75 years ago, a new chapter began for Porsche that continues to shape the brand to this day. In 1951, the factory-backed Porsche 356 SL secured the first class victory for the then-young sports car brand at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This success on the international stage marked the beginning of a motorsports history that continued on racetracks, in rallies, hill climbs, and endurance classics.
Under the title “Raceborn – 75 Years of Porsche Motorsport,” the Porsche Museum is celebrating the anniversary with a comprehensive special exhibition in Stuttgart. As part of this, a piece of this motorsports history can also be experienced in Switzerland: Eleven vehicles from the Porsche Museum’s collection are on display at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. The vehicle display, which spans several floors, forms the centerpiece of the Road Traffic Hall. There, the Porsche race cars blend into the exhibition and offer a glimpse into individual chapters from 75 years of motorsport.
Eleven Vehicles from Six Decades
However, anyone standing in front of the vehicle display at the Lucerne Autotheater isn’t simply encountering eleven exhibits from different decades—nor is it a complete chronology. Rather, the vehicles represent different eras and facets of Porsche motorsports. The selection ranges from the 1974 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 to cars from American racing, such as the 2708 CART (1989), to modern classics like the Porsche 911 GT3 R Manthey (2018). An accompanying film also shows how Porsche has repeatedly used motorsports to break new ground and push technical boundaries.
The oldest vehicle on display in the Lucerne exhibition is a 1960 Porsche 718 Formula 2. With this lightweight monoposto, Porsche won the “Coupe des Constructeurs,” the manufacturers’ world championship of what was then Formula 2. The 718 thus marks an early phase in which Porsche expanded its involvement in motorsports and helped pave the way for numerous later successes.
The Porsche 919 Hybrid on display has a special connection to Switzerland. At the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, Neel Jani, who was born in Rorschach, drove the final stint in a 919 Hybrid. Together with Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb, he secured Porsche’s 18th overall victory at Le Mans. That same year, the trio also won the title in the FIA World Endurance Championship, marking one of the most significant chapters in Porsche’s recent motorsports history.
However, the journey through the vehicles on display does not end at Le Mans. The 911 GT3 R from Manthey Racing underscores the importance of GT and customer racing, as well as the close partnership between Porsche and the team from Meuspath. Bearing the number 912, the car won the 2018 24 Hours of Nürburgring, securing Porsche’s twelfth overall victory in the Eifel region. The paint scheme of the “Greeno” on display differs from that of its sister car, the “Grello,” in that it features a higher proportion of green within the iconic yellow-and-green design.
From the Shelf to the Stage via Lift
Three of the vehicles on display offer a particularly impressive experience: The Boxster Bergspyder, the 919 Hybrid, and the 911 GT3 R from Manthey Racing can be lifted off the shelf using a vehicle lift and brought directly in front of the audience on the presentation area. For a moment, they detach from the multi-story vehicle wall and stand almost within reach, allowing visitors to immediately appreciate their lines, proportions, and technical details. When it opened in 2009, the “Museum on Demand” concept—in which selected vehicles can be presented on a revolving stage via a lift—was considered unique worldwide.
The exhibition is rounded out by a Porsche 944 “SCCA” (1985), a 911 GT3 RS (2002), an RS Spyder (2006), and a 911 GT3 R Hybrid (2010), which demonstrated early on how Porsche combines efficiency and performance in motorsports. Thus, “Raceborn” in Lucerne is not merely a retrospective on 75 years of Porsche motorsports: The exhibition demonstrates how closely racing, technical development, and brand identity remain intertwined at Porsche to this day.
Exhibition Information
The eleven vehicles from the Porsche Museum’s collection will be on display until early 2027 in the Autotheater at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. The exhibition is open during the museum’s regular hours. Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the past 75 years of Porsche motorsports and experience the exhibited vehicles up close can find all information regarding opening hours and tickets on the Swiss Museum of Transport’s website.
