Detlev von Platen (51) who will be a member of the Porsche Executive Board for Sales and Marketing
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 Dr. Oliver Blume
 Detlev von Platen
 Lutz Meschke
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Tag Archives: Matthias Müller
Supervisory Board of Porsche AG appoints Detlev von Platen Head of Sales and Marketing
Porsche extends Matthias Müller’s contract by five years, Supervisory Board expresses confidence in Chairman
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Supervisory Board expresses confidence in ChairmanPorsche extends Matthias Müller’s contract by five years
 Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, reappointed the Chairman of the Executive Board, Matthias Müller, for further five years Stuttgart. In its meeting today, Friday 28 February 2014, the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, reappointed the Chairman of the Executive Board, Matthias Müller, for further five years. Matthias Müller has been Chairman of the sports car manufacturer since 1 October 2010. His new term of office will commence on 1 January 2015.
 Dr. Wolfgang Porsche and Matthias Müller open the Porsche Museum 50 Years of 911 anniversary The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the general and group works council of Porsche AG, Uwe Hück, emphasised the considerable increase in the number of employees, saying,
 The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the general and group works council of Porsche AG, Uwe Hück At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, also extended Matthias Müller’s appointment as Chairman of Strategy and Corporate Development for further five years, starting on 1 January 2015. Matthias Müller takes on this function as well as that of the Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. Communication Porsche AG |
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche 70th birthday on May 10, Chairman of the Porsche Supervisory Board keeps company tradition alive
Chairman of the Porsche Supervisory Board keeps company tradition alive
Stuttgart. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE as well as of the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, is celebrating his 70th birthday on May 10, 2013.
Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, paid tribute to the “invaluable contribution” Mr. Porsche has made for the sports car maker:
“The fact that a member of the founder family is actively representing our company internationally is essential for many Porsche fans in their extraordinary identification with the brand and its products.
As the son of Professor Ferry Porsche, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche supports our company with the greatest personal commitment. He has shaped the development of the Porsche AG over the past 35 years as a Member of the Supervisory Board and since 2007 as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.”
Wolfgang Porsche was born in Stuttgart on May 10, 1943, the youngest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche, the founder of the Porsche sports car brand. His grandfather was the brilliant automotive design engineer who shaped the history of the car with his Stuttgart automotive design engineering office.
Chairman of the Porsche Supervisory Board keeps company tradition alive
Wolfgang Porsche spent the first six and a half years of his life at the so-called “Schüttgut” in Zell am See, Austria, the estate of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. The family, and the company, returned to Stuttgart in 1950. Wolfgang obtained his Abitur (higher school-leaving certificate) in 1965. He also passed his journeyman’s examination as a metalworker. Afterwards, Porsche obtained his degree in Business Administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. He received his doctorate in International Business in 1973.
At first, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche went into business as an independent entrepreneur: As Managing Director of JAMOTO, he became general importer of Yamaha motorbikes in Austria. He returned to Germany in 1976 and worked at the Daimler-Benz AG in Stuttgart as manager in various areas of domestic and foreign sales. In 1978, he was appointed a member of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, taking over the position of Chairman in 2007. He was also appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE at its incorporation in June 2007.
In addition, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, since April 24, 2008.
Upon the death of his father Ferry in 1998, he was selected spokesman by the Porsche family. The father of four lives alternatively in Salzburg and the “Schüttgut” in Zell am See, which he acquired from the family estate.
There, in Salzburger Land, he operates an Alpine organic farm with around 200 dairy cows. An ardent hunter, he has always felt close to nature. His enthusiasm for sports cars has been the focus of his life from his very early youth on. Over the course of decades, a private collection of vintage cars has evolved that contains numerous very rare Porsche vehicles, which he drives regularly.
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche has received numerous honours for his services to business. In 2005, he was awarded the “Great Golden Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria” by the Chancellor of Austria, the highest award granted by his homeland.
For his services to the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, he received the Gold “Staufermedaille” Award. At the onset of 2012, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche was appointed Honorary Senator of Salzburg University and was admitted to the University’s Council in 2013.
