Porsche Reveals Five Of Its Top Secret Prototypes

In the Porsche warehouse, there are some prototypes and studies that have rarely or never been publicly presented before.

And out of all the projects that are hiding there, Porsche says that the five models below are the most interesting, hence why they have made it to the next episode of Porsche Top 5.

5) Porsche 984

From 1984 to 1987, Porsche engineers worked on a prototype of a futuristic vehicle concept - the Porsche 984, a compact, lightweight and aerodynamic roadster. Producing just 135 hp, the focus was mainly on reduced air resistance instead of high performance – hence 984’s unladen weight of 880 kg.

4) Cayenne Cabriolet

Way before concepts like the Nissan Murano Cabriolet and the Range Rover Evoque cabriolet were shown to the world, the folks at Stuttgart already came up with their own version of an open-top SUV – the Cayenne Cabriolet, but unfortunately, it never made it past the prototype phase. An interesting thing about the Cayenne Cabrio is that since it was made before the era of digital designing, Porsche actually had to create two versions with different rear designs, and proceed with the more cost efficient version.

3) Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster

The 1987 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster is a one-seater with absolutely no frills. Designed for pure driving pleasure just like the first Speedster in the 1950s, this prototype with the 911 Carrera body is the predecessor of a highly coveted, rare version of the classic 911 Speedster.

 2) Porsche Panamericana

The Panamericana was presented to Ferry Porsche for his 80th birthday in 1989. One of this vehicle’s design highlights is without a doubt its seamless lines. Every line runs smoothly into the next across the entire car. Overall, the whole “Panamericana” development process lasted just a few months and included some elements that were seen again in the subsequent 911 generation, 993.

1) Porsche 918 Spyder "Rolling Chassis"

The latest digital methods are used to develop so-called virtual prototypes. These allow many systems and components to be virtually tested at an early stage and extensively tested in conjunction with other systems – even before real-life prototypes are available. This makes development faster and more efficient. However, in the case of the 918 Spyder “rolling chassis”, there was no option but to try out the hybrid drivetrain. So, in spring 2012, selected experts were invited to the test track in Weissach, where the “rolling chassis” was intended to convince them of the feasibility of the 918 Spyder.