6 ultimate Porsches from the ’60s

Posted on 27-10-2014 at 10:16 by CasperH – 15 Comments”

In the 60s was the Porsche 911 on the market. But there are more Porsches in the ’60’s you must know!

Between the years ’50 and the years ’70, we must, of course, the most important years in the history of Porsche not forget: 1963 and 1964 were the birth years of the 901 and 911. But also other icons of the German brand, found their origin in the sixties.

356B Abarth GTL (1960)

With the help of the Italian Abarth created Porsche a lightweight Porsche 356, 356B Abarth GTL. This specially designed 356 was smaller and lighter than the regular 356. The body was made from aluminum and the first prototypes were in 1960 and used during the Targa Florio, which they immediately won. The following year they did the same trick once again to be careful about. The original version was equipped with a 116 hp four cylinder boxer, followed later by a version with 167 hp.

718/8 W-RS Spyder (1962)


The 2 litre achtcilinder from the Formula 1 car of Porsche produced slightly more than 200 hp. It was the ultimate recipe for class wins in the Targa Florio in 1962. In 1963, won this monster with an improved block (240 hp) also the European Hillclimb Championship.

904 Carrera GTS (1964)

A racer who is also in straatlegale trim was built, arise because Porsche stopped with Formula 1 in 1962 and wanted to deposit on the racing sports cars. The straatlegale 904 Carrera GTS was designed as a homologation car for the racers of the brand. This was, incidentally, dealing with the same naamgevingsprobleem as the 901 (see below) and was therefore marketed as Carrera GTS. A straatlegale version appeared in 1964 on the market, there were only 106 units were built.

901 (1963) and 911 (1964)

The replacement of the 356 and the car that the brand defined was (and still is) the 911. The Porsche that we know today as the 911 was originally the 901 going to be called, but Peugeot did not want that happened. The French brand has a trademark with type names with a “0” in the middle. There were 82 cars built with the type designation 901, but then Porsche car was officially announced at the Paris motor Show in October 1964, came Peugeot in rebellion. The cars with the type 901 are never officially in the sales gone but in the meantime it is known that a number of these cars in the hands of collectors. About the value of these cars we dare not even speculate.

Porsche decided after the protest from Peugeot, the “0” by a “1” to replace it and the legendary Porsche 911 was born. A car that in the meantime through many generations has evolved to the 991 in fifty years time. The first 911’s had a 130 hp six-cylinder boxer. This block was air cooled, was hung behind the rear axle, had a capacity of 1991 cc and was linked to a four – or vijfbak transmission. The design was for a large part of the hand of Ferdinand Porsche jr., but also Erwin Komenda interfered with the drawings.

Porsche put the first and last generation to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary together, so a photoshoot was possible, which you can find here.

912 (1965)

Referred to as basic 911: the 912 was the affordable little brother of the 911, with a four – instead of six-cylinder boxer. The 912 was in production after the 356 in 1965, officially of the market disappeared. The 912 disappeared in 1969 of the market but came in 1976, still back as the 912E.
Fotocredit: Stratos on Autojunk.nl

914 (1969)

On the threshold of the seventies decided Volkswagen that Porsche is a sports car for they had to develop to replace the Karmann Ghia. The idea was that there is a four-cylinder VW block behind the front seats would end up and that the car as Volkswagen would be sold. At the same time, Porsche made the same car with a straight six going to sell it as a Porsche. During the development knew Porsche the board of management of Volkswagen to convince that it would be unwise to both the car to sell and so was the 914 eventually never as a Volkswagen on the market.

Some people see the 914 as the distant ancestor of the Boxster. A much-heard sentiment is that the 914 is a better car than the 911 of the time, with a better balance and finer handling. Fact, that the 914 was sold better than the 911. Much better even.