025. Club Porsche Romand 28/02/1962
026. Porsche Club Dreiländereck 19/11/1962
The Club Porsche Romand – What a sporty Club! The Club is founded on 28th of February 1962 in order to compete in competitions. In the 1960s, Club members claim victories in numerous rallies and speed competitions driving a Porsche 356 B 2000 GS Carrera 2 and a Porsche 904. In the 1970s, a Club team competes in Spa-Francorchamps, in the Targa Florio and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the late 80s, the Club is actively involved in racing in the Porsche Cup Suisse.
The Porsche Club Romand gives rise to the Porsche Racing Club Romand. Over many years, this Club shapes what happens on the Swiss Club racing front. Between 1996 and 2008 alone, it places first in the team ranking.
The Porsche 804 – In 1962 Porsche sends an eight cylinder Grand Prix racing car with the type designation 804 out to compete in races. The American Porsche driver Dan Gurney wins the French Grand Prix in the Porsche 804 in Rouen and one week later he wins again at Stuttgart’s Solitude Race ahead of the Lotus driven by Jim Clark.
027. Porsche Club Wuppertal e.V. 08/02/1963
028. Porsche Club Basel 27/03/1963
029. Porsche Club Beider Basel 01/07/1963
030. Porsche Club of New South Wales 18/09/1963
031. Porsche Club Roland zu Bremen 27/09/1963
THE 901
On 12th of September 1963, at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Porsche presents the prototype of the new Porsche 901 for the first time. This marks the birth of an icon.
On 18th of September 1963, the first Club in Australia is founded: the Porsche Club of New South Wales.
The passion for Porsche vehicles shows no sign of slowing down as it travels around the world. In Bremen, the Porsche Club Roland is founded. In Basel, two Clubs are founded at once: the Porsche Club Basel and the Porsche Club Beider Basel.
PORSCHE 901 BECOMES THE 911
On 14th of September 1964, the first series-produced Porsche 901 rolls off the production line in Zuffenhausen.
In October, the Porsche sports car with the name 901 was presented at the Paris Motor Show. But Porsche has to change the name it gives to the car. The French Peugeot Group had already secured the rights to 3-digit number sequences with “0” in the middle. Porsche switches to the 911. A sequence of numbers that will be synonymous with the genetic code of the Porsche brand like no other.
Three months after the start of mass production, the new 911 is homologated in January 1965 as a Grand Tourisme. A few days later, the company’s “inhouse” racing driver Herbert Linge and test engineer Peter Falk take part in the Monte Carlo Rallye. After racing for 4,600 kilometres, the two experienced drivers finish the “Monte” in fifth place in the overall standings. Second place is claimed by Eugen Böhringer and Rolf Wütherich in a Porsche 904 Carrera GTS.
In April, the four-cylinder Porsche 912 is presented as an entry-level model.
Based on the “Ollon Villars Bergspyder”, Porsche develops the type 906 Carrera, but it soon becomes known as the Carrera 6. The greatest success of the basic Porsche Carrera 6 is the victory at the Targa Florio in 1966.
On 21st of December, the 100,000th Porsche is presented to the German motorway police.
RACING VICTORIES
Hans Herrmann and Jo Siffert win a victory in their class at the 24 Hours of Daytona driving a Porsche 906 Carrera 6. Porsche enters six 910 prototypes in the Targa Florio. The race ends with a resounding triple victory.
Porsche’s biggest success of 1967, however, is at the Nürburgring. After 44 laps, the 910 racing cars obtain the first four and the sixth place.
032. Porsche Club Kirchen-Hausen 01/05/1968
Outings in the outback
Situated between the Black Forest and Lake Constance is Kirchen-Hausen. — This is an idyllic little town, in a tranquil location surrounded by forests and meadows. If you like a sporty drive, the winding country roads and passes in the Black Forest tempt you to take your car out for a spin. If you want to saunter along smart lakeside promenades, Lake Constance is just a short distance away. A perfect world!
But there are three Porsche enthusiasts who are missing something crucial to make them happy in Kirchen-Hausen: their own Porsche Club. The Porsche Club Kirchen-Hausen is founded on 1st of May 1968 in the year of “flower power” with plenty of “Porsche power”. — Even Janis Joplin drove a Porsche.
In autumn 1969, the product of a joint development between Porsche and Volkswagen is presented at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt under the name Type 914. This small, inexpensive sports car quickly gains an excellent reputation and a committed, loyal group of fans.
THE START OF PORSCHE CLUB SUPPORT
Huschke von Hanstein takes charge of public relations for the newly formed VW-Porsche Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH. As well as the sales activities, the main area of work for Huschke von Hanstein and his secretary Ilse Nädele is to look after and provide support to the Porsche Club members.
A sensation looms large when in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1969 a long-tail version of the 917 leads the race for 20 hours. Ultimately, the 917’s tremendous run of wins begins in the fourth race it enters: Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens win the 1,000 km race of Zeltweg in 1969. At the end of the 1969 year of racing, Porsche easily wins the Manufacturers’ World Championship.
033. Porsche Club Oberfranken e.V. 05/10/1970
034. Porsche Club Seetal-Luzern 07/11/1970
035. Porsche Club Danmark 21/11/1970
036. Porsche Club Schwaben e.V. 31/12/1970
Porsche Club Seetal Luzern – In Switzerland, seven Porsche owners meet on 7th of November 1970 to found the Porsche Club Seetal Luzern, now known as the Porsche Club Zug.
TRAIN LIKE THE PROFESSIONALS!
For several years now, the Porsche Club Seetal Luzern together with the Porsche Zentrum AMAG Zug has been organising a three-day driving and safety training course at the Formula 1 circuit in Magny-Cours. This provides the racers at the Club with the ideal opportunity to test out the driving dynamics of their Porsche cars.
In Swabia, the home of Porsche, the Porsche Club Schwaben is founded. Series such as the Porsche Slalom Trophy and the GTP are founded with the involvement of the Porsche Club Schwaben, and the Club also organises events in Hockenheim, Zandvoort, Zolder, Mugello, Le Castellet and at the Salzburgring. In keeping with the motor sport tradition of the Club, its members also have some spectacular victories under their belts – including, of course, Club President Fritz Letters.
THE PORSCHE 917 AND THE VICTORY AT LE MANS
On 14th of June 1970, Porsche finally manages to secure a really big victory: Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood win the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time with the short-tail version of the type 917. It is the first of a total of 16 overall victories to date. Keeping a promise to his wife, Hans Herrmann then ends his career in motor racing. To this day, he retains close links with Porsche as a company.
037. Porsche Club Oberösterreich 01/04/1971
038. Porsche Club Pforzheim e.V. 27/04/1971
On 1st of April 1971, the Porsche Club Oberösterreich is founded. On 27th of April 1971, the Porsche Club Pforzheim becomes the 38th Porsche Club to be listed in the register of Clubs. Its members have a real passion for motor sports and tourism.
AN ALL-TIME RECORD
The highlight of the 1971 season is once again a victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this time by Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko. With an average speed of 222 km/h, they set an “all-time” speed record – which lasts until 2010.
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Porsche Club News Online
Carsten Horn
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