No doubt a quick Google search can uncover some fun facts about Porsche. Here are some interesting ones that you can throw into a conversation with other enthusiasts. Everyone knows about the Porsche tractors but do they know…
1. The Porsche Crest – As the story goes, it was Porsche’s US importer Max Hoffman who suggested to Porsche that a crest would be a way to help sell the Porsche brand in the US. Apparently, he sketched the design on a napkin at a lunch meeting and handed it over. The crest first appeared on the 356 in 1952.
2. Most early 356 bodies were actually made by Recaro known as Reutter Carrosserie Werke (RCW) back then. RCW manufactured car bodies and interiors and were contracted by Porsche to make the 356 bodies. Porsche bought the body division in 1960 and the rest of the company changed its name to Recaro.
3. In 1899, Porsche designed and built the first hybrid internal combustion/electric vehicle. The motor was actually the generator for the electric motor. The car was also the first to feature brakes on all 4 wheels. The aftermarket exhaust apparently did nothing to improve the exhaust note.
4. Porsche’s R&D facility in Weissach design forklifts. Porsche have a close association with Linde forklifts and have designed lots of the manual handling equipment. This could explain the forklift races when the warehouse foreman isn’t watching.
5. Along the way Porsche have designed the odd aeroplane cockpit. For those pilots among us, the A300 cockpit was designed by Porsche.
6. Harley Davidson have engaged Porsche Weissach to design engines. Harley’s racing division engaged Porsche to design the V-Rod double overhead cam engine… (the Hog/Porker ‘tie in’ kinda makes sense!)
7. The 1986 944 was the first car sold with a steering wheel airbag as standard equipment (and subsequently removed by Stuart in race car conversions?)
8. Over a number of decades Porshes have been used by the German Police.
