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Meet Our US Team

Fast Lane Travel, Inc.® delivering the best in luxury driving tours of EUROPE and the US since 1974.

FLT was founded in 1974 by Peter Sontag as a result of a suggestion by his PORSCHE-owning physician brother-in-law. He and several other PORSCHE owners expressed a desire to visit the PORSCHE facilities in Stuttgart and to drive on the Autobahn.

Peter was born in Austria and lived in Vienna until he was 17 years old. While in training at a luxury hotel in Vienna, he became friends with an American couple who ultimately invited him to visit them in Ohio. His visit resulted in his staying in Ohio to complete his high school education. After graduation and a stint in the military, he worked in the steel mills of Ohio and West Virginia while putting himself through college. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Economics. He then went on to earn a Master’s in Finance from Columbia University in New York. Following this degree, he began his distinguished career in the travel industry where he was elected four times as one of the Travel Industry’s 25 Most Influential Executives. At the height of his career, Peter raised $124 million in investment capital and built the third largest travel distribution business in North America, US Travel, Inc., with $2.4 billion in sales.

The investors and Peter ultimately sold that company in 1994. Peter then decided to focus solely on FLT to create the ultimate luxury automotive travel company.

FLT will celebrate its 226th PORSCHE Group trip in 2024, in addition FLT has made travel and driving arrangements for over 500 PORSCHE European Delivery Customers. Our objective is to make sure that folks picking up their new PORSCHE get maximum enjoyment from that experience. FLT will share with you what we have learned from our close to 50-years’ experience of PORSCHE travel. We will share with you our experience so that your customers can have a safe, enjoyable, exciting and memorable European PORSCHE driving experience.

Meet Our European Team

GERMANY AUTO FACTORY TOURS

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Porsche Factory and Museum in Stuttgart, Germany

As part of our 8-day/7-night Auto Factory Tour of Germany, you will take two separate 2-hour guided walking tours through the production area will give you a completely new view of our cars. From engine construction, through the upholstery shop to the final assembly of the "marriage", the uniting of the drivetrain and chassis with the body. Stuttgart is the location where the 911, 918, Boxster, Cayman, and fully electric Taycan are produced. You will view the logistics where all the parts are sent down the assembly line. You will walk through the factory, just feet away from the production line.

You will experience a 2-hour walking tour of Porsche‘s first full-electric sports car, the Taycan. You will visit the assembly line of the first full-electric Porsche Taycan and the paint shop. The plant has been producing the Taycan since 2019 and now you can be a part of that production process!

Your second walking tour will be the 911/718 where you will visit the assembly line for the Porsche 911 and the 718 Boxster and the 718 Cayman model series. You will see the selected production areas such as vehicle assembly and the upholstery area. 

The Porsche Museum Tour, a one-hour tour with more than 80 vehicles and many small exhibits will be on display in a unique ambiance. In addition to world-famous, iconic vehicles such as the 356, 550, 911, and 917, the exhibits include some of the outstanding technical achievements of Professor Ferdinand Porsche from the early 20th century. Here you can choose whether to start with the company history before 1948 or head directly into the main area of the exhibition which represents Porsche's product and motorsport history in chronological order. Both areas are interlinked by the "Porsche Idea" section, which forms the backbone of the exhibition. The new interactive „Porsche Touchwall“ is waiting for the visitors at the end of the museum’s tour. The 12-meter-long installation covers nine decades of exciting automobile history on the basis of 3.000 pictures, drawings, and technical data allowing the visitor to explore almost all Porsche street- and race cars.

After the guided factory tours, you will have free time to walk through the museum at your own pace.

Porsche Museum Tours

Porsche Factory Tours

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Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, GA

The West Track

The Home of Speed in the Heart of the South

Outside the painted lines.

Explore what makes Porsche special when you’re not behind the wheel. Test your driving skills on world-renowned race tracks in our Simulator Lab or immerse yourself in the Porsche brand culture with a visit to our Heritage Gallery—home to an ever-changing collection of historical Porsche vehicles.

