Ignition Australia April | Page 14

One Millionth Porsche 911 Rolls Off The Production Line - by Paul Marinelli There is no question that the legendary Porsche 911 model has become the world’s most popular sports car. With a design that has stood the test of time, and amazing global sales success the Porsche 911 leaves a legacy as unique as itself. All Porsche 911’s are manufactured in the German city of Zuffenhausen, where all of the marque’s two door cars, the 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman are made using a single assembly line thanks to a sophisticated approach to production. During 2017, the one millionth Porsche 911 rolled off the production line. This Carrera S model was finished in the special colour of Irish Green, with numerous exclusive features mirroring the original Porsche 911 model that dates back to 1963. Porsche has never strayed from the founding concept of the original 911. The company continues to enhance the technology of the 911, refining and perfecting it across more than five decades. The two- door coupe remains the most important model in the Porsche range, with the 911 and all of its derivatives continuing to make a huge contribution to maintaining Porsche’s position as one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world. The Porsche 911 remains at the pinnacle of the premium sports car segment worldwide, with more than 32,000 of these cars delivered to customers across the world last year. Despite this vast international popularity, the Porsche 911 has managed to maintain a high level of exclusivity over the decades, with the model also becoming a coveted collector’s item. The quality of the Porsche 911 speaks for itself. According to Porsche, 70 per cent of all the 911’s ever built are still on the roads or are ready to drive today. USA based market research institute JD Power lists the Porsche 911 consistently at the top of their quality study rankings each year. The Porsche 911’s mythology has been cultivated by countless motorsport successes, movie appearances and global photo shoots. Designed for both the road and the race track, no other sports car embodies this recipe for success quite like the 911, with numerous international one-make Carrera Cup, GT and GT3 racing championships held across the world successfully for decades. 14 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2018 The one-millionth Porsche 911 now has a home at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, ensuring that every Porsche enthusiast can admire it up close. Prior to being placed in the museum, this special car took part in a promotional world tour that included road trips in the Scottish Highlands, laps of the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany, as well as touring locations in the USA and China. One person who has been intrinsically involved with the Porsche 911 since it was first designed is Porsche AG Chairman, Dr Wolfgang Porsche. “Fifty-four 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”, He stated.