Zuffenhausen celebrates the original sports car and style icon
It is the archetypal sports car for everyday driving, and a style icon that is unmistakable as both the face and heart of the Porsche brand: the 911. Today in Zuffenhausen, the one-millionth model rolled off the production line – a Carrera S in a special “Irish Green” exterior colour, with numerous exclusive features to emulate the first 911 models from 1963. The two-door, rear-engine car remains the most strategically important model in the product range and makes a huge contribution to maintaining Porsche’s position as one of the most profitable automotive manufacturers in the world.
Dr Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG, has been a part of the development of the 911 since day one: “54 years ago, I was able to take my first trips over the Grossglockner High Alpine Road with my father. The feeling of being in a 911 is just as enjoyable now as it was then. That’s because the 911 has ensured that the core values of our brand are as visionary today as they were in the first Porsche 356/1 from 1948”.
The Porsche 911 established a new category and remains at the pinnacle of the premium sports car segment. In 2016 alone, 32,365 vehicles were delivered worldwide. Nevertheless, it has maintained its exclusivity over the decades and has become a coveted collector’s item. The quality of the 911 is legendary and as such, over 70 per cent of all 911s ever built are still ready to drive today. In addition, it can consistently be found at the top of quality rankings such as the “Initial Quality Study” from the US market research institute J.D. Power.
Its mythology has been cultivated by countless motorsport successes. Designed for both the road and track, no other sports car embodies this recipe for success quite like the 911. Over half of Porsche’s 30,000 race wins can be credited to the iconic car. It thrills private motor sport enthusiasts around the world in numerous racing series.
Porsche has never strayed from the founding concept of the original 911. “But we have continued to enhance the technology of the 911, refining and perfecting the sports car”, says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, “that’s why it remains a state-of-the-art and technically innovative vehicle. We have also been able to expand the model line very successfully through derivatives”.
One significant factor in this success is the production site at the headquarters in Zuffenhausen, where all 911s are manufactured. Today, all two-door models – 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman – and their various derivatives are handled on one assembly line thanks to a sophisticated production approach. The assembly workers are experts in up to 200 different tasks and, with their passion and knowledge, they ensure that each Porsche is delivered in the quality that is typical of the brand. Uwe Hück, Chair of the Group Works Council of Porsche AG, says: “I cannot imagine the success story of the 911 without our Porsche employees, who are truly out of this world. The construction of the Mission E at the Zuffenhausen site underlines Porsche’s viability for the future, and it is clear that if we are to make it a success, we will need our highly qualified and motivated employees”.
The one-millionth 911 will start its journey at Porsche AG, before then moving on to enrich the collection at the Porsche Museum, followed by a world tour that will include road trips in the Scottish Highlands, around the Nürburgring, the USA, China and beyond.
