One-millionth 911 Porsche produces
IT is the archetypal sportscar for everyday driving, and a style icon that is unmistakable as both the face and heart of the Porsche brand – the 911. In Zuffenhausen on Monday, the 1,000,000th 911 rolled off the production line – a Carrera S in the special “Irish Green” colour, with numerous exclusive features following the original 911 from 1963. The two-door car remains the most strategically-important model in the product range and makes a huge contribution to maintaining Porsche’s position as one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world.
Dr Wolfgang Porsche (pix, with the one-millionth 911), Porsche AG’s chairman of the supervisory board who has been a part of the development of the 911 since day one, said: “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.”
The Porsche 911 established a new category and remains at the pinnacle of the premium sportscar segment. In 2016 alone, 32,365 911s were delivered worldwide. Nevertheless, it has maintained its exclusivity over the decades and has become a coveted collector’s item. The quality of the 911 is legendary – over 70% of all 911s ever built are still ready to drive today. Also, it can consistently be found at the top of quality rankings such as the “Initial Quality Study” from the US market research institute JD Power.
Its mythology has been cultivated by countless motorsport successes. Designed for both the road and track, no other sportscar embodies this recipe for success quite like the 911. Over half of Porsche’s 30,000 race wins can be credited to the 911. It thrills private motorsport enthusiasts around the world in numerous racing series.
Uniquely, Porsche has never strayed from the founding concept of the original 911. “But we have continued to enhance the technology of the 911, refining and perfecting it,” says Oliver Blume, Porsche AG chairman of the executive board, “That’s why it remains a state-of-the-art and technically-innovative vehicle. We have also been able to expand the model line very successfully through derivatives.”
One significant factor in this success is the production site at the Zuffenhausen headquarters, where all 911s are manufactured. Today, all two-door cars – 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman – and their various derivatives are handled on one assembly line thanks to a sophisticated production approach. The assembly workers are experts in up to 200 different tasks and, with their passion and knowledge, they ensure that each Porsche is delivered in the quality typical of the brand.
Uwe Huck, chair of the Porsche group works council, says: “I cannot imagine the success story of the 911 without our unique Porsche employees. Today, we have the one-millionth 911. The good thing about it is that our colleagues still make them with the same devotion as the first car.”
The one-millionth 911 is still being held by Porsche AG. Before it moves on to enrich the collection at the Porsche Museum, it will embark on a world tour and will take road trips in the Scottish Highlands and around the Nurburgring, and in the USA, China and beyond.