Porsche Nomenclature: How Porsche Names Its Models?

“Porsche” comes from the German language, meaning “offerings.” Its name comes from the man who started it, Ferdinand Porsche. In 1931, Ferdinand Porsche (1875–1951), Adolf Rosenberger, and Anton Pich started a company called “Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH.”

The German car company makes high-performance sports cars, SUVs, and sedans. Its main office is in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Volkswagen AG owns the company, and Porsche Automobil Holding S.E. owns a controlling stake in Volkswagen AG.

The 718 Boxster/Cayman, 911 (992), Panamera, Macan, Cayenne, and Taycan are all cars Porsche makes now. Only Porsche’s sports cars have model names that start with a number. Since the typeface had already been made, Porsche changed the zero to a one.

After that, Porsche kept using three-digit numbers that started with “9.” Later, supplementary numbers were used to show the model’s generation. For example, the 911 has the numbers 964, 993, 996, 997, 991, and 992. This is how Porsche names its models.

Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Panamera
Porsche Macan
Porsche Tycan

911:

As Porsche’s business got better, the numbers went up until the 356’s replacement made Porsche stop using this custom type. In 1964, the “Type 901” made its debut at the Paris Auto Show.

After the show, however, Peugeot claimed the legal right to use three-digit numbers with a zero in the middle. This was a surprise. The chance to make a new number had passed in the middle of the launch.

With the usual creativity of Porsche, it was clear to change the car’s name to “911,” and a legend was born. Over the years, models like the 924, 928, and 944 joined the 911, and the three-digit number starting with “9” has come to represent the sporty side of the Porsche brand.

Spyder:

Even though cars didn’t exist when the word “spider” or “spyder” was first used, many manufacturers now use it to describe a roadster.

Its history with convertible cars goes back to the 1800s when it used to describe a light, open carriage for two people. This is what Porsche calls its available mid-engine sports cars.

718:

The 911 is not the only numbered Porsche model available today. The Boxster, the Cayman, and the Spyder are all part of the 718 range. It has much to do with the famous mid-engine, four-cylinder 718 racecars, which debuted at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 718 is now a mid-engine roadster that brings the sporty spirit of that racing icon to today’s roads.

Targa:

Since 1965, when the name “Targa” was used for the first time, this open-top version of the Porsche 911 has been easily recognisable thanks to its unique roll-over bar and innovative roof design.

The name comes from the famous road race in Sicily called the Targa Florio. In English, the word “Targa” means “plate” or “platter.”

Carrera:

Dr Ernst Fuhrmann developed the Type 547 four-camshaft engine, which got the name “Carrera.” Eventually, Porsche used the term “Carrera” to honour its more powerful engines, most notably in the 911 model series.

The name Carrera, which comes from the Spanish word for “race,” is a tribute to Porsche’s success at the famous border-to-border Mexican endurance race called Carrera Panamericana. In the 1950s, Porsche did very well in this race with the 550 Spyder.

Boxster:

It was an instant hit when Porsche showed the mid-engine Boxster concept study to the world in 1993. Its refined roadster look won the hearts of sportscar fans immediately.

The word “Boxster” comes from a combination of its Boxer engine type (called that because each pair of pistons moves in and out like a boxer’s gloves) and its sporty roadster design. This six-cylinder car with a water-cooled engine came off the production line for the first time in 1996.

Inside Porsche, it was called the 986. It changed the performance and safety standards for roadster cars right away. The Boxster is still known as the most fun car to drive with the top down.

Cayenne:

This SUV is a powerhouse that can’t be missed. It has strong performance and precise handling, so it deserves a name with a bit of a kick.
When it came out in 2002, the Cayenne was Porsche’s third model, after the 911 and the Boxster. The name comes from the spicy cayenne pepper, a bold and fitting choice for this brave and fiery traveller.

Cayman:

The Cayman has a name that packs a punch. Its name comes from the South American caiman, which looks like a crocodile. Powerful and quick, it joined the Boxster and 911 as a standout Porsche sports car when it came out in 2006. It is now under the 718 umbrella with the first of these two models.

Panamera:

Even though the Carrera Panamericana only ran for a few years, it’s safe to say that the race left a big mark on Porsche. It is where the name “Carrera,” which is now used for 911, came from.
It is also where the word “Panamera” came from. In its original form, the race was held from 1950 to 1954. It was about endurance, speed, and dependability, all of which are easy to use to describe this car.

Macan:

When the Macan came out in 2015, people only knew where the name came from if they spoke Javanese. The name comes from the word for the Indonesian tiger in the language, and it shows that the car is fierce even though it looks elegant. Today, everyone agrees that the Porsche Macan is the sportiest compact SUV because it is lively.

Taycan:

When it came out in 2019, the first all-electric Porsche needed a name that matched how it worked. “Taycan” comes from two Turkic words that mean “soul of a lively young horse.”
It’s a phrase that says everything about the electric Porsche: it’s active, quick, free-spirited, and never stops. The name also shows where the brand came from and where it is going, with the word “horse” bringing to mind the silhouette on the Porsche crest.
Even after it came out, the word has been given more good meanings in other languages. In Japanese, “taken” roughly means “physical experience.” Once you’ve driven a Taycan, you’ll agree with this definition.

Conclusion:

We have discussed about Porsche all Models. Porsche now adds Turbo, S, or GTS to each model’s name to differentiate it. Remember the R.S. versions of Porsche’s sports cars, the Targa models, or the Spyder and Speedster models that have been around for a long time.