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Revision as of 00:14, 9 September 2002 by Hotlorp (talk | contribs) (slight reorganization)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Porsche is a German manufacturer of sports cars, founded in 1947 by Ferry Porsche (son of the Ferdinand Porsche who created the first Volkswagen). The company is located in Zuffenhausen in the outskirts of Stuttgart.
The first Porsche model, the Porsche 356 of 1948, was initially built in Gmünd, Austria, but after building 49 cars the company relocated to Zuffenhausen. The car used many Volkswagen components including its engine (the air-cooled, rear-mounted, 4-cylinder 'boxer' unit, but tuned for more power), its gearbox and its suspension. The sleek bodywork was designed by Erwin Kommenda who had also designed the body of the VW Beetle.
In 1963, after some success in motor-racing, the company launched the Porsche 911, another air-cooled, rear-engined sportscar, this time with a 6-cylinder 'boxer' engine. The car has become their most well-known model, successful on the race-track, in rallies, and in terms of sales. Far more than any other model, the Porsche brand is defined by the 911.
Porsche has been highly successful in many branches of motor-racing. Particular success has been in sportscar racing, notably the Le Mans 24 Hours (a winner 16 times), in Formula 1 (supplying TAG-labelled engines for McLaren), and on the Paris-Dakar rally.
Porsche has a reputation for producing vehicles that, despite their high performance, are reliable and tractable enough to be used for daily driving, and of high manufacturing quality and durability, but perhaps less visual excitement than their competitors. This reputation is contrasted with that of Ferrari, their main competitor, whose machines are famous for their design flair and temperamental nature.
Porsche has for many years offered consultancy services to various other car manufacturers.
The major consumer models of Porsche are:
- Porsche 356
- Porsche 911
- Porsche 912
- Porsche 914
- Porsche 924
- Porsche 928
- Porsche 944
- Porsche 968
- Porsche Boxster
- Porsche Cayenne
The headquarters and main factory is still at Zuffenhausen, but for the Cayenne there is a new plant at Leipzig. Some of the production is outsourced, to Valmet in Finland.
External links
- Porsche official web site http://www.porsche.com/