Impossible to beat.

Restaurant 356

Introducing our new track, featuring sections inspired by world famous driving destinations.

There's something for everyone at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta

Explore what makes Porsche special when you’re not behind the wheel. 

Make your next event an experience to remember by hosting at the Porsche Experience Center.

Driven by appetite

On the Track

The Thrill Of The Drive.

Off The Track

Outside The Painted Lines.

Facilities & Venue

A Place Worthy Of Porsche.

Private & Corporate events

Engineered to impress.

Luxury European Driving Tours

Explore Europe from the cockpit of your Porsche 911 Carrera

Luxury european porsche driving tours, every luxury driving tour of europe is a unique, exciting and unforgettable experience.

Autobahn Adventures offers a variety of all-inclusive Porsche driving tours of Europe throughout the year, each visiting amazing countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Our driving tours are the ideal way to experience the rich history, diverse countryside, and breathtaking sights of the continent. Say goodbye to regimented schedules, packed touring buses, and large groups following a guide with a megaphone. Imagine instead, a Porsche driving tour of Europe, complete with luxury, personal independence, and flexibility. Our luxury tours literally put you in the driver’s seat of your own vacation. Autobahn Adventures’ Porsche cars, rich itineraries, world class hotels, a gourmet dining experience and dedication to freedom and flexibility have created automobile driving tours of Europe that exceed even your highest expectations. See our selection of amazing Luxury European Driving Tours below for current and future driving tours.

• Upcoming Tours

Taste of Tuscany

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Monaco Grand Prix VIP Driving Tour

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Cruise and Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria and Switzerland from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera and then Spain, France and Monaco from a small luxury ship

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Cruise and Driving Tour. Experience Spain, France and Monaco from a small luxury ship and Germany, Austria and Switzerland from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

4 Country Adventure

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Austrian Adventure

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany and Austria from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Driving Tour and experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy from the cockpit of your Porsche 911.

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Luxury European Driving Tour and experience Germany, Austria and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Alpine Adventure

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 Day, 12 Night Luxury European Driving Tour visiting Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Drive the latest model Porsche 911 Carrera on some of Europe’s most exciting alpine roads

5 Country Adventure

Join us on an all-inclusive 14 day, 13 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Italian Grand Prix VIP Driving Tour

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Racing Inspired Luxury Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Luxury European Driving Tour. Experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Join us on an all-inclusive 15 day, 14 night Luxury European Cruise and Driving Tour. Experience France, Italy and Monaco from a Silversea luxury ship then Germany, Switzerland and Austria from the cockpit of a Porsche 911

Join us on an all-inclusive 15 day, 14 night Luxury European Cruise and Driving Tour. Experience France, Italy and Monaco from a small luxury ship and Germany, Switzerland and Austria from the cockpit of a Porsche 911

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Luxury European Driving Tour visiting Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Italy. Drive the all new 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera along the way

Join us on an exclusive 15 day, 14 night Luxury European Cruise and Drive Tour to experience the best of Germany, Austria, Italy and France. Experience the all new 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera along the way

Join us on an all-inclusive 13 day, 12 night Luxury European Driving Tour and experience Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France from the cockpit of a Porsche 911

Taste Of Tuscany

Join us on an all-inclusive 15 day, 14 night Luxury European Driving Tour and experience Germany, Austria and Italy from the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Carrera

Join us on an exclusive 15 day, 14 night Luxury European Cruise and Drive Tour to experience the best of Germany, Austria, Italy and France

Find a Porsche Center

New hybrid-powered Porsche 911 is 8.7 seconds quicker around the 'Ring

More comprehensive info and specs, plus pictures, will be revealed may 28.

It's no secret that the next Porsche 911 will offer some degree of hybridization , and today, the company released a few details ahead of the full 2025 Porsche 911 reveal on May 28. 

