The history of Porsche actually begins a few years earlier. Ferry's father Ferdinand Porsche designed, among other things, the first Volkswagen Beetle on behalf of the regime in the Third Reich, but production only started after the war.
The big breakthrough came during the 60s with Porsche's iconic model 911, which was released in 1963. The classic lines of the 911 are easy to recognize and run as a red thread through Porsche's other models. The 911 is still in production, and in May 2017, the millionth car of that model was manufactured.
Porsche's history after 1948 has not only been a bed of roses; in recent years the company has been marked by disputes within the owning family, consisting of two branches, Porsche and Piëch. Porsche, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, tried at an unguarded moment to take over the parent company. The attack was thwarted, and today there is order and discipline among the group companies (which also include Scania, by the way).
Over the years, Porsche has expanded its range and now manufactures not only sports cars. The Porsche Cayenne became the company's first SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), and Porsche, like most other car manufacturers, has been drawn into the debate about the existence of the diesel engine or not.
The classic petrol-powered models such as the 911 and its siblings are now also challenged by the new era where electric and hybrid cars are taking over larger parts of the market. Porsche has naturally followed the technological development, and among other things, the Porsche Panamera and 918 are available as hybrids. This is something that worries the sports purists—will that wonderful raw sound from thirsty cylinders die out?
That being said, one of the world's strongest brands of course cherishes its history. The archive, the website and above all the museum in Stuttgart – Zuffenhausen testify that they see history as an indispensable part of the brand. Visitors are surprised by the first vehicles in the museum – including a tractor – but that is another story!
