Goodwood's 50 Years of Porsche Tribute

Howard · Aug 13, 2013

Today's photo of the day comes from the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, UK.

Every year, thousands of motorsport and automotive enthusiasts alike make a pilgrimage to Goodwood house to celebrate historic and modern marvels of technology.

The festival always has a centerpiece sculpture, and this year, it was to commemorate the Porsche 911's 50th year.

Atop three large white pillars sit three models of Porsche's iconic 911 rear-engined sports car, from right to left: an original 1963 911, a 1973 Carrera RS and a 2013 Carrera 4.

Porsche's museum in Stuttgart, Germany, donated the three cars. All three of the trio underlines a different aspect of Porsche's lifespan. The Golf Blue coupe representing the origins of the 911 series, the yellow 2.7 RS represents the motorsport history of the company and the latest all-wheel-drive 991 Carrera 4 highlights the practicality of the sports car.

With over 20,000 race victories and 820,000 911s built since 1963, it has been a terrific run for Porsche.

"The 911 has been at the very heart of the Porsche brand for the past five decades. Few other sports cars in the world can look back on such a long tradition and continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts the world over since its debut as the model 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show at Frankfurt in September 1963. Today the truly versatile 911 is considered by its many devoted fans to be the quintessential sports car, and the central point of reference for all other Porsche series, as each of the marque’s other models carry a piece of the 911’s philosophy."

The sculpture was, and previously has been, designed by Gerry Judah. Last year, a 28 metre tall web adorned with Lotus F1 cars was centre stage, as was a huge Jaguar E-Type the year prior.

This year's installation stands 34 metres (111 feet) tall, and was manufactured from sheet steel using a monocoque design. No internal structures are used to support the piece, and each support tails down to be incredibly narrow, making it somewhat spectacular that it can stand.

Image: Race Department

Quote Source: Goodwood