Résumé Dr. Wolfgang Porsche
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche
May10,1943 |
Born in Stuttgart |
1965 |
Abitur |
1965 – 1971 |
Academic studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business AdministrationGraduation in Business Administration |
1973 |
Doctorate in International Business at Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration |
1976 – 1981 |
Active in various sales areas at home and abroad for Daimler-Benz AG, Stuttgart-Untertürkheim |
Since 1978 |
Member of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, Member of the Supervisory Board or Administrative Board in various Porsche sales companies |
1983 |
Member of the Supervisory Board of the Austrian Porsche Group, Salzburg |
1988 -2011 |
Managing Director in Porsche Holding Ges.m.b.H., Salzburg |
Since 2007 |
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, StuttgartChairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart |
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Communication Porsche AG
Corporate Communication
Video: It’s Official, Porsche Engineering Purchased the “Nardò Testing Ring”
The Nardo Ring
Porsche Nardo Ring
Something we all didn’t expect to stumble upon today: On 11 April 2012, the famed Nardò Technical Center with its high-speed ring in southern Italy will soon have a new owner as the Porsche Engineering Group announced that it would take over the facility from its current landlord Prototipo SpA in May. Italy’s famed high speed test track, located at more than 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-west of the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce.
Neither Porsche nor the track’s former owner, Italy’s Prototipo SpA, will say how much the deal went for, we can only guess. Porsche has been a regular at the circuit, along with other manufacturers.
Nardo Ring, Italy
The Nardo Ring is a striking visual feature from space, and astronauts have photographed it several times. The Ring is a race car test track that is steeply banked to reduce the amount of active steering needed by drivers. The Ring lies in a remote area on the heel of Italy's "boot," east of the naval port of Taranto and encompasses a number of active (green) and fallow (brown to dark brown) agricultural fields. In this zone of intensive agriculture, farmers gain access to their fields through the Ring via a series of underpasses. Winding features within the southern section of the Ring appear to be smaller, unused race tracks.
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
The automotive proving ground that can be seen from space covers an area of more than 700 hectares and comprises a 6.2-kilometer (3.9 miles) long handling circuit, a 12.5-kilometer (7.8 miles) long oval circuit and facilities for simulating different road surfaces and changeable weather condition.
“The Nardò proving ground with its high-speed and vehicle handling circuit ideally complements our facilities in Weissach,” said Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Porsche AG.
“With the systematic development of the company in Nardò as part of Strategy 2018, Porsche is proving to be a reliable employer and business partner in Apulia as well.”
Porsche said that it plans to optimize the test facilities and make them available to its clients for testing and trials purposes.
“With its rich array of facilities, from dynamic surfaces to acoustic and off-road sections coupled with the numerous workshops, our clients can continue to make extensive use of Nardò for their vehicle trials in the future as well,” said Malte Radmann, CEO of Porsche Engineering.
Thanks to the mild Mediterranean weather, the track can be used throughout the year in three shifts around the clock, seven days a week.
The ring is banked to such a degree that, on the track’s outer lane, cars can travel 150 miles per hour. Presumably, that’s what Porsche will be doing with it—that, and loan it out to their co-members of the VW Group. We’re guessing Lamborghini and other brands will want to spend as much time there as they can.
Most of us are aware that Porsche is developing their next supercar model which is the 918 Spyder and it will be the world’s first hybrid supercar. Porsche has built three prototypes until now and recently, the German automaker invited the guys from Wired magazine to test drive one of them on the Nardo Ring high speed test track in Italy this last March..
Porsche 918 Prototype testing at Nardo Ring
The car may not look much or complete right now but it was in bits and pieces a few weeks ago and Porsche managed to assign a team to assemble the parts in time for the test drive on the Nardo Ring.
Porsche will use the Nardo Ring to test future models and rent to other makers for development
The track is 12.5 kilometres (7.8 mi) long and is round, has four lanes for cars and motorcycles totaling 16 metres (52 ft) in width and has a separate inner ring for trucks at a width of 9 metres (30 ft).
In the cars/motorcycle ring the lanes are banked at such a degree that a driver in the outer most lane need not turn the wheel while driving at speeds of up to 240 km/h (149 mph). In essence, at the so called neutral speed which is different for the four lanes, one can drive as if in a straight lane. However extremely fast cars still require the steering wheel to be turned when going faster than the maximum neutral speed.
