Porsche has celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of its founder, Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche. The manufacturer revealed its first car to bear the Porsche name in 1948, the Type 356, because Ferry Porsche couldn’t buy his dream sports car. “At the beginning I looked around, but I could not find the car I was dreaming of,” he said, “so I decided to build it myself.”
Porsche, who died on 27 March 1998, would have celebrated his 100th birthday on 19 September. He has a place in the European Automotive Hall of Fame, alongside Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz, Henry Ford or Enzo Ferrari.
See our high-res gallery of the life of Ferry Porsche
1909
Born in Wiener Neustadt (Austria), on 19 September as Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, commonly called “Ferry”. Went to school in Wiener Neustadt and Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. Completed his technical training with Bosch in Stuttgart and at Steyr-Werke in Austria.
1931
Started working as a constructor and engineer in the Engineering Office of Dr. Ing. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche GmbH established by his father Ferdinand in Stuttgart.
1934
Appointed Head of Test Driving in charge of the Volkswagen prototypes.
1938
Director of the Porsche Test Department. Construction Office moving to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen in the same year.
1946
Ferry Porsche assumes overall responsibility for Porsche in June.
1948
Completion of Porsche 356 No 1, a 35-bhp mid-engined sports car, in June.
1950
Start of standard production of Porsche Type 356 in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.
1972
Appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, the new joint-stock company.
1979
Received the Star on the Supreme Cross of Honour of the Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of his 70th birthday from the Prime Minister of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Lothar Späth.
1989
Received the Business Medal for Outstanding Achievements in the Economy of Baden-Württemberg on 19 September from the Minister of Economic Affairs of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Martin Herzog.
1998
Ferry Porsche dies in Zell am See on 27 March.
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