Article overview

Editorial

The principle of ever better performance—in ballet as well as at Porsche. Current examples include the mid-engine Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS sports cars. The charged six-cylinder boxer engine in the 911 Turbo has been setting standards for forty years—and provides another highlight in this issue of Christophorus.

Right from the pit lane

The Porsche 911 Turbo is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014. Hans Mezger, an engine expert and one of the Turbo’s founding fathers, took the occasion to journey from the past to the present—with two charged-up companions.

Under Pressure

The boxer engines in the 911 Turbo have been setting technical standards since 1974 – a few highlights.

Made Perfect

Like every Porsche, the Macan epitomizes the optimal interaction of man and machine. The intelligently controlled production process involves multiple locations and many suppliers, and culminates in state-of-the-art production at the Leipzig plant. The process of perfection: How the compact SUV is made.

The Four-Point Principle

Light is one of the distinguishing features of Porsche sports cars too - on the road as well as the racetrack. We examine the fascinating interplay of design and electricity, as shown by the example of daytime running lights.

Stop and go

Races are not won or lost on the track alone. The work by the team in the pit plays a key role. The World Endurance Championship (WEC) presents a major challenge in this respect: perfect coordination is required to change the tires and drivers as well as refuel in the shortest possible amount of time. Here’s what a pit stop for the Porsche LMP1 team might look like. A lightning-quick 50-second stop—explained in six steps.

On Course

It’s the ultimate kick for anyone whose favorite hobby is racing a Porsche. The GT3 Cup Experience at Porsche’s own circuit in Leipzig can be the first encounter with a thoroughbred racing car. At this “driving school,” managers like Karlheinz Blessing turn into real race-car drivers.

Wildlife Reserve

When it comes to cars, purism is synonymous with extreme sportiness. In the mid-engine Cayman GTS and Boxster GTS sports cars, you feel it right away. And it only gets better when the roads are up to the challenge of the cars. The proof is in a tour through the highlands of the Black Forest.

Pas de deux

Porsche’s factory premises transformed into a ballet stage: not merely the visual expression of an unusual partnership. Alicia García Torronteras and Martí Fernández Paixà are students at Stuttgart’s John Cranko School, one of the world’s most renowned ballet schools. Porsche is supporting new construction at this talent factory to the tune of 10 million euros, a clear commitment to the arts in Stuttgart.

Music to our ears . . .

Perfection sounds just right in a Porsche. The acoustic proof is delivered by the audio systems available for all model ranges—Base, Bose, and Burmester—a triad in B-flat major composed by Porsche. The ear can choose between a standard, premium, or high-end acoustic experience. A brief primer on sound for music-lovers who love to drive Porsches.