A new, hybrid-powered 911 completed one lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:16.934 minutes, which is 8.7 seconds faster than "the corresponding version of the predecessor model." Which model is that? You'll have to wait to find out until May 28. We suppose you might also be able to look up past 'Ring times and do the math, but it'll have to be with the current lap standard and ... is that really how you want to spend your time? Patience young Padawan. Porsche offers that "the test car was equipped with standard road tires, plus the aero kit with a fixed rear wing that has been available as an option previously." The lap was completed by Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister. 

"We have more grip, significantly more power, and the spontaneous response of the performance hybrid is a great advantage," said Bermeister in Porsche's release.

Porsche also shared information about the hybrid 911's testing.

"We left nothing to chance during development and tested the new 911 under all sorts of conditions all over the world from the freezing cold to scorching heat," said Frank Moser, the model line vice president for the 911, in Porsche's release. "All in all, our engineers and test drivers clocked up more than 3.1 million miles of development driving."

Again, look for Autoblog's extensive coverage of the new 911 on May 28. 

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Sell my car, car research, sign in, what is porsche tequipment, consider factory-authorized accessories to spice up your dream ride..

QuickTakes:

• Porsche Tequipment explained
• Accessories for the enthusiast
• A diverse product lineup
• The Porsche Roof Tent

Porsche has a reputation for building sports cars, as well as high-performance luxury cars and SUVs . But for those who want to customize their Porsche, the Stuttgart-native brand offers Porsche Tequipment.

Porsche Tequipment Explained

Porsche Tequipment is the name for what was formerly the Porsche Parts Service division of Porsche. Tequipment started supplying accessories for Porsche models since 1995. These range from color-contrasted lug nuts to modernized audio and communication equipment to performance-boosting upgrades.

The line of accessories has grown over the years to include Porsche-tailored child seats , exterior trim pieces, and even a rooftop tent.

Accessories for the Enthusiast

Owning a Porsche can be a childhood dream of auto enthusiasts. Those fortunate enough to make that dream a reality could take things a step further by customizing their prized Porsches.

In the 1950s, for instance, an aftermarket emerged for Porsche ski luggage carriers. In 1972, Porsche Parts Service developed its own line of accessories that included custom wheel centers, floor mats, and luggage carriers.

New ideas included wind deflectors for convertible models that kept turbulent wind from buffeting the cabin. This made the cabin quieter and allowed for conversations even with the top down. Audio systems, bike carriers , ski racks , and more followed, finding their way into the Porsche Parts Service catalog.

The demand for genuine Porsche accessories continued to grow, leading to the development of Porsche Tequipment in 1995. The name Tequipment is a combination of the words technical and equipment. The division's first offering was the Powerkit for the Porsche 911 , a parts package that delivered improved performance without voiding Porsche's warranty .

A Diverse Product Lineup

Porsche says its Tequipment division allows for retrospective personalization. That's a gentle way of saying it lets owners take creative control with genuine Porsche accessories.

Tequipment parts are model-specific accessories — such as sports exhaust systems, tinted headlights , and specially designed wheel sets — that were designed by the same creators and engineers who design the cars. All accessories undergo extensive testing during development. Aero parts are even subjected to aerodynamic compliance tests in a wind tunnel with their respective vehicles.

Some Tequipment products, such as the 17-inch Dyno wheels for the first-generation Porsche Boxster , were collaborations between the Tequipment division and the external Porsche Design Studios group, which is also known for products such as its sunglasses, watches, and travel gear.

Motorsport accessories — designed for both street and track use — are also part of the Tequipment catalog. They include such items as 3D-printed racing seats, racing performance brake pads, a lap timer that uses Porsche's Track Precision App, racing helmet cases, and aluminum filler caps.

The Sky (or Rooftop) Is the Limit

The Porsche Tequipment lineup includes accessories for nearly every contemporary Porsche model. The available parts and their prices will vary depending on the specific year and model.

One highlight for the adventurous 911 owner who wants a more natural experience in the outdoors is the Porsche Roof Tent. Equipped with a skylight, two side windows, screens, and blackout panels, the rooftop abode allows two people to sleep underneath the stars atop the 911 and folds into a hardshell case for easy transport.