For example the Koenigsegg CCRwhich set a speed record for a production car at the Nardò Ring did so with the steering wheel at a 30° angle. This speed record has since been beaten by the Bugatti Veyron at Volkswagen Group‘s private Ehra-Lessien straight line test track in Germany, and hence the CCR only holds the speed record for the Nardò Ring.
An example of a Highspeed racing in Italy on the Nardo racetrack
In the process of fighting a turn as needed when going faster than the neutral speed quite a bit of potential top speed is lost and hence a fast car will go faster in a straight line than what is possible on the Nardó Ring.
Even at the neutral speed in a banked turn a car runs a bit heavier than it would in a straight line, since the downforce created by the banking increases the rolling resistance on the tires. There has only been one fatality at the ring.
The neutral speed for the four car/motorcycle lanes are respectively:
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Lane 1 – 100 km/h (62 mph)
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Lane 2 – 140 km/h (87 mph)
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Lane 3 – 190 km/h (118 mph)
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Lane 4 – 240 km/h (149 mph)
During regular weekly working activity the maximum speed allowed on the circular track is 240 km/h (149 mph). Higher speeds are only allowed at times when a client gets the track for its exclusive use.
The neutral speed for the truck ring is between 80 km/h (50 mph) and 140 km/h (87 mph) over the width of the track, highest in the outer most part of the lane.
Sources: Porsche AG and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG mourns great designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche
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Ferdinand Alexander Porsche with 911 Carrera 2 3,6 Coupé Mj. 1992
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche dies
Stuttgart.
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche.The Honorary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (1990)
Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche’s services to the sports car manufacturer:
“We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time.”
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born in Stuttgart on 11 December 1935, the oldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche.
Ferry Porsche (left) in his office with his son Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (ca. 1960)
Even his childhood was shaped by cars, and he spent much of his time in the engineering offices and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family accompanied the Porsche company’s move to Austria, where he went to school in Zell am See.
After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the private Waldorf school. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious Ulm School of Design.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in his Design office (1963)
In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was known by his colleagues, joined the engineering office of what was then Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG. He soon proved his great talent for design by sculpting the first model of a successor to the 356 model line out of plasticine.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche next to Modell Typ 911 (1968)
In 1962 he took over as head of the Porsche design studio, creating a worldwide furore one year later with the Porsche 901 (or 911). With the Porsche 911, F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon whose timeless and classical form survives to this very day in what is now the seventh 911 generation.
Porsche Typ 901 (T8), next to model: Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (1963)
However, in addition to passenger cars, F.A. Porsche also concerned himself with designing the sports cars of the 1960s. His best-known designs include the Type 804 Formula One racing car or the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, now considered to be one of the most beautiful racing cars ever.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (1989)
In the course of the conversion of Porsche KG into a joint-stock corporation in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, along with all the other family members, stood down from the company’s front-line business operations.
In 1972 he founded the “Porsche Design Studio” in Stuttgart, the head office of which was relocated to Zell am See in Austria in 1974. In the decades that followed, he designed numerous classic gentlemen’s accessories such as watches, spectacles and writing implements that achieved global recognition under the “Porsche Design” brand. In parallel, with his team, he designed a plethora of industrial products, household appliances and consumer durables for internationally renowned clients under the brand “Design by F.A. Porsche”.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (1965)
A strong and clear design concept typifies all product designs created in his design studio to date. The credo of his design work was:
“Design must be functional and functionality has to be translated visually into aesthetics, without gags that have to be explained first.”
F.A. Porsche: “A coherently designed product requires no adornment; it should be enhanced by its form alone.” The design’s appearance should be readily comprehensible and not detract from the product and its function.
His conviction was: “Good design should be honest.”
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a designer as well as for individual designs. For example, in 1968 the “Comité Internationale de Promotion et de Prestige” honoured him for the outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911 while the Industrial Forum Design Hannover (iF) voted him “Prizewinner of the Year” in 1992.
Ferry (right) and Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in the Porsche Design-Studio (ca. 1959)
In 1999, the President of Austria bestowed on him the title of Professor.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche retained a close lifelong association with Porsche AG as a partner and member of the Supervisory Board. For example, even after stepping down from front-line business operations, he contributed to the design of Porsche’s sports cars over many decades and repeatedly steered the company in the right di-rection. This was especially the case for the difficult period Porsche experienced at the beginning of the 1990s.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche with model 911 S Targa (1968)
From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche served as President of the company’s Supervisory Board, thus playing a major role in Porsche A.G’s eco-nomic turnaround. In 2005, he stood down from his Supervisory Board role in favour of his son Oliver and assumed the mantle of Honorary President of the Supervisory Board.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche will be buried in the family grave at Schüttgut in Zell am See, attended by his immediate family. An official funeral service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.
