Emotive automotive brands like Ferrari, Lotus, Bugatti, or Porsche would not exude the charisma that they do without a magical place to call home. For generations, eager customers have strolled through the simple, yet dramatic red brick archway at Maranello to collect their new Ferrari. In the Norfolk countryside, Lotus engineers complete endless laps of the company’s Hethel test track. Thus, ensuring the firm’s cars still boast unparalleled driving dynamics. For nearly sixty years, Weissach has played an integral role to Porsche’s success on the racetrack and in the showroom. Furthermore, the memories created during these six decades command a deserving role in Porsche folklore.
Since Porsche’s relocation to the Stuttgart area from Gmund in Austria, testing and development had mostly taken place at Malmsheim airfield. However, with the firm growing quickly and the introduction of the 911 imminent, a more purpose-built facility was required. Initially, Dr Ferry Porsche acquired a 103-acre plot in a triangular area between the villages of Weissach, Flacht and Monsheim. Little did Dr Porsche know, this humble site would grow into a pillar of Porsche’s engineering prowess.