Photos courtesy Porsche
As a Porsche newbie or just a casual fan of the brand, it’s sometimes intimidating trying to be part of a conversation at a cars and coffee or Porsche Club of America event with other longtime or dyed-in-the-wool Porsche enthusiasts. Here’s a list to help you navigate and understand some terms that may be used. While this list could easily number a hundred, here are just ten things to start you off to becoming an “enthusiast.”
What is the inverted triangle with the letter ‘P’ inside of it?
Everyone who owns a Porsche has seen it and probably didn’t pay too much attention to it. But what does that little symbol mean? According to Porsche Classic, it’s a symbol that stands for originality and quality. It’s found on all Porsche parts. Odds are, you may even see someone wearing a ballcap with the logo on it. Now you won’t have to wonder what that means.
What is the fabled Mezger engine?Hans Mezger was an engineer for Porsche who specialized in engine design. While he is credited with many of Porsche’s iconic engines, the flat six used in the 911 is probably his most famous. Up until the 996 era, all 911s had engines based on the original Mezger design. While the 996 Carreras used an all-new engine, the GT3/GT2 and Turbo became the preferred choice for many enthusiasts. They still used Mezger’s basic engine design with some changes (air-cooled to water-cooled, for example), yet it still used a dry sump oil system. So, when did the Mezger 911 engine end? Some say with the 996 GT3/Turbo. Others say all air cooled 911s were Mezgers. The 2011 GT3 RS 4.0 is widely considered to be the last 911 with the “Mezger” engine.
The “e” is not silent in the word Porsche.
Porsche is a two-syllable word. Simply explained, it is a family name. It’s also a secret handshake of sorts. When you hear someone pronounce it correctly, you know you already have something in common with a stranger. Porsche even made a video on how to pronounce their name.Another example of the pronunciation of the “e” at the end of a name is the CEO of Porsche AG, Oliver Blume. Just search on YouTube for a presentation by him and you will hear his name pronounced with two syllables and not one.
Why is the key on the left on so many Porsches?
The romantic answer is that Porsche was looking to save every second on the track whenever possible. Up until 1969, a Le Mans start meant the drivers would line up across the track and sprint towards their cars. Thus, by placing the ignition to the left of the steering wheel, the driver could turn the car on with one hand and begin steering with the other. It’s a much better story than the reality, or rather, the economics of it. The reality was that Porsche was a struggling company in the early years, and wherever it could save money without sacrificing performance or quality, it would. Thus, Porsche discovered that it could save on wiring cost by moving the ignition to the left. I know, it’s not as good a story as the racing version. But if you feel better, continue using that story, you’ll be in good company.
What is the Pink Pig?
Up until a few years ago, the Pink Pig wasn’t found on t-shirts, mugs, and rarely as toy cars. It wasn’t until Porsche began really embracing their historic liveries did it resurrect the Pink Pig. It was a 917, specifically, a 917-20, whose livery was designed by Anatole Lapine. He would later be known for being head designer for the 928. The “sow,” as it was initially known, would debut at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. Lacking any sponsorship, Lapine decided to celebrate an animal that was often found on the menu of many German restaurants. The crowd at Le Mans loved it. It did not have a particularly successful race as it was involved in an accident and had to retire. Porsche resurrected the same livery on a 911 RSR for the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans. This time, the Pink Pig would be vindicated with a class win.
PTS and Rennbow are two terms you must know if you’re going to have any type of conversation about color and Porsches. PTS means Paint to Sample and is essentially custom paint, usually non-standard paint colors. It’s an added cost and makes your Porsche even more unique. Rennbow is the Porsche Club of America’s website dedicated to cataloging all the Porsche colors ever used. You can easily spend hours looking up colors and looking at user-submitted photos of these colors on Porsches. You can visit Rennbow here.Be forewarned, there are close to 600 individual Porsche colors listed with more than 14,000 photos uploaded. You’ll find yourself spending a lot of time on this site.
The letters RS have always been reserved for the models that are developed in conjunction with Porsche Motorsports.
Either as a hom*ologation model or one that is derivative of the racing model, there’s always a sense of excitement and anticipation when Porsche announces a new RS model. In case you’re wondering, RS is short for Rennsport, which means racing in German. While a GT3 or GT4 are special in their own right, an RS model usually means more power, lighter weight, and suspension tuned for the track. The original 911 that began the RS craze was the 1973 911 Carrera RS.
Gmünd, Flacht, Weissach, Leipzig, and Zuffenhausen.
The Weissach R&D Test Track, old (left) and current.
If you didn’t take German in high school, you’re about to take an express course in German and Austrian geography. Gmünd is a small village in Austria. It was the location of a sawmill that was converted into the first Porsche factory. Within two years, Ferry Porsche would move back to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Weissach is the home of the Porsche Research and Development facility. Don’t bother trying to get a tour. It’s not open to the public. It does contain a test track and thousands of engineers as well as the design house. Flacht is a small village that happens to be part of the Weissach R&D facility. However, what’s special is that it is home to Porsche Motorsports. Which is why you will see many GT cars with license plates or decals that say “Made in Flacht.” Leipzig is in what was previously known as East Germany. It is now home to the Porsche factory that produces Cayennes, Macans, and Panameras, but also built Carrera GT supercars in the mid-2000s. Zuffenhausen is a suburb of Stuttgart and where the first Porsche factory in Germany is located. It is where 911s, Boxsters, and Caymans are produced. Right next door to that factory is the Taycan factory.
When it comes to Volkswagen, it’s all in the family
Ferdinand Piëch (left) and Ferry Porsche.
Yes, it’s true. Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche was responsible for the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle. In addition to his son, Ferry, he also had a daughter, Louise. Louise would marry Anton Piëch and thus the Porsche-Piëch families would become synonymous with all things Porsche. Both families would end up owning a controlling stake in Volkswagen AG (does not mean auto group). This company is called Porsche Automobil Holding SE. Unlike other car manufacturers, the “family” is very much active in the current operation of the company.
Does Porsche really point the bottom of the crest towards the valve stem on its wheels?
It's worth noting not every vehicle in Porsche photo database had the crest pointing to the valve stem or anything in particular.
It’s true. Supposedly this is done to make it easy to locate the valve stem. To take it a step further, if you have a Porsche with the ultra-rare Speedline wheels that have the Porsche name on the lip, then the bottom of the crest should point to the name and not the valve stem. Whether it’s true or not, it seems appropriate for a company that started life as an engineering consulting firm.
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