997 Turbo/ Turbo Cabriolet/ Turbo S/ Turbo S Cabriolet

997 Turbo

The 997 Turbo was presented in February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show. The engine was based on the rugged and reliable 964/GT1 design rated 493hp and 620 Nm. The turbochargers are fitted with a two-stage resonance intake system.

The engine uses two BorgWarner VTG turbos, a first for Porsche. The Variable Turbine Geometry incorporates guide vanes on the turbine wheel that change their angle of attack with exhaust speed, reducing boost lag at low speeds while opening up to prevent excessive back pressure at high RPMs. Such variable geometry turbines were previously only available on diesel engines.

The optional Sport Chrono package allows the 911 Turbo to overboost for ten seconds, increasing peak torque over a narrow RPM range.

According to official Porsche figures, the 997 Turbo accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds with the manual transmission, and 3.4 seconds with the Tiptronic S transmission. The 997 Turbo has an official top speed of 318 km/h, though Jeremy Clarkson achieved an indicated speed of 322 km/h during his 2008 video special, Clarkson: Thriller.
 
997 Turbo Cabriolet

Porsche AG announced on May 7, 2007 that the 911 Turbo Cabriolet would go on sale in September 2007. The Porsche 997 Turbo Cabriolet became one of the fastest convertible sports cars in production. It is capable of similar top speeds and acceleration to the standard Porsche 997 Turbo Coupe, a notable feat due to the typical problems associated with convertible variants of hardtop coupés, such as the poor aerodynamics of a soft top, a lack of torsional rigidity, and the consequential weight increase from structural members.


Turbo S & Turbo S Cabriolet

This higher spec Limited Edition Turbo was released at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. Available only with a 7-speed PDK transmission, the Turbo S boosts power by 30hp to a total of 523hp and an impressive torque of 700 Nm. It's the Porsche Fastest Released production vehicle to date. 0-to-100 km/h acceleration: 2.6 seconds. Maximum torque of 516 lb-ft in the 911 Turbo S models is available between 2,100 rpm and 4,250 rpm. The 911 Turbo S models, by contrast, are configured to operate with a higher boost pressure level, which means that their maximum torque of 516 lb-ft is available for an unlimited period.

Porsche 911 (997) Turbo Cabriolet - 2010

Porsche Emblem Origins

In 1950, Ferdinand Porsche, his son Ferry and some trusted employees start developing a company emblem that they intended both to refer to their location in Stuttgart and to have a dynamic, powerful image. 

After numerous drafts were produced, including several from the pen of Porsche engineer Franz Xaver Reimspieß, a crest was finally created that has long since become the company’s trademark all over the globe. The emblem was initially put together out of elements from the history of Württemberg-Baden, as the political region was still called at that time: Stylised antlers and the state colours of red and black. This was intended as a clear commitment to Swabia, the Porsche family’s second home.

The centre of the crest shows a black horse rampant, an expression both of forward thrusting power and a derivation of the city seal. For Stuttgart, established in 950 as the stud farm of ‘stuotgarten’, has had horses in its coat of arms in varying designs since the 14th century. Through the use of the steed and the word ‘Stuttgart’, the team at Porsche were giving a clear sign of the bond they felt with the town in which they were based. The crest has the outer contours of a shield, while the word Porsche as the overarching signature, the roof over the whole, as it were, crowns the highly effective composition.
Admittedly there were some teething problems – tough negotiations with the local authority, made all the more delicate as they had to give their ‘OK’. In the end, however, the city custodians overcame their concerns in light of the crest’s strong allegiance to the company’s home.

And thus in 1952, the 356 bore the characteristic shield for the fist time. It appeared on the horn in the middle of the steering wheel – something, however, that Professor Ferdinand Porsche, who died on 30th January 1951, was not to witness. By the end of 1955, the crest was also to be seen on the bonnet of the 356, integrated into the handle. And while the handle no longer exists, the crest on the bonnet has remained. From 1959, the wheel-caps also featured the horse, the antlers and the unique wording – maybe because this enabled passers-by to recognise the sports car from the side as well! And the company has kept to this limited but well-placed distribution of the crest to this day.

There has never been any reason to contemplate changing the Porsche crest’s symbolic and powerful design and thus to risk modernising it to death. Although the lettering has been slightly trimmed and the horse’s contours smoothed over time for printed versions, brochures and correspondence, for Porsche fans, however, in Germany and around the world, who associate the sports car in iconic fashion with this image, nothing has changed for 50 years.

