As part of the unique “We Are Porsche” Exhibition with the celebration of 75 Years of Porsche The Petersen Automotive Museum is featuring 40 famous cars and their stories. This Porsche 904 represents the company’s return to a full focus on sports car racing after their experiment in Grand Prix with the 804. F.A. “Butzi” Porsche was in charge of styling, with engineer Gerhard Schröder designing the chassis.
ENGINE: 2.0-liter flat-4
TOP SPEED: 160 mph
HORSEPOWER: 180 (est.)
For the first time, fiberglass was used for the body shell that was bonded to a ladder chassis, keeping costs and weight down and creating a stiffer race car. The 904 would be highly successful in FIA racing from its debut in 1963 until 1965 and would herald a new era of Porsche motorsports. Find out more
1964 PORSCHE 904 GTS: COURTESY OF THE INGRAM COLLECTION
EXHIBITION ABSTRACT
In late 1948, when New York car importer Max Hoffman first saw a photograph of a new sports car built by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s son, Ferry, it was a pivotal moment for both Hoffman and Porsche. Hoffman had an instinct for the kind of car postwar Americans desired and began importing Porsches just two years later. Sales would start slowly. The 356, Porsche’s first model, was unlike any other vehicle on the road. It was rear-engined, and its rounded shape looked nothing like the big American cruisers popular at the time. But eventually, America would embrace its uniqueness more enthusiastically than anywhere else in the world.
By the time the 356 ended production in 1965, the United States would represent 75 percent of Porsche’s sales. The 356 would start a sports car craze that introduced new groups of people to automobile racing. It became a symbol of style and individuality for celebrities and people who wanted to feel like one. Porsches became shorthand for television and film characters’ coolness, objects of reverence for collectors, and a distinct canvas for America’s customizers. A new kind of car culture would emerge in America with Porsches at its center, one based around a fanaticism that is rooted in image as much as performance.
The people at the heart of this culture have made Porsche one of the most recognized brands in the world. They are dreamers, drivers, celebrities, collectors, and personalizers. They include all of us who appreciate the company’s distinctive products and want to share that enthusiasm with others. Together, we are Porsche.
About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors and $11 for children ages 4 to 17.
Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age 4 are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.
Report by petersen.org
