Porsche. Just the name can conjure up images of sleek, powerful, and iconic cars that have been making our hearts beat faster for generations. But have you ever stopped to think about the design journey that brought us from the first Porsche, all curves and speed, to the high-tech, high-performance machines we know and love today?
It all started in the 1930s when the founder of the Porsche company, Ferdinand Porsche, decided to make a car that was truly both form and function.
The first Porsche car, the 356, was a lightweight, nimble, and quick machine. The Beetle, an automobile designed by Porsche for Volkswagen several years prior, was used to develop the 356.
After World War II, Porsche’s son Ferry led the design team. The 356 design was revamped and updated for efficiency before being made production. The 550 Spyder that premiered in 1953 was a sporty, lightweight automobile with a streamlined profile.
Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, Ferdinand’s grandson, was in charge of the 911 design team. The 911, which debuted in 1963, was based on the 356 but had a much more modern appearance. With a fiberglass bodywork and streamlined shape, the 904 Carrera GTS of 1964 was more aerodynamic than the 356.
The first car was a 911 of the 991 series, first introduced in 2012; as the year of introduction would suggest, it was a major philosophical update to the 911’s design with more of a modernistic and “sleek” approach.
Macan, meanwhile, was a compact luxury SUV from 2013 featuring the same “angular”, “aggressive” design, and cardinal elements like multiple-layered headlights.
There is also a 2019’s Taycan, which is somewhat a historical car for Porsche as it is the first all-electric car in history from Porsche; the car is known for a strikingly stark and “futuristic” attitude.
Porsche’s design philosophy goes around the concept of “form follows function”; in other words, Porsche’s designers aim at creating cars to not only look good but to serve a purpose, be it performance, aerodynamics, usability, or else. The Porsche’s design bureau is known for extensive attention to detail, giving its cars stunning design while maintaining a high level of usefulness and sufficient ergonomics.
