Cars
The Fallen Stars: Porsche Panamericana. Extravaganza at the Porsche Museum
The one-off 1989 Porsche Panamericana, built for Ferry Porsche’s 80th birthday, previewed future icons with bold design and versatility.
In 1989, Ferry Porsche, the son of Ferdinand and the originator of the manufacturing adventure of the Stuttgart company, received this one-off car that even today, anyone would love to receive as a gift for his or her 80th birthday. Named “Panamericana” in celebration of the success of the Porsche 550 Spyder in the sports-car class of the 1954 Carrera, the car features several stylistic touches that evoked difficult terrain without losing its sporty character.
The open fendered body panels housed large 17-inch wheels which, just to underline the refinement at play here, were fitted with one-of-a-kind special tyres with the Porsche logo stamped in the tread pattern, and the fact that they were largely uncovered gave the car its unique character, while the roof featured the “double bubble” treatment made famous over the years by Zagato.
