It is the epitome of the everyday production sports car, style icon, unmistakable face and heart of the Porsche brand: the 911. Today, the one millionth model rolled off the production line in Zuffenhausen - a Carrera S in the individual color Irish Green and with numerous exclusive special features based on the first original 911s from 1963.
The two-door continues to be the strategically most important model in the product range and plays a key role in making Porsche one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world.
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, has accompanied the development of the 911 from the very beginning: "54 years ago, I was able to take my father on his first drive along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. I still enjoy that feeling in a 911 as much as I did back then. Thanks to the 911, the core values of our brand are as visionary today as they have been since the first Porsche 356 number 1 in 1948."
The Porsche 911 has established a new category and remains at the top of the premium sports car segment. In 2016 alone, 32,365 vehicles were delivered worldwide. Nevertheless, it has retained its exclusivity over the decades and has become a coveted collector's item. The quality of a 911 is legendary. Over 70 percent of all 911s ever built are still roadworthy today. It is also a perennial winner in quality rankings such as the "Initial Quality Study" by the US market research institute J.D. Power.
Its legend also stems from countless successes in motorsport. For the road and the race track - no other sports car embodies this recipe for success like the 911. More than half of Porsche's 30,000 race victories can be attributed to it. Customer racing inspires enthusiasts around the globe who take part in various racing series.
It is also unique that Porsche has unwaveringly stuck to the basic concept of the original 911. "However, we have continued to make significant technological advances to the 911, refining and perfecting it," says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, "so it has always remained highly modern and technically innovative. In addition, we have managed to expand the model series very successfully via derivatives."
The production facility at the headquarters in Zuffenhausen is a key success factor. All 911s are manufactured here. Today, a sophisticated production principle allows the assembly of all two-door models - 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman - including their various derivatives on one line. The assembly workers have mastered up to 200 different operations and ensure the typical Porsche quality with their passion and expertise. Uwe Hück, Chairman of the General Works Council of Porsche AG, emphasizes: "Without our unique Porsche employees, the success story of the 911 would be inconceivable. Today we have the one millionth 911. The good thing about it is that our colleagues are still doing it with as much love as they did with the first vehicle. With the construction of the Mission E at the Zuffenhausen site, we are heralding a new era at Porsche. And it is clear that the only way to success here is through our highly qualified and highly motivated employees. They will ensure that the Mission E is an emotional experience, just as our 911 always was and always will be."
The one millionth 911 remains in the possession of Porsche AG. Before it enriches the Porsche Museum's collection, it travels the world and is used on road trips in the Scottish Highlands, around the Nürburgring, in the USA and China, among other places.
