Words: Rory FH Smith
Since the brand’s inception 1948, Porsche has been responsible for producing some of most beautiful cars in motoring history. With a design DNA that dates back to 1948, the curvaceous silhouette, rounded headlamps and fastback features can still be found on models leaving the factory in Stuttgart today.
Porsche’s die-hard dedication to the original design recipe could be misinterpreted as a lack of creativity or – dare we say – laziness, on the designers’ part. But, in reality, the formula has produced some of the finest cars, year on year. Here’s a selection of the ten most beautiful Porsches of all time.
Put simply, the Porsche 356 was the genesis of the brand. Created by Ferry Porsche in 1948, the car was made from modified Volkswagen parts, adapted to Porsche’s requirements.
1957 marked the evolution of the 356, when the 901 was developed as the successor. Using the very same basic formula that Ferry Porsche had dreamt up all those years before, the 901 was a more practical evolution with 2+2 seating and a flat six 2.0-litre engine mounted at the rear.
Considered to be the defining 911 of its era, the 2.7 RS was, like many cars of its ilk, created as a homologation special. Boasting 210bhp and a total weight of less than 1000kg, all 500 examples of the initial batch were sold within a week of the car’s debut at the 1972 Paris motor show.
Taking over from the Carrera GT is no easy feat but, in 2010, Porsche revealed the 918 Spyder concept. With its new hybrid powertrain and sculpted surfaces, the 918 was the third iteration of Porsche’s flagship hypercar.
As the last of the air-cooled 911s, the 993 Turbo had 420bhp at its disposal, generated from its bi-turbo engine, coupled to a six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive, not to mention timeless looks.
The 959 the first of a new species: the hypercar. Making its debut in 1985, the car – based on the 911 – was more technically advanced with a bi-turbo, water-cooled engine, electronically controlled chassis and all-wheel drive.
Despite its beauty, the 904 Carrera GTS was designed first and foremost as a racing car. Making its debut at Sebring in 1964, the car went on to win the legendary Targa Florio in the same year. Further podium finishes followed at the Tour de France, the 1000km race at the Nurburgring, the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans and the Monte Carlo Rally in 1965.
Originally intended as the successor to the 911, the 928 soon became a model in its own right. The car marked a slight departure from the proved and tested formula, sporting a more modernist design, innovative pop-up headlights and a lightweight alloy V8, front-mounted engine.
By the start of the new millennium, 15 years had passed without an update on the 959 hypercar.
After being presented as a ‘safety cabriolet’ (due to the addition of a metal roll hoop), the Targa has gone on to be one of the most iconic cars in the Porsche family.
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