SOURCE: Communication Porsche AG
Head of Communication Porsche AG
Hans-Gerd Bode
Fed Cup Tennis Team to become “Porsche Team Germany”
Matthias Müller, Vorstandsvorsitzender der Porsche AG (r), mit DTB-Präsident Dr. Karl-Georg Altenburg und dem Porsche Team Deutschland
Porsche extends its tennis sponsoring by becoming a German Tennis Association Premium Partner
Stuttgart. The German women’s tennis team containing the world class players Andrea Petkovic, Sabine Lisicki, Julia Görges and Angelique Kerber will enter the 2012 season as “Porsche Team Deutschland”.
Matthias Müller, Vorstandsvorsitzender der Porsche AG (l), DTB-Präsident Dr. Karl-Georg Altenburg bei der Vorstellung des Porsche Team Deutschland in Stuttgart
As the new Premium Partner of the Deutscher Tennis Bund (German Tennis Association – DTB), Porsche will support the flagship team of the world’s largest tennis association in their campaign to win the Fed Cup and will simultaneously also sponsor junior tennis.
Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Germany
The junior national team (U16) will in future compete as the “Porsche Talent Team Germany”. Porsche has thus strengthened its involvement in the women’s game.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix was once again voted by the players as their favourite tournament worldwide in 2011.
Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Porsche Team Germany
As a result of the cooperation with the DTB, which will initially run for the next three years, Porsche will stimulate a new dynamism within German women’s tennis.
“We want the German players to also be successful as a team,” said Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Porsche AG. Germany’s junior players, whose development is close to Porsche’s heart, will also profit from the success of the top women.
“Playing tennis is far more fun for youngsters when they have role models. We want to play our part in making sure there are such role models in the future too,” continued Matthias Müller.
“One of our most important aims over the coming years is that German women’s tennis establishes itself long term at the top again,” said DTB President Dr Karl-Georg Altenburg.
“The cooperation with Porsche enables us to optimise the structure to achieve it and to invest in junior coaching. Particularly important here is to put the necessary measures in place for the coaching programmes designed for our up-and-coming female players.”
Julia Görges, Porsche Team Germany
“Porsche Team Germany” will celebrate its premiere against the Fed Cup title holders the Czech Republic in Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena on 4 and 5 February.
The Fed Cup is a competition for the world’s top tennis nations where the title as the women’s team world champion is at stake.
Angelique Kerber, Porsche Team Germany
The partnership with the DTB also demonstrates a clear commitment by Porsche for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
“We also want to continue to present our audience in the Porsche Arena with the world’s top players and the best Germans – and if possible a German winner every now and again,” said Matthias Müller. Markus Günthardt, the Tournament Director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, believers the long-standing tournament will therefore become even more attractive:
“The players supported by Porsche are quite capable of winning important tournaments and can maybe make a major breakthrough in the near future. We’ve had to wait a long time for such strong German players ever since the Steffi Graf and Anke Huber era.”
The support for DTB is an essential part of Porsche’s sponsoring concept which covers every part of society. Thus the company is also the partner of the world famous Stuttgart Ballet and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the banner “Premium meets Premium”. It additionally also supports junior activities in sport clubs in Baden Württemberg and Saxony as well as a variety of scientific and charity projects. By sponsoring a broad spectrum of activities, Porsche wants to further embrace its social responsibility within society.
Andrea Petkovic, Porsche Team Germany
The 35th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, for which all the top 10 WTA ranked players have entered, including, for the first time, superstar Maria Sharapova, will be held in Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena from 21 to 29. April.
Advance ticket sales are available at Easy Ticket Service (phone +49 711-2555 555, internet at http://www.easyticket.de).
SOURCE : Porsche AG Media Press Database
Porsche congratulates Derek Bell – Famous works driver celebrates 70th birthday
Happy Birthday Derek Bell!
Porsche congratulates Derek Bell
Stuttgart. Derek Bell, one of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG’s most successful works drivers, will celebrate his 70th birthday on 31 October 2011.
