Manufacturing and selling a million units of the same nameplate is quite a feat. The iconic Porsche 911 achieved the milestone recently, 54 years after its debut.
Over five decades and seven generations of its existence, the 911 has been the flag-bearer of “Brand Porsche” globally. Apart from being the gold standard in driving dynamics against which rivals are measured, the 911 consistently tops quality and reliability studies across countries and continents. Porsche proudly claims over 70 percent of all 911s produced are still in running condition and we aren’t surprised. Most importantly, the 911 plays a key role in consolidating Porsche’s status as one of the most, if not 'the' most, profitable car makers around. Unconfirmed reports claim every new 911 that’s delivered to a customer fetches Porsche a profit to the tune of 20%.
It’s no wonder then the 911 has become the centerpiece around which the brand has been built. For all that the 911 has done, the designers at Porsche has come up with a good gesture in return. Every model in the brand’s lineup, be it the Boxster, the Panamera or the Cayenne, carries a piece of 911’s design philosophy.
Speaking of which, the 911’s design is as iconic as the car itself and quite unlike anything else in the automotive industry. Ever since it debuted as the 901 at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show before being renamed the 911 when it went on sale in 1964, the timeless shape has remained the same, only getting better and better with every successive generation. The flat hood flanked by free-floating fenders, the legendary fastback profile, the shape of the windows and the rear-engine layout are all an ode to the 1963 classic. Its amazing what Ferdinand Alexander Porsche penned more than 50 years ago is still relevant and, crucially, likable.
Porsche is a well-known name in motorsport with over 30,000 victories in various forms of racing. Over half of those race wins are courtesy the 911, a stat that speaks volumes about the car's ability to tame the track. Road or track, one thing is for sure - the 911 makes you grin ear to ear and that's what is important!
For a car with such credentials, one million units, all of which have been produced at Zuffenhausen, an urban district in Stuttgart, Germany, couldn't come soon enough.
Here's how the million units are split between the seven generations of 911 that have graced the roads:
- 1st Gen - The original 911 (1963-1972): 81,100
- 2nd Gen - G-Series (1973-1989): 198,414
- 3rd Gen - 964 Series (1988-1992): 74,008
- 4th Gen - 993 Series (1993-1998): 67,535
- 5th Gen - 996 Series (1997-2005): 179,163
- 6th Gen - 997 Series (2004-2011): 215,092
- 7th Gen - 991 Series (2011-Present): 152,659
The one-millionth 911 sports an 'Irish Green' paint job, the same colour that the company founder had his car from the first series painted. Badges with the text '911 Nr. 1,000,000' are stuck on to the B-pillars while the Porsche and 911 badges at the rear are gold in colour. Inside the cabin, the instrument cluster, that's back-lit in a shimmering green, feature the numbering 1,000,000 while the seats get an historic chequered pattern. The steering wheel hub gets a 1964 Porsche crest on the hub while the mahogany rim is reminiscent of the wooden steering wheels that adorned one too many sports cars in the 1960s.
Based on the 911 Carrera S with a power-boosted 450 horsepower engine mated to a 7-speed manual transmission, this one-off piece would embark on a World Tour before going on to embellish the 'Porsche Museum' collection. If you happen to be somewhere around the Scottish Highlands, the Nürburgring or parts of China or the United States, watch out for this green piece of history!
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