From the secret chambers of Porsche’s Research & Development department come a whole bunch of prototypes that helped pave the road for some of today’s iconic cars.
As luck would have it, the German automaker has chosen five of them to detail on film, starting with the Porsche 984, a compact, lightweight and aerodynamic roadster.
It tipped the scales at 880 kg (1,940 lbs), had a 135 PS (133 hp / 99 kW) engine, and could reach 220 km/h (137 mph). Its sole purpose was to achieve dynamic driving characteristics with low driving resistances, rather than using a powerful engine.
Based on the first-gen Cayenne is the Porsche Cayenne Cabrio. It had a Targa roll bar, which the automaker calls “a distinctive design feature”, and came with not one, but two different rear end designs.
Obviously, the Porsche Cayenne Cabrio never made it into production, but neither did the 1987 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster. This one had an open single-seat layout and a plastic covering for the cockpit – evocative of the 550 Spyder of the 1950s.
The Porsche Panamericana, on the other hand, was made in 1989 as a present for Ferry Porsche. The design was completed in just a few months, and it came with a zip-roof that was stored in the trunk. This prototype had 250 PS (246 hp / 184 kW) available on tap, and could reach 210 km/h (130 mph).
Porsche saved the #1 position for a very special prototype, one that basically paved the road for one of the brand’s most iconic models ever. It came with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and was shown to a handful of journalists in 2012, who got the chance to experience it first hand as well. But you’ll have to watch the following video to see the actual car.