MUSEUM CLASSICS TO START THEIR ENGINES IN THE SPRING
9 April 2013, Stuttgart.- In the 50th anniversary year of the 911, the Porsche Museum will noticeably boost its “Rolling Museum” appearances. The plans of Porsche’s historical brand ambassador are more dynamic for 2013 than ever before, and the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer will be in action around the world.
The most important dates for the first half of the year are already set, starting with the “Langenburg Historic” from 19 to 21 April. This event will see a very special meeting – Jürgen Barth will pilot the Porsche 718 W-RS Spyder. His father, Edgar Barth, won the European Mountain Championship in 1963 in “Grandmother,” as Porsche mechanics named the car due to its unusually long motorsports tenure (1961-1964). Jürgen Barth celebrated his greatest successes in 1977 when he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in 1980 when he won the 1000 km at Nürburgring.
From 16 to 19 May the Porsche Museum will participate in the legendary 1000 miles of the Mille Miglia with an impressive line-up of two Porsche 550 Spyders, two 356 Coupés and a 356 Speedster. The competition route takes the most picturesque roads from Brescia to Rome and back, and is one of the most important events in the Porsche Museum’s calendar. The Mille Miglia remains a challenge for cars and drivers even today, as its 1000 mile route must be completed in three days, and usually crosses several different weather zones.
On 23 June 2013 the Porsche Museum will send two racing classics to Le Mans. This year the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a leading endurance race that Porsche has dominated since 1970 with 16 overall victories, will celebrate its 90th birthday. Naturally the legendary Porsche 917 KH cannot fail to make an appearance. In 1970, after 343 laps and exactly 4607.811 kilometres, Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood were first across the finish line in their Porsche 917 KH with the number 23. At Le Mans, visitors and fans can meet former Porsche Works race driver and long-distance specialist Hans Herrmann, who won over 80 overall and category victories. A 1987 Porsche 962 will also be on hand, representing the several 956/962s that took seven Le Mans wins before 1994.
The Goodwood “Festival of Speed” would be inconceivable without Porsche. Starting in 1993 this annual motorsports event has been held on the estate of Lord March in West Sussex. This year, the 20th Festival will be take place from 11 to 14 July. The “50 years of the 911” anniversary will be a central part of it. Visitors can look forward to demonstration runs with seven stock and racing vehicles from seven generations of the 911, as well as a 917 KH, 962, 911 GT1 ‘98, 917/30 and 935/78 “Moby Dick.” There will also be a 936 Spyder, whose three Le Mans victories make it one of the most successful Porsches.
The first half of the year will be capped off with the “Solitude Revival” from 19 to 21 July, which will see various Porsche 911s, a 718 Formula 2 and the 356 Abarth in action before the gates of Stuttgart. Prominent former race drivers will be in attendance as well, from Hans Herrmann to Kurt Ahrens to Eberhard Mahle, recalling the legendary Solitude wins of the past. In addition to the Porsche Museum, experts from the company’s Exclusive and Classic departments will also take part in the event.
Porsche is going its own way with the Rolling Museum concept. Almost all of the museum pieces are road-ready, and thus meet the original purpose for which they were built – they drive. Before and during every run, specialists at the Museum workshop make sure the rolling Porsche historical ambassadors are ready for the next event. Thus, the Porsche Museum stands for variety and living history like few other automobile museums do. Instead of a conventional static exhibit, its constantly rearranged and revised showpieces offer a dynamic view of sports car history.
The Porsche Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. More information is available at www.porsche.com/museum
Text and photographs by: Porsche.
