This includes the controversial Cayenne Cabrio and the rad Panamericana.
Our favorite series on YouTube is Porsche’s Top 5. This week, another episode shows some of the most fascinating prototypes that the Zuffenhausen team has created throughout its rich history. These cars aren’t “secret”, but they are very popular with Porschefiles and car enthusiasts alike. Here are the top five:
5. Porsche 984
The compact two-seater 984, which was built between 1984 and 1987, was inspired by a previous project by Porsche to create a lightweight roadster. It was developed for one of the Volkswagen Group’s brands, SEAT. The car was designed to be a sports car for young people with a four-cylinder engine that produces 120 to 150 horsepower.
The prototype weighed in at 880 kilograms (1.940 lb). It was designed as a convertible with a folding top and all-wheel drive. Porsche dropped the 984 project in 1987 after putting so much effort into its development. This was due to a stock market crash and a sales crisis.
4. Porsche Cayenne Cabrio
The Cayenne Cabriolet was featured in another Top 5 video last year. It is an unusual concept for many reasons. The vehicle, which was designed to combine a cabriolet and an SUV, also featured a targa rollerbar and a rear end that suffered from multiple personality disorder. Porsche decided to combine the two designs into one instead of building two prototypes.
Porsche is to be commended for not making the Cayenne Cabriolet available. We also hope that the temptation to mix an SUV and a convertible will cease in the future. A cabrio version of the Cayenne Cabriolet is not in the plans, but a coupe-ified Cayenne has been shown in spy shots that we have published over the past months.
3. Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster
It’s the third 911, designed for selfish people and inspired by the 356 Speedster of the 1950s. Porsche removed the windshield and all windows and covered them with a plastic cover that was inspired by the 550 Spyder, also from the 50s. A small deflector was placed in front of the driver for maximum open-top thrills.
The 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster was transformed into a single-seat sports car by putting on the plastic cover. It is in the same style as the Ferrari SP1 Monza. This one-off Porsche was built in 1987, two years before the 964-gen 911 Carrera Speedster. As a tribute to 1948, when the Porsche 356 Number 1 was granted its operating license, the retro-flavored body style will be back with a special limited at 1,948 units.
2. Porsche Panamericana
Number 2 is a meeting with an old friend, Panamericana. We discussed the radical 911 in an episode of our Concept We Forgot series. But, with Porsche taking the time again to feature it, we couldn’t resist the chance to show the car that Ferry Porsche built for his 80th birthday. The unique car was built in just three months and featured a removable zippered top and the Porsche logo carved into the tires.
The Panamerica was based on the 964 Cabriolet Carrera 4 and had a carbon fibre body designed by Dr. Ulrich Bez, BMW Z1 designer. The Panamericana’s suspension travel is generous and the wheel arches are open, making it unlike any other 911. It’s a shame that it didn’t make it to production.
1. Porsche 918 Spyder rolling chassis
The 918 Spyder was the former record holder of the fastest production vehicle at Nurburgring. It represented the pinnacle in Porsche engineering. The concept was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010. It evolved into a rolling chassis in 2011 and was presented to journalists in this form in 2012.
It’s still the fastest Porsche street car, with a top speed 345 kph (214 mph). The company has announced a successor to the 918 Spyder, stating that a new flagship must lap the Nordschleife at 6 minutes 30 seconds. It will not be available in the near future, as Porsche is still waiting for battery technology to improve before releasing another electrified high performance beast.
