Claire Romaine - Classic Porsches

THE FIRST Porsches The Porsche company focused on race cars and sports cars. On June 8, 1948, the first true Porsche car, the 356, was approved for roads.

Its sometimes called the cousin of the Volkswagen Beetle because they looked so similar. They both had engines cooled by air located in the rear of the car too. BY THE END OF 1955, PORSCHE HAD PRODUCED MORE THAN 7,600 OF THE PORSCHE 356. In the early 1950s, Porsche introduced a 356 model called the Speedster. Drivers could choose a . The coupes had hard tops, and the convertibles, which they called cabriolets, had soft tops.

GET THE FACTS! To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Porsche searched for the oldest Porsches sold in America. The winner was a 1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet owned by a man in Oklahoma. A 1950 356 Cabriolet was found in Maryland, but it had been brought to the United States from Germany.

911s In 1963, Porsche introduced the 911. It has been making this model ever since! The body style has changed through the years, but the engine has remained in the rear. The 1967 911 Targa featured a beneath a steel cover.

The top between the roll bar and the windshield could be removed. GET THE FACTS! In 1975, Porsche added another edition of the 911the Turbo Carrera. Porsche added a turbocharger, a device to increase engine power. It worked! The car was so different from the 911 that it was given its own number: 930. and a top speed of 182 miles (293 km) per hour! IN 2017, THE ONE-MILLIONTH PORSCHE 911 WAS PRODUCED!

914s In 1969, Porsche worked with Volkswagen to roll out a car that more people could afford. Starting at around $3,500, this vehicle, the 914, offered a Volkswagen engine with just 80 horsepower.

It had a mid-engine design, which meant the engine was right behind the driver and passenger. This model wasnt received well. Some didnt even consider it a real Porsche. EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDNT BECOME AS POPULAR AS THE 911, THE 914 AND 914/6 WERE MOTOR TREND MAGAZINES CAR OF THE YEAR IN 1970. The model called the 914/6 included a Porsche engine. However, it didnt sell well either because it was too expensive.

The last 914s were made in 1976. GET THE FACTS! Mid-engine cars were popular on the racetrack when the 914 was introduced. However, an engine produces a lot of heat, noise, and movement, and there wasnt much padding between the engine and the passengers. That was one reason it wasnt successful.

928s and 944s In 1978, Porsche offered a model called the 928. The company believed it might replace the 911.

This lightweight Porsche was the first model designed with the engine in the front of the car. It also had an eight-, or V-8, engine. However, the 928s never became as popular as the 911s. Production halted in 1995. GET THE FACTS! Many car companies are owned by a larger company. For example, Chevrolet, or Chevy, is owned by General Motors (GM).