Milestones and Memories – 75 Years of Porsche
Historics Display 2023
By Lori Schutz and David Clardy
Let's celebrate with a display of Porsches representing the most significant Porsches from day 1 to the present. From the firsts, the lasts, significant race wins, Parades - what is your favorite? Join us for a walk down memory lane and remember your favorite moment and Porsche at the Historics Display at the Concours de’ Elegance.
This year, the Porsches are organized in groups representing the evolution of Porsche technology and style. Featuring the traditional to the unusual exterior colors and interiors, and options to personalize, each Porsche is unique to its heritage and owner.
356 - The First Porsches
The 356 started it all when Ferry Porsche decided “In the beginning, I looked around and could not find quite the car I dreamed of, so I decided to build it myself.” Generally the steel-bodied 356 came in two basic body styles: coupe and cabriolet. Both had two doors, rear-mounted air-cooled engines and a variety of sizes of wheels. Today many have been restored to former glory, or as an “outlaw”.
The Early 911/912 Air Cooled Era
The 356 evolved to the 911 and 912, bringing driving pleasure to owners across the globe. Who knew that under 200 horsepower could be such a thrill? See the side-by-side comparison of coupes, targas and paint colors between the two similar looking Porsche models, with oh so many differences.
50th Year Celebration - 911 Carrera RS
No doubt that the 911 is the iconic Porsche model through all time. 2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Carrera RS. In racing mode, the RSR was the IROC – International Race of Champion – road car selected for the inaugural race at Riverside, California.
Real Porsches Do Hold Water
In the mid 70s, the 924 was introduced as the first water-cooled powered Porsche. Followed by the 928, 944 and then many others, eventually the 911 also went water-cooled with the 996 model in 1997. So yes, Real Porsches do hold water!
Porsche Supercars
Taking it to the streets, Porsche transferred racing technology to the street-version of a few models, and wow, the result is fantastic. Some based on the 911, such as the 959 and GT2 RS, and then some completely a model unto their own like the Carrera GT and 918.
Top Down Fun
And then the top came down and the world opened up to a great way to enjoy a ride in a Porsche. Speedsters, Spyders, Boxsters and Cabriolets, all provide this type of experience.
Per-FOUR-mance
Porsche ventured into the world of the 4-door in 2002 with the Cayenne SUV. The Panamera sedan followed in 2009, the Macan in 2014. Today, we still have new models in production, joined by the electrified Taycan in 2019. The moniker Per-FOUR-mance was adopted by PCA for their monthly email newsletter specifically for the four-door Porsche owners.
Let’s Go Racing – Every Porsche 1948 – Forever
Racing is Porsche’s heritage. Take a walk down memory lane with some very significant Porsches which inspired high-performance driving around the globe, victories, and a desire for excellence.
If you have a Porsche with a memorable story to be part of the Historics Display, please contact Lori Schutz for consideration (scmink2@earthlink.net).