Engine ventilation became an issue that plagued the design staff and engineers as the car closed in on its debut. This was the back end of one of Komenda’s team T9 proposals. Porsche Archiv
The configuration of the 901 engine with its large central 11-blade fan and its centrally mounted air-intake filter left engine compartment room at a premium. While Hans Mezger’s engine offered abundant capabilities for growth and for racing, its height made convertible-top storage impossible. Porsche Archiv
Its contents page headlines often were as exciting as anything else inside Auto Motor und Sport. The July 27, 1963, issue taunted its readers with the word “Adventurous,” and photos of the camouflaged and winged 901 prototype nicknamed der Fledermaus, the bat. Porsche Archiv
The 901 was well formed by the time it reached the Stuttgart University wind tunnel in March 1964. This was hardly its first trip to the tunnel, and by this time, one or another of the 901 prototypes had been on display at the six most important auto shows in Europe. Porsche Archiv
The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS celebrated its première in Geneva 55 years ago.
This was perhaps the most highly visible of all the early 911s as sales director Dieter Lenz took the car on a 50,000-kilometer sales tour around Europe. This fifthbuilt prototype ended its life when Porsche engineers dropped it from a crane to test its front-end crash strength. Porsche Archiv
Porsche designer Hans Ploch and styling engineer Werner Trenkler developed two cabriolet prototypes in mid-1964. This car, 13 360, also saw duty as one of the Targa prototypes. Randy Leffingwell
Careful inspection showed structural changes where the prototype Targa bar was fitted to and removed from this car in May 1964. Experimenting with the open 911 revealed no place to store the hood or its bows, and the chassis was not stiff enough to support an open car. Randy Leffingwell
Called the Offener-Wagen, this drawing, completed May 23, 1964, showed Porsche’s thinking about its open 911. Barely two weeks later, Ploch and Trenkler had a full-size prototype to demonstrate. Porsche Archiv
Chassis 13 360 appeared with a mockup rollover bar and removable roof panel on June 12, 1964. At this point concepts for the rollover bar remained in body color. Porsche Archiv
The September 1965 issue of L’Automobile published this single photo with a caption that read, “With the end of the 356C models, Porsche had no cabriolets. Will we see at Frankfurt a Porsche 911–912 convertible? It’s unlikely but the demand, however, is strong.” Porsche Archiv
The August 7, 1965, issue of La Nouvelle Revue, from Lausanne, Switzerland, published this photo and brief story:
"...In ceasing production of the 356C models, Porsche has no more cabriolets to satisfy the numerous demands of its clients. That is why one waits at Frankfurt for the debut of convertibles derived from the 911 and the 912.” Porsche Archiv
From this Aktennotiz from February 1, 1965, it is clear that Porsche’s decision for the Typ 911 Cabriolet open car was the Targa with a zipper-removable rear window, a rollover bar covered in stainless steel and fitted with a Porsche badge, and a removable roof panel over the driver’s head. Porsche Archiv
The April 7, 1966, issue of Motor Italia devoted a full page to the Bertone Porsche 911, writing, “At Geneva, on the large stand of Bertone . . . A spider of the Porsche 911, destined to be marketed in the U.S.A.” The caption called attention to the retractable headlight covers. Porsche Archiv
In Touring Bern, from March 15, 1966, a photo showed the Bertone roadster with a caption declaring it was “a limited series of this new body style, destined exclusively for the American market.” While the Kölnische Rundschau wrote on April 16, 1966: “The Italian bodymaker Bertone showed this elegant body for the Porsche 911. The rear end is very powerful.” Porsche Archiv
For a single year, Porsche manufactured this two-liter 911L. It was the company’s highest line offering in the United States in 1968. Porsche Archiv
At the Turin Motor Show in November 1967, Porsche displayed a 912 Targa, a 911S coupe in the center, and a 911 coupe at the bottom of the photo. Porsche had used this largest Italian motor show for the world debut of its Cisitalia Grand Prix car in 1949. Porsche Archiv
This 1967 base 911 model probably was one of very few ever used to tow a caravan mobile home. The fender mirrors were likely aftermarket accessories. Porsche Archiv
In the Zuffenhausen new-car delivery parking lot,this sunlit 1968 911L interior made it clear why Targa models appealed to many customers who relished open-air motoring. Porsche assembled only 444 of the L Targas. Porsche Archiv
The new 911E was an elegant ride to an evening of opera or fine dining and dancing. Porsche introduced the fuel-injected E model and manufactured 1968 coupes and 858 Targas in 1969. Porsche Archiv
