When you think of the most desirable 911s in the United States, you typically don’t think of the 997 Sport Classic. But the reason for that is likely because it was never offered to the US market in the first place—and maybe that’s what makes it among the most desirable after all.

At Porsche’s weekend-long takeover of Indianapolis, a variety of activities engaged the thousands of enthusiasts who traveled from all corners to celebrate the brand. From Luftgekühlt’s dynamic downtown display, to the Porsche Zentrum’s exhibition hall, to off-road and autocross experiences, drivers and fans found excitement all throughout the city.

 

But we’re talking about Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Nicknamed “The Racing Capital of the World,” surely the track had to be hot especially with Porsche in town.

For collectors of the automotive elite, an abundance of Concours events celebrate the exhibition of these cars around the country. The setting is largely ubiquitous—early morning sun rising over a manicured golf course as prestige wanders the grounds.

 

Pebble Beach set the standard and has 70 years of experience, while events like Amelia Island and Greenwich have followed in its path. In its infancy, The Bridge was an event shaping up to be referred to as the “East Coast Pebble Beach.” But after its fifth installment, that may not be giving it enough credit.

Each Porsche enthusiast fell in love with the brand in a different way, but it’s likely that many will point to a specific air-cooled sports car that started the fire. Now, there’s one place that specifically celebrates those cars in an unrivaled exhibition of classic Porsche.

 

Luftgekühlt is for those who know—even its pronunciation elicits a bit of confusion on the faces of the uninitiated. But it’s a simple name, it’s not an amalgamation or deeply-rooted slang in the Porsche vernacular. It simply means…“air-cooled.”

Porsche’s success in motorsport hasn’t just been based on results—despite how undeniably impressive those have been. The brand’s ability to develop competitive products that meet and exceed the challenges of their time has kept them out in front on the track and in the marketplace.

50 years after the Porsche 917K secured the brand’s first overall win at Le Mans, a celebration was planned at the most prestigious automotive event in the world. But as the Coronavirus pandemic suspended many plans for 2020, it was back on for 2021, which was still a 50-year anniversary—this time, the second win for the 917 at Le Mans.

 

The 917 had a decorated career worth celebrating but not just at La Sarthe. 917’s secured wins at tracks across the world and in a number of series and forms, and each of those forms was honored…

Beginning in 1974, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has celebrated the historic automobile alongside the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but in a way that prioritizes the spectacle of competition and the authentic nature of the entrants. While there is no incentive for outright victory in the races, the atmosphere of Laguna Seca as these prized racers are wheeled back out for modern exhibition is a scene unlike anything else.

While cars like the 911 RSR and GT3R have built an incredible reputation as world-beating endurance racers through their successes at tracks like Le Mans and the Nürburgring, the team responsible for a lot of that success behind the scenes is Manthey-Racing. The Nürburgring-based outfit offers performance expertise for road and racing Porsches, tried and tested in the most grueling environments in motorsport.

A lap of the demanding Nürburgring Nordschleife requires ultimate commitment from both car and driver, so Porsche came prepared with its 911 GT2 RS fitted with the Manthey Performance Kit and speed specialist Lars Kern in search of yet another production car record.

In the world of sport utility vehicles, few cars have actually embraced “sport” and “utility” in equal order like the Cayenne has. The soul of Porsche’s sports cars has been apparent in the Cayenne throughout its model lineup, but the latest iteration is the most extreme commitment to sporting dynamics in the history of the nameplate.