Starting prices for this product are just over $7,000. If you're interested in this accessory, you'll have to place a dealer inquiry to get one for yourself.

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Posted: November 9, 2023 | Last updated: November 9, 2023

There is a facet of the Porsche collection outsiders rarely get to see.

The treasure trove is stashed away in a nondescript building in the Stuttgart area . Hundreds of cars (including prototypes, one-offs and race cars) are hidden behind closed doors and occasionally taken out for special events like motor shows and new car launches.

Autocar got a private tour with the lucky man, Alexander Klein, whose job it is to curate - and guard - its priceless cars. Here’s our pick of the best Porsches you’ve (probably) never seen before:

Porsche Type 60 (1938)

While it’s normally a stretch to call a Porsche a people’s car, company founder Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) developed the original Volkswagen Beetle before creating any of the sports cars that bear his name. He built the first test cars in 1936, and manufactured the first pre-production prototypes of what would affectionately become known as the Beetle in 1938. Porsche called the car Type 60.

The Type 60 was very close to the regular-production Beetle, down to the shape of the body and the air-cooled four-cylinder engine mounted out back. It came with a four-speed manual transmission, a real novelty in an era when even some high-end cars settled for a three-speed unit. Ferdinand Porsche mounted a 35 hp evolution of the Beetle’s flat-four in the mid-engined Type 356 he built in 1948. 

Volkswagen Bus (1949)

Porsche has never dabbled in commercial vans, so it sourced its race support vehicles from other manufacturers. The original Volkswagen Bus was a popular option because it was solid, affordable and relatively cheap to operate . Porsche raised this example’s roof to carry more gear, creating a body style never offered by Volkswagen.

Porsche 550 Spyder (1953)

Porsche’s 550 Spyder was designed for racing. Stuffing a 110 hp flat-four engine in a 1197 lb car was a recipe for victory, and the 550 Spyder became one of the most successful race cars of the 1950s. It continued winning races for years after production stopped.

While its racing pedigree is far from forgotten today, the 550 Spyder is more often associated with showbusiness than racing due to its unwished-for connection to the 1955 death of American actor James Dean . 

Porsche 597 Jagdwagen (1955)

In 1955 the newly-born West German Army asked auto manufacturers to submit a proposal for a low-cost, efficient four-wheel-drive vehicle in the vein of the Willys Jeep. Porsche responded with the 597, its first off-roader . It was a simple, function-over-form car powered by a 356-sourced flat-four engine installed behind the rear axle.

Porsche didn’t secure the government’s contract because the 597 was too expensive to manufacture, and the company wasn’t able to ramp up production in a timely manner. The contract was instead awarded to the DKW Munga .

Porsche 911 S Type 915 (1970)

The Type 915 explored how to package four adult-sized seats into a 911. Porsche added about a foot of sheet metal between the axles, allowing the coupe to carry four passengers in relative comfort . Company executives ultimately chose not to turn the Type 915 into a production model because they feared it would cannibalize the brand’s other cars.

Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1 (1974)

Porsche created the winged, wide-bodied Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1 to illustrate the benefits of turbocharging a 911. Forced induction bumped the 2.1-liter flat-six’s output from 300 to over 460 hp . Scores of fans lined the Le Mans track in 1974 to see the RSR belch out flames as it sped past. The first car dropped out eight hours into the race, but the second one finished in second place.

The 911’s stock brakes weren’t enough to safely bring the RSR’s turbocharged fury to a stop. The mechanical upgrades consequently included a model-specific braking system with drilled rotors and 917-style finned brake calipers. The RSR also received center-locking wheels and a revised suspension setup.

Porsche 924 record car (1976)

The marketing team in Stuttgart turned to the phrase “what wins on Sunday sells on Monday” to promote the then-new 924 . They decided to build one capable of setting a headline-grabbing speed record on the high-speed oval in in Nardò, Italy . The coupe was upgraded with a 253 hp engine and a wind-cheating body kit. The record attempt never took place.

