[onboost]

By ALEXIS KUNSAK, Associated Press Writer – Fri Jan 30, 6:13 am ET

STUTTGART, Germany – Porsche's new museum is a sprawling monument to
60 years of German engineering, with its exhibits displayed in
surroundings worthy of the masterpieces it considers them to be.

Engines, interactive displays, Porsche memorabilia and 80 cars —
including prototypes and icons like the 911, all polished to a
mirror-sheen — are parked on two floors of pristine, white
galleries. The museum opens to the public on Saturday.

The collection includes a 550 Spyder — the model James Dean was
driving when he died in a collision with a Studebaker in 1955.

Other models, like the 917 type that Hollywood star Steve McQueen
made famous in "Le Mans" and the 928 version Tom Cruise's character
in "Risky Business" used to elude trouble, are parked bumper-to-
bumper under dazzling spotlights.

Three dramatic concrete pillars support the museum building,
designed by the Viennese architecture firm Delugan Meissl, which
seems to float above its industrial surroundings.

A handcrafted aluminum recreation of the very first Porsche, a Type
64 'VW Aerocoupe,' shines in the center of the first floor.

On the top floor five generations of 911 turbos rotate together,
showing off the slight differences in their styling.

Other cars stand out for their oddity, such as the 1957 "Jagdwagen"
or hunting car, an amphibious vehicle ready for road and pond —
whose unique design brought back memories for invited guests at this
week's official opening of the museum.

"Oh, would you look at that," exclaimed a white-haired visitor to an
elderly friend, as he came around the corner face-to-face with the
Jagdwagen. "That thing was the best in the Black Forest and in the
lake. But it was so expensive."

Visitors can get up-close-and-personal with the vehicles, with no
barriers keeping them at a distance.

Another favorite is the 917/20 race car nicknamed the "Pink Pig."
The extra-wide car was painted pink and labeled with the names of
different cuts of meat after a designer complained about its shape.

Prototypes on display include a 928 model almost long enough for
four doors, a 1989 "Panamericana" with odd curves, and the darling
of the museum staff: the 1992 Boxster prototype that won Best in
Show at the 1993 Detroit Auto Show.

"I love it. It's my favorite," said museum guide Liron Koll. "It's
so much more beautiful than the production model."

Porsche owns more than 400 classic race and sports cars.

Many of those in display still race in events around the world and
almost every car in the museum is road ready — leaving the building
perfumed with the smell of fresh grease and motor oil.

When models are taken out of the museum on the road, Porsche plans
to rotate in others to take their place.

Behind a glass wall opposite the main entrance, visitors can watch
mechanics working on the museum's collection.

Porsche hopes to lure 200,000 visitors a year to the museum —
competition for the rival Mercedes museum, located a half-hour away
in Untertuerkheim, a Stuttgart suburb.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission is euro8 ($10.50) for adults. Children under 14 enter for
free when accompanied by an adult.

www.porsche.com/museum

[onboost]

I think it's funny the that James Dean made the Spyder famous and Steve MCQueen made famous the 917. Obviously not a Motorsports writer!

Paul

[HoodPin]

Cool stuff! I'll have to add it to my "To Do" list, along with a RingTaxi ride with Sabine, if I ever make it to Germany.

[Der ABT]

I was just there in OCT with my wife on our honeymoon. New museum looks like an actual building and not a garage, more like the BMW museum. They said they were trying for march looks like they go to it early. Highly suggest the factory tour, watch out for the "we-line" as in the v6 v8 haha.
Here are some pics from the old museum hopefully it will spur some trips and pics of the new.

sorry was a new camera to me.







fun fact
Check behind your drivers rear tailight and you can see the signature of the painter who sprayed the base coat. as in once you remove the tailight.

[onboost]

Yeah Evan,

That's about what it looked like when I was there some years ago. Great cars of course.. just nothing fancy about the housing thereof. However, both BMW and Mercedes both had very nice digs for thier museum pieces. Even got to tour the restoration dept at Mecedes, now called the Cassic Center.
http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com...er_service.htm


Paul

[smdubovsky]

YouTube - Video des Tages | Das neue Porsche-Museum in Stuttgart

YouTube - Video des Tages | Das neue Porsche-Museum in Stuttgart

[jwilson95]

short write up in excellence this month also

[Puffinator]

We are going to the Porsche museum in July. Any hotel, restaurant, sites to see recommendations?

[smdubovsky]

We hit the porsche, bmw, and mercedes museums ~2yrs ago. All are well done and different. The new porsche museum was way better then the tiny old one. The Deutsches Museum in munich is EXCELLENT if you like machines / technical stuff. The coolest science museum I've ever seen.

[Baywatch]

The Golden Leaf Hotel in Zuffenhausen is close. You may want to consider staying downtown Stuttgart. I suggest taking the Romantic Road. http://www.romanticroad.com
Feel free to call me if you need any advise


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Gary Baker
Director
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