Text: Thomas Schulz
Source: Christophorus, 295

Porsche in Monte Carlo

The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo (officially Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo) is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally now takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and southeast France. Previously, competitors would set off from all four corners of Europe and ‘rally’, in other words, meet, in Monaco to celebrate the end of a unique event. From its inception in 1911 by Prince Albert I, this rally, under difficult and demanding conditions, was an important means of testing the latest improvements and innovations to automobiles. Winning the rally gave the car a great deal of credibility and publicity.

Porsche Hat trick (1968-1970)
1968 - Vic Elford / David Stone (Porsche 911T)
1969 - Björn Waldegård / Lars Helmer (Porsche 911S)
1970 - Björn Waldegård / Lars Helmer (Porsche 911S)

Vic Elford / David Stone (Porsche 911T) - 1968

Björn Waldegård (Porsche 911S)- 1969

Björn Waldegård / Lars Helmer (Porsche 911S) - 1970

Porsche won the rally again in 1978 with Jean-Pierre Nicolas / Vincent Laverne in a Porsche 911 Carrera RS

Jean-Pierre Nicolas / Vincent Laverne - 911 Carrera RS - 1978

Porsche Type 60 - Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially called the Volkswagen Type 1 (or informally the Volkswagen Bug), is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform, worldwide.

Initially designated the Porsche Type 60 by Ferdinand Porsche, the design team included Erwin Komenda and Karl Rabe. In October 1935 the first two Type 60 prototypes, known as the V1 and V2 (V for Versuchswagen, or "test car"), were ready. In 1936, testing of three further V3 prototypes, built in Porsche's Stuttgart shop, began. A batch of thirty W30 development models, produced for Porsche by Daimler-Benz, underwent 2,900,000 km of further testing in 1937. 

The car was designed to be as simple as possible mechanically, so that there was less to go wrong; the aircooled 25 hp, 995 cc motors proved especially effective in actions of the German Afrika Korps in Africa's desert heat. This was due to the built-in oil cooler and the superior performance of the flat-four engine configuration. The suspension design used compact torsion bars instead of coil or leaf springs. The Beetle is nearly airtight and will float for a few minutes on water.

1936 Porsche Type 60 V3

Targa Florio

The Porsche cars are strongly connected to this Sicilian race. They won it a lot of times and were in the majority of the times technical examples to follow by other brands. This race was one of the most difficult races of that time, in mountain roads with a lot of curves and dangers that demanded a lot from the pilots.

Porsche won this race for 11 times between 1956, with the 550 RS, and 1973 with the 911 RSR.

Porsche 550 RS 1956

The well known poster of the 911 RSR 1973

Why Ferdinand Porsche left Mercedes

During is work at Austro-Daimler or Mercedes as we know the brand today, Ferdinand Porsche did a lot of good work. Two good examples are the winning Mercedes of 1924 Targa Florio and the Mercedes SSK.

 

Winning Mercedes - 1924 Targa Florio

 

Mercedes SSK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the success of the SSK, Porsche recognize the needs of the common worker and not just the rich man in having such a car. He began the development of a family-size sedan known as the Stuttgart. Unfortunately the Daimler-Benz board of directors was not supportive of the direction that Porsche was taking and the Stuttgart was suffering teething problems. Well the result is well known, he resigned and headed to Steyr in Austria on January 1, 1929. 

Later on in 1931, he and his son "Ferry Porsche" created the company Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, know today as PORSCHE AG, or just PORSCHE.

James Dean and the 550 Spyder

Inspired by the 356 created by Ferry Porsche and some spyder prototypes built and raced by Walter Glöckler, the factory decided to build a car designed for use in auto racing. It was introduced at the 1953 Paris Auto Show. It was a 1500cc with 110hp and a estimated top speed of 150 mph. The 550 Spyder was alive!

The most famous Spyder is for sure the James Dean's "Little Bastard" numbered 130 which Dean fatally crashed into a Ford on September 30, 1955. James Dean was a big car fan and respected by a lot of professional pilots. James Dean had been given the nickname "Little Bastard" by Bill Hickman, a Warner Bros. stunt driver who became friendly with Dean. 

James Dean 'Little Bastard' - Porsche 550 Spyder