Derek Bell (GB), five times winner at Le Mans.
He won two World Sportscar Championship titles in 1985-86, the 24 Hours of Daytona three times in 1986-87 and 1989 and Le Mans five times in 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987, mostly teamed with Jacky Ickx in one of the Porsche 936 and Porsche 956/Porsche 962 models. Ickx/Bell is nowadays considered as one of the most famous pairings in motorsport history.
Born in Pinner, Middlesex, Great Britain in 1941, Bell is considered to be one of the most versatile and popular racing drivers of his time.
VIDEO: Derek Bell in car Porsche 956 at Nordschleife. Derek Bell drives and describes a lap in a Porsche 956 around the old Nurburgring
Matthias Müller, Porsche AG’s Chairman of the Board of Management has this to say about the birthday boy:
Derek Bell in Monza, 1983
“Derek Bell made motorsport history with Porsche. Whether it was in a 917, 936 or 956 – he was always one of the fastest and above all most reliable drivers. Derek Bell won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times for Porsche. He won the world championship twice. For that we owe him our gratitude and great respect.” ~ Matthias Müller, Porsche AG’s Chairman of the Board of Management
Derek Bell began his racing career with Lotus in 1964. In Formula 1 he then took his place on the starting grid for Ferrari in 1969. In the 1971 season he drove the Porsche 917 and 908/03 racing cars for the Porsche-Gulf team, forming a successful driver duo with Jo Siffert.
Porsche 917 KH Coupé in Spa, 1971, Drivers: Jo Siffert and Derek Bell
This was followed by appearances in the Porsche 934 and 935 in 1976 and 1977 before Derek Bell took his place on the Le Mans starting grid as a works driver in the 924 Carrera GT. In 1981, together with Jacky Ickx in the Porsche 936/81 Spyder, he won the first of his total of four Le Mans overall victories in a Porsche.
1982 saw the beginning of the Group C era with the Porsche 956 during which time Bell made his mark as one of the most successful endurance drivers of all time.
Derek Bell in Brands Hatch, 1971
VIDEO: Derek Bell in the Porsche 956 gives a running commentary at Brands Hatch.
Together with drivers such as Jacky Ickx, Stefan Bellof and Hans-Joachim-Stuck, he not merely won numerous overall victories in the Types 956 and 962 but also the World Sportscar Championship in 1985 and 1986.
Derek Bell remains in close contact with Porsche to this very day, constantly undertaking ambassadorial tasks for the Stuttgart-based sportscar manufacturer, such as for example at the Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring or at this year’s Corso to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the car.
Porsche 956 in Le Mans, 1983, Drivers: Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell
Derek Bell, driver of the #17 Rothmans Racing Porsche 962C celebrates with champagne after winning the FIA World Sportscar Championship 24 Hours of Le Mans on 14th June 1988 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Getty Images)
Photos: Haynes – For further information, visit www.haynes.co.uk.
There’s no question that Derek Bell also remained faithful to the Porsche brand off the race track:
To this very day he can be seen on Britain’s roads driving a 1981 vintage Porsche 924 Carrera GTS.
Derek Bell’s GTS, a special one in that it has a factory fitted road interior with carpets and road seats, one of only 2 done like that.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Public Relations and Media
Porsche-Museum – Astrid Böttinger
Go-ahead for the extension of the new R & D Porsche site in Weissach
Weissach R&D – Picture of site – (l.-r.): Walter Uhl, Chairman of Works Council of Porsche Weissach, Thomas Fritsch, Mayor of Mönsheim, Ursula Kreutel, Mayor of Weissach, Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG, Wolfgang Hatz, Board member in charge of Research and Development of Porsche AG and Uwe Hück, Chairman of the Group Works Council of Porsche AG. |
First cut of the spade in Weissach: start of extensive building work at the Development Centre
Stuttgart. With the symbolic first cut of the spade, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, today heralded the start of the extension of its Research and Development Centre in Weissach (Baden-Württemberg).
