Hitler’s Influence on Porsche: Shocking Story Behind the 911

Porsche flagship model 911
Through an unchanging dream car
There is this behind-the-scenes story

Anyone who likes cars has dreamed about the Porsche 911 at least once. The 911, the flagship model of an automobile manufacturer boasting world-class technology, ignites the hearts of many vehicle enthusiasts.

The headlight resembles a frog lying flat and has two cute round eyes. It has a sleek yet soft, simple yet highly complete appearance. Although the 911 has a long history, its appearance has not changed much. This is proof that it is a complete design. Thanks to careful refinement, a steady generation change was achieved without significant changes to the design. The consistent design became 911’s heritage over time. So, was 911 911 from the beginning?

The Model that Started it All for the 911: Czech Tatra’s V570

To conclude, the answer is no. To learn about the history of the 911, we must first go back to the 1930s. At this time, the Czech vehicle brand Tatra was working on a project to develop an inexpensive compact vehicle. The vehicle that was born due to this project is the V570.

In the case of the Tatra V570, rear-wheel drive was adopted during the development stage, and the air-cooled two-cylinder engine was located at the rear of the vehicle. Although the technology was successful, the model equipped with the technology remained only a prototype due to internal opinions that the new technology should be installed in luxury vehicles, not compact cars. Afterward, they began developing compact vehicles again and completed the mass-produced V570.

Porsche Takes on Hitler’s Order

Around the same time, in Germany, Adolf Hitler overthrew the Weimar Republic and took power in Nazi Germany. He established a ‘national car plan’ to produce and distribute inexpensive private cars to the people. He commissioned Ferdinand Porsche, a renowned engineer at the time and founder of Porsche, to produce them.

Hitler’s conditions were strict. Depending on the size of a typical German single-person household, the car had to carry about two adults and three children and could travel at about 100 km per hour (62 mph). Hitler also requested a rear-wheel drive system that placed the engine in the back of the car and an air-cooled engine that considered Germany’s winter environment.

Using Tatra V570’s Technology, Porsche Developed the Precursor to the 911

Dr. Porsche, who had been struggling, took the blueprint and technology of the Tatra V570 and created a vehicle, and the car that was born at this time was Volkswagen’s Käfer. In South Korea, it is well known as Beetle, which is its export name to English-speaking countries.

After World War II, Porsche refined the Beetle’s platform and drivetrain and created a sports car named Porsche. The 356, produced in 1948, marked the beginning of Porsche’s sports car history, which would later lead to the famous 911.