This Month in Porsche History — April
Welcome to This Month in Porsche History, a new series here at Flat 6 Club where we take a look back in the rearview mirror at the milestones, victories, and iconic moments that shaped the brand we love. April has been a massive month for Porsche over the decades — from the founding of the company itself to legendary race wins and game-changing model debuts. Let's dive into the history books and explore what made April so special in Stuttgart.
"Sascha" Conquers the Targa Florio
Long before there was a Porsche crest on a hood, Ferdinand Porsche was designing race-winning machines. On this day, the Austro-Daimler ADS R — affectionately nicknamed "Sascha" — took a class victory at the grueling Targa Florio in Sicily. Four of these agile, lightweight cars were sent to the race, each painted with playing card symbols to tell them apart. It was a massive early win for Ferdinand Porsche's engineering genius, proving that a smaller, lighter car could outrun the heavy bruisers of the era. Sound familiar?
The Engineering Office is Born
This is where it all officially started. Right in the middle of a global economic crisis, Ferdinand Porsche founded his engineering office in Stuttgart, alongside his son-in-law Anton Piëch and Adolf Rosenberger. The company was officially entered into the commercial register as "Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH." They weren't building their own cars yet — they were doing design and consulting work for others (including a little project that would become the Volkswagen Beetle) — but the foundation for the greatest sports car company on earth was laid.
The First Zuffenhausen 356 Rolls Out
After starting production in a humble sawmill in Gmünd, Austria, Porsche finally moved operations back to Germany. On this day, the very first Porsche 356 built in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen rolled off the line. It was chassis number 5002, a coupe affectionately known as "Greyhound" due to its light grey paint job. This marked the beginning of Zuffenhausen as the spiritual and physical home of Porsche sports cars, a tradition that continues to this day.
Porsche's First Dance at Daytona
Daytona International Speedway had only been open for less than two months when Porsche showed up to tackle the 1000km USAC Road Racing Championship. It was the beginning of an incredible love affair between the German marque and the Florida banking. Porsche would go on to become the most successful manufacturer in the history of the 24 Hours of Daytona, but it all started here in April '59 with the lightweight, giant-killing 718 RSK.
The 904 Dominates the Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was arguably the most demanding, dangerous, and beautiful road race in the world, and Porsche absolutely owned it. In '64, Colin Davis and Antonio Pucci wrestled a stunning silver Porsche 904 Carrera GTS Coupé around the twisty Sicilian mountain roads to take the overall victory. They didn't just win; they crushed the competition, crossing the finish line more than 13 minutes ahead of the second-place car. The 904 remains one of the most gorgeous cars Porsche ever built, and this win cemented its legendary status.
The 917 Army Lines Up for Homologation
In one of the greatest flexes in motorsport history, Porsche lined up 25 fully assembled 917 race cars in the courtyard of the Zuffenhausen factory. The FIA rules stated that to race in the World Sportscar Championship, you had to build 25 examples of the car. Most people thought Porsche was bluffing with the radical 12-cylinder 917, but Ferdinand Piëch made sure every single one was built and ready for the FIA inspectors. They got the stamp of approval, and the 917 went on to give Porsche its first overall win at Le Mans and become the most iconic race car of all time.
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The 1,000th Carrera RS 2.7 is Built
The legendary 911 Carrera RS 2.7 — the first 911 to wear the "Carrera" name and the car that introduced the world to the "ducktail" spoiler — was originally supposed to be a limited run of just 500 cars for homologation purposes. But the demand was so insane that Porsche kept building them. On April 9, the 1,000th example rolled off the line, which officially allowed Porsche to homologate the car for Group 3 Production Grand Touring racing. It remains the holy grail of air-cooled 911s for collectors today.
A 917 Hits the Public Streets
Imagine pulling up to a red light and seeing a Le Mans-winning prototype sitting next to you. On this day, a one-off Porsche 917 race car (chassis 030) left the Weissach development center and drove out onto public roads. It was commissioned by Count Rossi (of Martini & Rossi fame), who somehow convinced the authorities in Alabama to issue a license plate for it, allowing him to drive it in Europe. It was painted silver, fitted with basic mufflers and leather seats, and driven all the way to Paris. Absolute legend behavior.
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The Panamera Debuts in the Clouds
Porsche does not do boring reveals. To launch their first-ever four-door sedan, the Panamera, they took it to the Shanghai Auto Show. But they didn't just put it on a stage — they shoved the car into a freight elevator and stood it upright to get it to the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center. It was Porsche's first completely new, built-from-the-ground-up vehicle in seven years, and it proved that a luxury sedan could still drive like a proper sports car.
The 963 Takes Its Maiden Victory
Fast forward to the modern era of hybrid prototype racing. The stunning Porsche 963 had a lot to live up to, carrying the weight of the 956, 962, and 919 Hybrid on its shoulders. At the tight, unforgiving street circuit of Long Beach, California, the Porsche Penske Motorsport team broke through. Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet drove a flawless race to secure the first-ever worldwide victory for the 963 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The winning heritage continues.