Porsche 935 (1976)

The 935 was an evolution of the 911 developed for endurance racing. Its turbocharged, fuel-injected flat-six engine could reliably make over 700 hp . Early 935s looked like a standard 911, but later evolutions of the car received a now-famous wind-sculpted front end with headlights mounted in the bumper and mirrors integrated into the bodywork.

Porsche Type 995 (1978)

The design brief for the Type 995 put a strong emphasis on fuel economy, safety, and noise emissions. Based on the 928, the 995 could be equipped with a 3.0-liter V8 engine fitted with a cylinder deactivation system or a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. An electronically-controlled dual-clutch automatic transmission improved gas mileage – at least on paper.

Porsche 924 Carrera GTR (1980)

The 924 Carrera GTR is another homologation special. Porsche built 17 examples of the car in 1980 to satisfy Group 4 regulations. Each one left the factory with a bigger intercooler , an integrated roll cage, an adjustable suspension and bigger brakes carried over from the 935.

Hess-Porsche Single Track 356 (1980)

Instrument maker Peter Hess spent three and a half years building a 356-powered motorcycle from scratch. The bike’s heart is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine from a Super 90 whose output is limited 60 hp, enough to send it to a top speed of 151mph .

The instrument cluster, the shaft drive unit and the forks came from a BMW motorcycle. The frame was designed by Hess, and he increased the engine’s oil capacity to run two oil coolers in order to keep its temperature in check. This one-of-a-kind motorcycle was so well executed that it was approved for road use by the German authorities.

Porsche 959 wind tunnel mule (1982)

This early 959 prototype was extensively tested in a wind tunnel in 1982 , a year before the model left enthusiasts speechless at the Frankfurt motor show . Porsche points out the test mule’s spoiler is integrated into the deck lid, and its underbody is equipped with a plastic cover. Hand-written notes all over the body are a testament to the numerous tweaks made before achieving a 0.31 drag coefficient.

Porsche 959 concept (1983)

The 959 was first seen as a concept at Frankfurt. A radical evolution of the 911, the concept previewed an immensely powerful halo car designed to comply with the FIA’s Group B regulations. The visual differences between the concept and the production model included additional air vents cut into the front bumper, air intakes behind the doors and different wheels.

Porsche 984 (1984)

The 924 filled the gap left by the 914 on the bottom rung of the Porsche lineup, but the Stuttgart-based brand didn’t build another mid-engined model until it introduced the Boxster in 1996. The 984 shows what an entry-level mid-engined convertible would have looked like in the 1980s.

Light, aerodynamic and affordable, the 984 was built to lure younger enthusiasts into showrooms, especially in the US, where Porsche predicted the bulk of sales would come from. It used a 2.0-liter flat-four engine tuned to send 137 hp to the rear wheels via a manual transmission.

The cabin is put together using 944 bits and pieces. The fully finished interior illustrates how close the 984 came to joining the 911 in Porsche showrooms. The company explains development stopped abruptly after new car sales in the US collapsed in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash .

Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar (1985)

The 959 never raced in a Group B rally event due to the exceptionally high cost of participating in the series. Race car driver Jacky Ickx convinced Porsche to put the car on stilts and enter it in the Paris-Dakar, an off-road endurance race that takes a massive toll on both man and machine.

An array of mechanical issues prevented the 959s from reaching the finish line in the 1985 Dakar. The team came back with a vengeance the following year and earned a one-two finish. The 959 won other rallying events in Europe, but it never made it back on the Dakar podium.

Turning the 959 into a rally car required extensive modifications . Thick skid plates were added under the car to protect vital mechanical components from dangerous desert encounters, and the interior received a full roll cage. Porsche sometimes used a Mercedes-Benz 280GE fitted with a 928-sourced V8 as a technical support vehicle.

Porsche 959 (1986)

Porsche initially turned the 959 concept into a production model with a single mission in mind: to dominate Group B racing. One of the best performance cars of its era, the 959 received a twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter flat-six engine which channeled its 450 hp output to both axles.

