07/05/08

Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, as well as Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, is celebrating his 65th birthday on May 10, 2008. Ferdinand ('Ferry') Porsche's youngest son, who was born in Stuttgart, has been a member of the Supervisory Board of the sports car manufacturer since 1978. He has also been family spokesman since the death of his father Ferry in 1998.

Wolfgang Porsche has always seen it as his primary duty to continue to drive forward the company in the same spirit that his father Ferry and grandfather Ferdinand intended when they founded and built up the firm, in close collaboration with the members of the Porsche and Piech families. As a result of this fundamental stance, he contributed significantly to the increase in capital that occurred in 1992 to ensure the continued independence of the family-owned company, and has also influenced all further important business decisions. This particularly includes decisions relating to the expansion of the product portfolio to include the Roadster Boxster, the Cayenne sports utility vehicle, and the four-seater Gran Turismo Panamera, as well as the building of the Leipzig plant, and last but not least, the stake of Porsche AG in the Volkswagen Group in 2005.

As Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, CEO of Porsche SE, notes: 'Throughout the past 16 years, Wolfgang Porsche has tirelessly supported us as an approachable and competent advisor, both on everyday questions as well as on the various strategic decisions we have faced to position the company in the best way. This advice has always been open and frank, and he has served as an essential bridge between company and shareholders. In all decisions, the Porsche Managing Board could always count on his integrity and his support, and for this we are extremely thankful'.

Wolfgang Porsche was born on May 10, 1943, the youngest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche, the founder of the sports car icon. He spent the first 6 and a half years of his life at the so called 'Schuttgut' in Zell am See, Austria, to which his parents and grandparents had retreated during the final years of the war. The family returned to Stuttgart in 1950. At first, Wolfgang went to the Waldorf School in Stuttgart, before moving over to the Odenwald School in Heppenheim. It was here that he obtained his Abitur (higher school-leaving certificate) in 1965, and at the same time abandoned his training as an apprentice locksmith. Following this, he obtained his degree in Business Administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. He received his doctorate in International Business in 1973.

After completing his studies, Wolfgang Porsche went into business, and became an importer for Yamaha motorbikes in Austria, a trade that he pursued successfully for 27 years. He returned to Stuttgart in 1976, and worked at the then Daimler-Benz AG as a manager in several different areas of domestic and foreign sales. In 1978 he was appointed a member of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, taking over the position of Chairman in January 2007. He was also appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE at its incorporation in June 2007. In addition, he has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Holding Ges.m.b.H. in Salzburg, the largest Austrian trading company, since 1983. Furthermore, he is Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Swiss watch manufacturer Eterna S.A. in Grenchen, and, since April 24, 2008, a member of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg.

On the death of his father Ferry in 1998, he was selected as spokesman by the Porsche family. As such, Wolfgang Porsche considers his main role to be that of an intermediary and consensus-builder between the individual family members to ensure that the shared goal of the independence and financial stability of the Porsche company is never compromised. His calm, objective style, as well as his wit and humor, are his chief assets. In this regard, Wolfgang Porsche has even described himself as a 'Swabian Austrian', for whom level-headedness, reliability and tradition are all important. The father-of-four lives alternately in Munich, Stuttgart, and at the paternal 'Schuttgut' in Zell am See, which he has inherited. A keen hunter, he has always maintained his special affinity with the sports car icon that is still 'made in Zuffenhausen', both to its past and its present.

Wolfgang Porsche has received numerous honors for his services to business. In 2005 he was awarded the 'Great Golden Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria' by the Prime Minister of Austria, the highest award granted by the country of his birth.

18/02/08

We have added more pictures and information to the Porscheshop GT3 Customers' Cars section.

Click here for the GT3 gallery.

Click here for the Customer's Cars menu.

08/02/08

The PCI newsletter for January and February 2008 is available to download from our website here.

It has information about future events and the 2007 Rennsport Reunion at Daytona.

17/01/08

Porsche will be building a hybrid drive version of the new Panamera. This four-door Gran Turismo with sporting driving dynamics so typical of Porsche will boast the proven components featured in the Cayenne Hybrid entering the market at the end of the decade. And thanks to its newly developed full parallel hybrid, Porsche’s Sports Utility will offer average fuel consumption of less than 9 litres/100 kilometres (approx 25 mpg).

The new Porsche Panamera will be the first four-door sports model to feature particularly fuel-efficient full parallel hybrid technology. At the same time the Panamera will also benefit from the experience then gained by the Porsche Cayenne as a pioneer in hybrid drive.

The newly developed full parallel hybrid system will consist primarily of the battery unit positioned in the luggage compartment, the power electronics, and the hybrid module between the engine and transmission comprising an additional clutch and the electric motor. Depending on driving conditions, the hybrid module is able to disengage either the combustion engine or the electric motor, or to combine both drive systems as one joint power unit. Hence, the Panamera may be driven in a number of different modes ranging from all-electric drive absolutely free of emissions all the way to the sporting style of motoring so typical of a Porsche.

The fourth model series coming from the sports car manufacturer in Stuttgart also boasts other striking features, the wide and low body offering dynamic proportions and muscular design for an outstandingly sporting and at the same time compact overall look.

The space available inside the car offers a brand-new experience of roominess. The two sporting and comfortable single seats at the rear will allow adults to relax with surprisingly generous headroom, in full comfort and, if they wish, with all the performance and speed of a genuine Gran Turismo.

Sitting in the elegant and modern cockpit with its high-quality materials, the driver will enjoy all the sporting and unmistakable driving dynamics so typical of every Porsche. The new Panamera Gran Turismo will be making its world debut in 2009 and will be introduced initially with proven drive concepts. The hybrid version will follow later, depending on market requirements.

08/01/08

See us on stand 12980 in Pistonheads Hall 12 at the Autosport International Show, Birmingham NEC from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th January 2008.

The show is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday and open to industry professionals on the Friday.

For general information on the show, see the Autosport visitor information page.

04/12/07

A full itinerary of all the goings on at this year's event can be read on this page.

A booking form in PDF format is also available to download here.

To view the booking form, you will require Adobe Reader.

29/11/07

The December newsletter for the Porsche Club Ireland is available to download on this page.

19/11/07

The 2008 tour will run from Friday 16th May to Monday 19th May.

For more information about this year's tour, click here.

08/11/07

We offer a wide range of Styling items for the Cayenne from small items to what you can see here a full make over with 22" Veloce Wheels and Yokohama tyres.

Full painting and fitting available

06/11/07

A new Porscheshop newsletter has been sent out and is available to read here.

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