A Few Things You May Not Know About Porsche
With such a fascinating history, Porsche is a company whose enthusiasts really know their stuff. But like most of the things that captivate our attention, there’s more to it than even the most dedicated of fans know.
That’s why in today’s post, we’re highlighting a handful of interesting things that most people probably don’t know about Porsche. Keep reading to learn more, and if your Porsche is in need of services or repairs, bring it to the independent Porsche specialists at HOUSE Auto Group.
Porsche designed tractors for a period of time.
Believe it or not, Porsche designed a handful of different gas and diesel tractors near the end of World War II. The designs sat for years until Mannesmann, another German company, bought the rights to the Porsche tractor and produced them under the name Porsche-Diesel Motorenbau GmbH from 1956-1963.
Dutch police drove Porsche 356s.
The early 1960s was a great time for Porsche — and for Dutch police officers known as the Rijksolitie who drove custom Porsche 356s. How did that happen, you ask? There were no speed limits on Dutch motorways at the time and Dutch police needed to make sure their vehicles were up to the task of patrolling the roads.
The iconic 911 was almost named the Porsche 901.
According to Porsche.com, “Porsche presented the Porsche 901 at the IAA in Frankfurt as a successor to the Porsche 356” in 1963. Production of the 901 began in late 1964, but unfortunately, Peugeot, a French vehicle manufacturer, had a patented claim to vehicle model numbers with a zero in the middle. This led Porsche to rename their 901 to the now iconic Porsche 911, but not before 82 vehicles were made with the 901 designation.
Porsche built a car that ran on a battery pack back in 1900.
Electric cars seem to be the wave of the future — but did you know that their history began over 120 years in the past? Way back in 1898, Ferdinand Porsche developed a car that “was powered by an octagonal electric motor, and with three to five PS it reached a top speed of 25 km/h,” according to the Porsche Newsroom. He later further developed on his idea, producing a vehicle that was capable of reaching speeds up to 37 km/h.
The world’s first hybrid car was a Porsche.
Following up on the battery-powered car, Ferdinand Porsche developed a hybrid vehicle, and according to Wikipedia, “First prototypes were two-wheel drive, battery-powered electric vehicles with two front-wheel hub-mounted motors” and “a later version was a series hybrid using hub-mounted electric motors in each wheel, powered by batteries and a gasoline-engine generator.” Most interestingly of all, Ferdinand Porsche was only 23 years old when the idea came to him. Talk about being a forward thinker!
The Porsche 911 was named among the best Car of the Century.
In 1999, the Porsche 911 received a top-five placement in voting for Car of the Century. The achievement, given by the Global Automotive Elections Foundation, is truly spectacular — and it’s proof of just how iconic and inspirational the 911 has been over the years.
Nearly 25,000 races have been won by Porsche vehicles.
Fans of the brand won’t have a hard time believing that since Porsche was founded in the early 1930s, Porsche cars have won more than 24,000 races across the world. Needless to say, that’s the most wins ever by any vehicle brand. Would you expect any less from Porsche?
The Most Important Fact Of All — We’re Your Go-To Porsche Mechanic
Whether you’re in need of Porsche repair for a specific issue you’re having or general maintenance such as an oil change, look no further than HOUSE Auto Group. At the end of the day, we strive to be California’s best Porsche specialists, and with locations in Encino and Pasadena, we’re always near when you need us.
We strive to be the Porsche mechanic that you trust for everything from complicated repairs to quick fixes. Best of all, our complimentary pick-up and drop-off flatbed services means that if you’re within 20 miles, we’ll take care of everything. Additionally, we proudly offer complimentary rental cars and shuttle services within 7 miles of our shop.
Perhaps most importantly, in the midst of COVID-19, we’re taking special precautions to ensure the safety of our customers and our employees. You can read the latest COVID-19 updates to learn more about how we’re going above and beyond to take the best possible care of our customers in this unique time.
Have a question for our team of Porsche specialists? Ready to schedule an appointment with our team today? We’d love to hear from you, so contact us now to get started and rest assured that you’re Porsche is in good hands with the team at HOUSE Auto Group.