Extensive use of lightweight materials such as Aramid and Nomex kept the 959’s weight in check. It was launched as a limited-edition model, and it sold out quickly in spite of an astronomical price of 420,000 Deutschmarks . Porsche’s records indicate 292 cars were built; we saw at least four during our tour of the warehouse.

Porsche 928 H50 (1987)

Concepts like the 928 H50 suggest Porsche has attempted to link performance and space throughout most of its history. The H50 was an experimental 928 with a stretched wheelbase, small rear doors and space for four passengers. Engineers put 5000 miles on the car before deciding it wasn’t rigid enough to deliver the driving dynamics buyers expect from a Porsche.

Porsche 928 Convertible (1987)

Had things gone as planned, the 928 would have succeeded the 911 as the flagship of the Porsche family. The company’s research and development department built an experimental 928 convertible in preparation for a possible production model to replace the topless 911 . Upper management mothballed the project in late 1988 to save money.

The convertible was all but identical to the standard 928 from the rocker panels up to the belt line. Above that, it gained a long deck lid and a cloth soft top which was stored directly behind the passenger compartment. The convertible conversion transformed the 928 from a 2+2 into a two-seater, and made it 110 lb heavier.

Porsche 989 (1988)

Porsche believed introducing a sporty, family-friendly sedan would help it claw out of a financial rut in the late 1980s. The 989 was envisioned as a four-door 911, but it ditched the air-cooled flat-six engine for a 4.2-liter V8 closely related to Audi’s eight-cylinder. It provided 355 hp in its most basic state of tune.

The 989 came close to production; a 1995 launch date was even locked in. Porsche executives canceled the project in 1991 after realizing the 989 would be far too expensive to design and build. The 996-series 911 borrowed a few styling cues from the 989, but the idea of a Porsche sedan for four was dropped for over a decade.

Porsche Panamericana (1989)

The design team drew the Panamericana concept as they explored ways to freshen the 911’s design after decades of evolutionary revisions. A toned-down version of the beach buggy -like Panamericana would have revolutionized Germany’s favorite rear-engined sports car. While the concept never reached production, a handful of styling cues (including the slanted headlights) were later found on the 993-series 911 and the original Boxster .

The Panamericana concept was based on the 964-series 911, and its futuristic-looking body was manufactured using lightweight composite materials. The team who worked on the Panamericana confidently believed it would spawn a limited-edition model in the early 1990s, but executives canned the project for financial reasons .

Mercedes-Benz w124-based V8 test mule (1991)

Engineers tested the 989’s 4.2-liter V8 engine in real-world conditions by installing it under the hood of a Mercedes-Benz W124 E-Class . Period document note the W124 was chosen because it was close to the 989 in terms of size, weight, and performance. Never series-produced, the water-cooled V8 was also seriously considered as a replacement for the 911’s air-cooled flat-six.

Porsche 932 concept (1991)

The 932 is one of the most enigmatic cars in the collection. Porsche explains it’s the work of Italdesign, but it admits every morsel of information about the car’s origins has been lost. Italdesign doesn’t even remember working on the project, so we’re no closer to deciphering its true purpose. All we know is it was never a candidate for production.

Porsche Boxster test mule (1993)

The 968-derived bodywork hides the engine and the running gear of the original Boxster. This Franken-Porsche logged thousands of miles in the world’s harshest climates as engineers gathered data on the new mechanical components before releasing the car to the public. Most test mules end up crushed, but this one was spared at the end of its life cycle.

Brand-new from the ground up, the Boxster was a toned-down version of the eponymous concept car presented during the 1993 edition of the Detroit motor show . While the test mule’s clever camouflage might have tricked onlookers into thinking the Boxster would be a mere evolution of the 968, the two models shared no major components.

Porsche 911 test mule (1996)

The factory went to great lengths to keep the 996-series 911’s design hidden from the press and the public. This test mule shows Porsche installed fake upright headlights to mask the 996’s sleeker curved units, a controversial styling cue that broke all ties with the past .

