include the 1951 Porsche 356 SL, the 1953 Porsche 550 Spyder, the 1960 Porsche 718 RS 60, the 1963 Porsche 901 and the iconic 1964 Porsche 911. In the decades since the development of the Porsche 911, the Porsche lineup has added the popular Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Cayman production lines.

What is the History of the Porsche 911?

When the Porsche brand comes to mind, the iconic, track-tuned Porsche 911 is usually the first thought and many car shoppers want to know – what is the history of the Porsche 911? The Porsche 911 design format was first implemented in 1963 as the Porsche 901 and began production as the Porsche 911 we know and love in 1964. Developed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – the son of Ferry Porsche – the Porsche 911 is a true automotive masterpiece with more than one million models manufactured.

Power and performance began with an air-cooled 130-horsepower flat-six engine that increased power to 160 horsepower in the 1966 Porsche 911 S. Lightweight aluminum components were implemented in the 1970 Porsche 911 to pair with a 2.2-liter flat-six engine and a 190-horsepower 2.4-liter engine in the 1972 Porsche 911. The Porsche 911 Carrera and its signature rear spoiler were added to the lineup in 1973 with a 210-horsepower 2.7-liter flat-six engine. In 1975, performance enthusiasts saw the introduction of the first 3.0-liter turbocharged engine that is a hallmark of the brand. A multitude of upgrades have made the Porsche 911 a true automotive icon and masterpiece, leading to the 2020 Porsche 911 GT2, which employs a 690-horsepower 3.8-liter Twin-Turbo six-cylinder boxer engine.

Porsche Logo History

While today the Porsche logo is a badge of luxury, it was originally based on the “Coat of Arms of the Free People State.” The inspiration for the logo was due to the fact that the Porsche logo was created during a time of war.

From Wikipedia.com

The following are models sorted by year of introduction. Street-legal racing models of the 1950s and 1960s are included.

1940sEdit

• Porsche 356 (1948–1965)

1950sEdit

Porsche 356 starting early to mid 1950's to ending ?

• Porsche 550 (1953–1957)
• Porsche 718 (1957–Present)

1960sEdit

• Porsche 904 (1963–1965)
• Porsche 906 (1965–1966)
• Porsche 911 (1963–present)
• Porsche 912 (1965–1969, 1976)
• Porsche 914 (1969–1976)

1970sEdit

• Porsche 924 (1976–1988)
• Porsche 928 (1977–1995)
• Porsche 930 (1974–1989)

1980sEdit

• Porsche 944 (1981–1991)
• Porsche 959 (1986–1988, 1992–1993)

1990sEdit

• Porsche 968 (1992–1995)
• Porsche Boxster (1996–2004)

2000sEdit

• Porsche Cayenne (2002–present)
• Porsche Carrera GT (2003–2007)
• Porsche Panamera (2009–present)

2010sEdit

• Porsche 918 Spyder (2013–2015)
• Porsche Cayman/Boxster 982 (2016-present)
• Porsche Macan (2014–present)
• Porsche Taycan (2019–present)