Nashville Porsche Service Expert Says The Brand is A Legend 88 Years In The Making
The Porsche is one of the most recognized and beloved vehicles in the US today, says Porsche service expert Jay Gould. The Nashville native, who owns a 911S, explains, however, that the brand started out on the other side of the world and has an interesting history.
The early days
Porsche’s namesake, Ferdinand Porsche, didn’t originally intend to build his own cars. Instead, in 1931, he opened an office dedicated to commissioned vehicle design. One of his very first projects came from the head of the German government, creating a car for the average family. The Volkswagen was the result of a collaboration between Porsche and then-ruler Adolf Hitler. Many people looking for Porsche service in Nashville are surprised to find out about the dark ties between their favorite vehicle and the Nazis, which also includes forced labor and the unfortunate arrest of Ferdinand Porsche for war crimes.
0Porsche was held for nearly two years and was released without a trial. Soon after, Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry, built a prototype – a precursor to the 356 – out of spare parts. This was showcased to dealers and became what many consider the first official Porsche. After 1940s-era performance tuning, the 356 was certified for road usage in 1948.
The death of an innovator
Ferdinand Porsche did not get to enjoy success for long as he died in 1951 of a stroke. After his death, Ferry, the new company head, witnessed the 356 win its first international race. Soon, instead of performance tuning the 356, Porsche released a new design, which would become known as the 550 Spyder.
In 1952, the first Porsche was sold in the United States. It was a 1952 356 Cabriolet imported by Austrian businessman Max Hoffman. While Porsche service in Nashville was not yet available, the vehicle’s popularity was about to skyrocket. By 1956, the Porsche company, which was in its 25th year, had not only made a name for itself in the racing circuit, but it was also popular as an everyday driver. At this time, 10,000 Porsche vehicles roamed the streets of Europe, and many more were being shipped to the US.
Moving forward
According to the Porsche service provider in Nashville, the 1970s were a golden era for almost all automobile makers. It was during this decade that the company released a 4.5 L, 12-cylinder vehicle dubbed the 917. GPO Tuning provides performance tuning services to many of these disco-era Porsche automobiles.
As the 1980s rolled around, Porsche hit another milestone when its 956 was recognized as the most successful sports car in automotive history. A few years later, the 959 was released and then the Carrera.
As the leading provider of Porsche service in Nashville, German Performance Options is always inspired when they see one of these pre-90s cars pull into the parking lots. Thankfully, many more models have rolled off the lines in the years since. In 1996, Porsche sold its one-millionth vehicle. It began manufacturing the Boxter that same year. Sadly, Ferry Porsche passed away in 1998, two years before his company opened its new factory in Leipzig.
A few final facts
Porsche cars are among the most iconic of all time. It makes sense, then, that a museum dedicated to the brand was opened in 2005. Another milestone, the Leipzig factory was expanded in 2006; the Panamera began production in the new wing in 2009. Moving into recent years, the Porsche team made news at the Le Mans in 2015 and then again in 2017 for bringing home overall victories. This is more impressive considering that the team’s racers needed major repairs during the 2015 event.
GPO Tuning is Nashville’s most trusted independent Porsche service provider. To schedule service for your German automobile, visit the crew at the shop or go to www.gpotuning.com.