8 Porsche Models That Made History

1. 1939 Porsche Type 64

When talking about Porsche sports cars that made history, none are more important than the Porsche Type 64. This is where it all started as it is the first sports car of what would later become the Porsche marque. Folklore suggests that Ferdinand Porsche’s son, Ferry wanted a sports car, but none of the existing offerings fit his requirements. So, like any sensible man, he decided to build his own. Almost all mechanical parts came from the early iteration of the VW Beetle. This includes the air-cooled flat-four engine, which developed from 32 to 40 horsepower, depending on the modification. In total, three cars were produced, one of which was destroyed during WW2.

The body was extensively tested in a wind tunnel, which resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.22 to 0.25 Cd. It explains why, despite the lack of power, the 1939 Porsche Type 64 achieved a top speed of 99 mph, making it one of the fastest cars of its time. Theoretically, the 40-horsepower variant could achieve 107.8 mph. To put things in perspective,the fastest car in the 1930s was the Bentley 8.0-liter, and that one needed an 8.0-liter engine with 180 horsepower to manage 101 mph. Talk about the importance of aerodynamics.

2. Porsche 356 No.1

The 356 was Porsche’s sports car, long before the 911 came about. It all started with the 1948 Porsche 356-001. The simple designation denotes that this was the very first 356 and the first sports car that was officially called Porsche. Like its predecessor, the Type 64, the 356/1 mechanicals came from the original VW Beetle but were modified.

The 1,113-cc, air-cooled flat-four was a carry-over from the Type 64. The 356 Nr.1 is the precursor to all other 356s and it is a true one-off car. The prototype was hand-crafted in Gmünd, Austria, and featured an aluminum body. The production variants were assembled in Zuffenhausen, in 1950, and featured steel bodies.

3.1953 Porsche 550 Spyder

The saying "less is more" fully applies to the Porsche 550 Spyder. The open-top sports car was introduced at the 1953 Paris Auto Show and it wouldn’t take long for it to make history as Porsche’s first race car. Its minimalist approach made the car as lightweight as possible and despite its four-cylinder boxer engine displacing only 1.5 liters, the Porsche 550 Spyder was able to keep up with more powerful rivals like the 3.0-liter Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and the 3.5-liter Ferrari 860 Monza. For this reason, the 550 Spyder earned one of the coolest Porsche nicknames - "The Giant Killer".

Despite it being developed as a race car, the 550 Spyder was also sold to the public. One of the most prominent Porsche 550 Spyder owners was James Dean, who met his end behind the wheel of his 550 Spyder, which he nicknamed "Little Bastard". Only 90 examples of the Porsche 550 Spyder were built. The car is highly collectible and in 2020, one went under for $4.185 million.

4.1969 Porsche 917

Porsche’s obsession with turbocharging can be traced back to the Porsche 917 - another race car, specifically built to dominate Le Mans. The company’s strife to win Le Mans in 1969 spawned a mid-engine monster that pushed the limits of technology. The Porsche 917 came out in 1969, but over a few years, a few different 917 variants were built, for different racing series.

The falt-12 engine was, essentially, two 911 flat-sixes merged together. Early variants featured a 4.5-liter, naturally-aspirated engine, but later variants went up to 5.4 liters and twin turbochargers, as well as the ability to develop as much as 1,580 horsepower. Just 65 Porsche 917s were built and only one was converted for road use. The last time one of these cars was for sale, it fetched just under $14.1 million, making it the most expensive Porsche ever sold.

5. 1972 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS

The Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS is one of those cars that deserve a spot in any Porsche 911 dream garage. It is not the first 911 developed for racing, but it is the most iconic one. It is also the precursor to all 911 GT3 models. The 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS was a Group 5 homologation, produced in limited numbers. In total, 1,580 examples were built. Of those 1,308 were the M472 Touring specification, which included more creature comforts, while 200 were the M471 sports variant, which was more lightweight.

The rest were built for developmental and racing purposes. The 911 Carrera 2.7 RS also introduced many styling decisions that would become a staple in future Porsche models, including the ducktail spoiler, Fuchs wheels, and classic graphics. According to Classic.com, the most expensive sale was for $2.4 million.

6.1974 Porsche 930 Turbo

The original 911 Turbo did not start great. Porsche engineer, Ernst Fuhrmann decided to take the 911 and use motorsport-grade turbocharging to give it more power. This created a car that was notoriously difficult to drive, often surprising its drivers with snap-oversteer. The Porsche 930 Turbo quickly earned a grim nickname - "the Widowmaker" - and was even the reason for a few class-action lawsuits against Porsche. It was so bad that, at one point, Porsche considered replacing the 911 with the 928.

Despite that, the Porsche 930 Turbo (also known as the Turbo Carrera in the U.S.) is one of the most desired Porsche 911s ever made. The fact it is an air-cooled 911 that requires drivers to be at their absolute, best hides a degree of on-the-edge excitement lacking in modern sports cars. A total of 21,589 Porschce 930 Turbo were made, with the early 3.0-liter variants being much rarer - just 2,819 units made. The average price for a 930 Turbo 3.0 is $163,982. The later and more powerful, 3.3-liter variants are slightly more affordable, with average prices being $134,183.

7.1986 Porsche 959

The 1980s were crazy times for car manufacturers. Ferrari gave us the no-nonsense F40 and the iconic Testarossa, Lamborghini still had the Countach, and then, there was Porsche with its first-ever supercar - the 959. In the real world, the Porsche 959 was quicker than all the others I just mentioned, but it goes even further than that. It was the first 911-based model to feature water cooling. However, it was just the cylinder head of the 959 engine that was water-cooled. Porsche’s 959 was the most technologically advanced car of its day. The 959 was the first twin-turbocharged Porsche that was built with everyday use in mind. It also featured permanent all-wheel drive and an active rear axle, which allowed the rear wheels to steer up to five degrees.

The Porsche 959 was also the fastest production car of its day, topping out at 198 mph, although the more powerful 959 S achieved 211 mph. One year later, another Porsche 911-based model - the RUF CTR "Yellowbird" - took the crown, achieving 213 mph. Just 337 units of the Porsche 959 were made. Of those 292 were standard, 29 were the 959 S, and the rest were developmental prototypes. The 959 platform was also used for the Porsche 961 Group B rally car that also took part in the grueling Dakar rally. At the time of writing this article, the average price of a Porsche 959 is around $1.85 million, with the most expensive sale being for $3.1 million.

8. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT

In many ways, the 2000s were just as crazy as the 1980s. Some of the most iconic legacy automakers brought out their best. Ferrari gave us the Enzo, Mercedes teamed up with McLaren for the SLR, and Ford gave us a GT40-inspired supercar. Porsche joined with the Carrera GT, which is widely considered the last analog supercar ever made. Similar to the 930 Turbo, the Carrera GT was a handful. Its deranged V-10 engine was originally meant for Le Mans racing and its power was sent to the rear through a manual with a very counter-intuitive anti-stall clutch system. Also, there was no traction control so you were on your own.

Recently, Porsche offered a fresh set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, free of charge, to all Carrera GT owners, which is a great improvement over the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, the car originally came with. Just 1,270 Porsche Carrera GTs were built and sadly, more than a few have already been crashed. Classic.com shows an average market value of $1.4 million, but Carrera GT prices go as high as $2.2 million.