Research and Development Centre in Weissach (Baden-Württemberg)
The site is being enlarged through the addition of a highly modern design studio, a high-tech wind tunnel and an electronics integration centre. Porsche is investing around 150 million euro in this respect. Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management, welcomed Ursula Kreutel, Mayor of Weissach, Thomas Fritsch, Mayor of Mönsheim, Roland Bernhard, Chief Executive of the Böblingen District, and Karl Röckinger, Chief Executive of the Enz District, at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Research and Development Centre in Weissach (Baden-Württemberg)
“The extension of our Development Centre is a good, far-sighted investment in the future of Porsche”, said Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG. “The expansion being made by Porsche in Weissach also represents a clear commitment to Baden-Württemberg as an industrial location.
” Uwe Hück, Chairman of the Group Works Council, added: “These investments which we agreed in July 2010 to safeguard the site – ‘Independence through competitive advantage’ – will not only protect the jobs of our permanent staff, but will actually increase the number of permanent jobs. This will strengthen the independence of Porsche.”
Research and Development Centre in Weissach (Baden-Württemberg)
The new wind tunnel will also enable the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer to cope with technological challenges in vehicle development in future.
“Good aerodynamics make a major contribution towards low fuel consumption and high performance – both of which are important aspects in implementing Porsche Intelligent Performance”, said Wolfgang Hatz, Board member in charge of Research and Development of Porsche AG.
The new electronics integration centre will combine segments which were previously spread over several buildings.
“Our objective is also to continue developing electric and hybrid technology. We are creating the ideal conditions for attaining this objective with our new electronics integration centre”, added Hatz.
“Thanks to Porsche, we have the highest per capita trade tax revenue in the whole of Germany. The town will also profit from the extension of the Development Centre”, said Ursula Kreutel, Mayor of Weissach with confidence. Thomas Fritsch, Mayor of Mönsheim, agreed with his fellow Mayor: “Porsche is a great addition for the surrounding towns. We are therefore now all the more delighted with the extension of the Research Centre.”
Research and Development Centre in Weissach (Baden-Württemberg)
In addition to the extension of the site, Porsche is starting a wide-ranging human resources campaign. In the first six months of 2011, the company recruited well over 100 new engineers. Over 100 new employees will also be appointed by the end of 2011 in order to support the around 3,400 staff currently working in Weissach.
The new offices and the design studio will probably be ready for occupation in summer 2013. The wind tunnel will be completed in the first six months of 2014.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Public Relations and Media
Corporate Press
Dirk Erat
Porsche returns to Le Mans in 2014,Development program confirmed for LMP1 sports prototype
Porsche returns to Le Mans with a works-run LMP1 sports prototype. The first outing of the completely new developed race car is planned for the year 2014. With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans
Porsche 911 GT1
With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans. The most recent win was in 1998 with the Porsche 911 GT1.
Porsche 911 GT1
“Motorsport was always an essential part of the Porsche brand,” emphasizes
Matthias Müller, President of the Executive Board at Porsche AG
Porsche 911 GT1
“So for us it was only a matter of time before we returned as a factory to the top league of racing. Porsche’s successes in Le Mans are unrivaled. We want to follow up on this with the 17th outright victory.”
Porsche 911 GT1
With the RS Spyder sports prototype that was run with great success from 2006 to 2008 by the factory-backed Penske Racing team in the USA and to 2010 by several customer teams worldwide, Porsche has set the benchmark recently in the LMP2 category.
Porsche RS Spyder
“With the RS Spyder we proved that our motorsport engineers in Weissach are at the forefront,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG.
Porsche RS Spyder, 24h Le Mans 2009
Porsche RS Spyder, 24h Le Mans 2009
Porsche RS Spyder, 24h Le Mans 2009
Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG
Porsche RS Spyder
“For instance, we were the first to run a high-revving race engine with direct fuel injection, DFI, setting new standards in performance and efficiency. Recently, with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, we adopted a completely new drive technology for racing purposes and achieved a considerable reduction in consumption.”
Porsche RS Spyder
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport, is already prepared for one of the most challenging development programmes in the company’s history.
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport
“We’re looking forward to the task of developing new technologies and to continue on with the success of the Porsche RS Spyder. After the conclusion of our works-supported sports prototype programme in the American Le Mans Series we have kept up with the latest technological advances. Now we will begin with detailed research in order to evaluate the various concept alternatives for our new car. These obviously depend on how the regulations for the year 2014 look in detail. In principle, these regulations are interesting for us because the integration of our hybrid technology in the vehicle concept is one possible option.”