Armored Porsche 911 (1997)

This one-of-a-kind armored 911 was a Porsche for motoring enthusiasts whose enemies would happily use them for target practice. Engineers added a four-inch thick windshield and strategically-located steel inserts to protect the occupants from various types of ammunition. It weighs approximately 400 lb more than stock, but Klein assured us it still drives like a 911.

Porsche 911 cutaway (1997)

Porsche also keeps cars whose sheet metal has been peeled back to reveal parts invisible to the naked eye. These are often displayed at motor shows around the world and at new car launch events. This one illustrates how the flat-six engine is packaged in the 996 -generation 911.

Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion (1997)

The 911 GT1 was turned into a road-legal production model for homologation reasons. Hailed as the 959’s long-awaited successor, it was fast, rare and incredibly expensive. A 3.2-liter flat-six mounted between the passenger compartment and the rear axle generated approximately 550 hp , a stunning statistic at the time. Production stopped after approximately 25 examples were built. 

Porsche Cayenne Cabriolet (2002)

Porsche tried upping the Cayenne’s cool factor by chopping off its roof. The end result was undeniably more awkward than captivating, and the project was quickly abandoned, but valuable lessons were learned from it. An evolution of the prototype’s trick folding roof equips the current 911 Targa.

Porsche 918 Spyder test mule (2012)

No, this 918 Spyder wasn’t an extra in Mad Max . It’s a test mule cobbled together by taking near-production 918 components and installing them in a highly modified Carrera GT body. Retaining the stock headlights wasn’t possible, so the prototype-building department bolted small LED lights right below the hood.

Shoehorning the 918 Spyder’s plug-in hybrid powertrain into a Carrera GT body presented several tricky packaging challenges; they’re two completely different cars. The prototype was nonetheless tested for miles on end on private race tracks in the early 2010s before the drivetrain was signed off .

Always in the family

We saw every Porsche model since the brand’s inception in the warehouse. Klein said the company has owned most of the cars in its collection since they were new. The team is open to buying cars when there is a big demand for more than one example of a particular model, when it finds something truly unique or when it needs to fill a gap. Only unrestored, all-original examples are eligible for a spot in the warehouse.

Long-term storage

Covers protect cars from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, dust, and prying eyes. While some of the sheets exceptionally came off during our visit, Klein informed us a handful of cars would remain hidden regardless of how nicely we asked. Some of the prototypes stored in the facility have never been shown to the public before.

The supercar contingent

The collection houses at least one example of every road-going supercar Porsche has built since the 959 broke cover as a concept car in 1983. Klein’s team also preserves some of the research and development department’s test mules because they shed valuable insight into the arduous work put into transforming a design sketch into a bahnstormer .

Part of the warehouse is dedicated to front-engined cars like the 924, the 944, the Cayenne and the Panamera. One of Porsche’s most recent models, the Panamera Sport Turismo, already has a spot in the collection next to the sedan version. It’s the most recent addition to the vault.

From the pits to the museum

Racing has defined Porsche since its earliest days, so it comes as no surprise that a large chunk of the warehouse is reserved for the company’s race cars. Endurance racers that triumphed at Le Mans share the floor with dusty rally cars and eye-catching one-offs built for world record attempts.

Porsche goes to great lengths to leave its race cars as original as possible. The team’s goal is to keep the cars in the condition they were in when they crossed the finish line weeks, years or decades ago. Some of the Le Mans cars in the collection have never been washed. Klein joked we could count the insects that lost their lives on the windshield during each race.

As Porsche’s lineup grows, so does its collection. Cars are stacked three-high on massive shelves that line the walls, but parts of the warehouse nonetheless look like New York during rush hour in the olden days when we got traffic jams . An average of 15 cars join the fleet annually, and Klein acknowledged storage space is not endless.

Maintaining the fleet

Porsche employs one lead mechanic and five full-time technicians to maintain its collection. About 350 cars out of the roughly 570 it owns are currently drivable, including race cars. In 2016, the brand used 225 of them in various events around the world.

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