The 8th of June in 1949 is either a significant or meaningless date depending on who you’re conversing with. To some, the date may represents their birthday, like classic pianist Emanuel Ax who was born on this day. To others, the date is completely arbitrary with no significant meaning. If you’re an automotive enthusiast – particularly one who worships models originating from Stuttgart, Germany with a golden crest wedged in between their headlights – the 8th of June, 1949 might be a memorable occasion for you. It was on this date that Porsche’s first ever example of its initial production car, the 356, was registered on planet earth’s soil, creating a legendary automotive tale whose legacy still stands strong today.
If there’s one model which brings consensus amongst all automotive manufactures in regards to capturing the spirit and emotion of how a sportscar should make its driver feel – it’d unarguably have to be the Porsche 911. The 911 has its own rich history but were it not for the 356’s existence, the 911 would not come to be.
Porsche Centre Adelaide didn’t want to ignore this significant date. To embrace it and celebrate this important milestone, the Adelaide-based dealer invited fans to Sportscar Together Day – an event held on the 8th of June, 2019 – precisely 70 years since the first ever Porsche 356 was registered for road use. Fans were invited along to not just commemorate this milestone but to share in Porsche’s passion for automobiles throughout the following decades.
Long, low and wide aren’t your typical adjectives associated with production Porsche vehicles. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Excluding the Le Mans homologated 911 GT1, there are only two or three other road-going Porsche models which fit this description. When I got wind that one of these vehicles would be on display at the Glen Osmond Road situated dealership, a Saturday morning appointment was promptly locked into my iPhone’s calendar.
Porsche and supercar fans were in for a treat. Taking the spotlight was a Carrera GT in its trademark GT Silver paint scheme. Regarded as one of the last ever analogue supercars of our time, the Carrera GT is a model that is modern per se but still retains elements synonymous with raw driver connection; thanks particularly to its 6-speed manual gearbox and lack of electronic aids.
Power is derived from a 5.7 litre, 603 horsepower V10 engine. Although this engine was originally conceived by Porsche to be installed in team Footworks’ Formula One car for the 1992 season, this plan did not eventuate. The screaming 8,400 RPM engine ultimately found its way into the Carrera GT – which went on to be produced for five years between 2003 and 2007. Despite having a reputation for being strenuous to drive (the clutch is known to either be on or off) and holding a deadly bite when driven spiritedly without precision or respect – the Carrera GT continues to maintain a strong allure, thanks in part to its triumphant soundtrack.
What’s a celebration of the Porsche 356 about without a 356 present? Porsche Centre Adelaide had this dazzling red example on display. Despite being 70 years old, the cabriolet was in pristine condition thanks to a comprehensive restoration.
Porsche is one of the last remaining sportscar manufactures to offer a vehicle with 3 pedals. The 991 generation 911’s introduction in 2014 eliminated the option for a manual gearbox in their flagship GT3 and GT3 RS track-focused models; despite previous versions only being offered as a stick-shift proposition. During this period however, Porsche did release two models with a clutch pedal – the Cayman GT4 and 911 R – but after they observed outrageous inflated prices their limited edition manual-drive train models were commanding on the secondary market, Porsche decided to burst the speculative bubble of these two models. This was achieved when Andreas Preuninger – head of Porsche’s GT vehicles division – was given the green light to reintroduce a manual transmission option for the face lifted 991.2 GT3.
Attendees arrived in a diverse and vibrant array of vehicles. While some brought their own Porsches, others arrived in machinery with a more English and Italian ambience.
Milestones and anniversary celebrations are important components in an automotive company’s story. These events help identify brand ethos as well as to establish emotion amongst supporters. More importantly, when manufactures celebrate their significant dates, pleasant gifts are typically followed. Special models or limited edition variants commonly make a debut, or in this case – a dealership backed event is organised with fans invited to help blow some candles. A big thanks goes out to Porsche Centre Adelaide for hosting Sportscar Together Day.
