Can someone tell me the code (and the logic - if any) behind Porsche’s project numbers?

Ps: I was looking for Traddeus’ 951 model and it seams that's a 944 model from 1987 - it doesn’t seams to have any logic!
<img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

 

Eric:
The 951 project number indicates that it's a TURBO 944, just like 930 is a 911 Turbo.

The project numbers are thought up at the factory. What reasons they have the numbers they use are a company secret. If I tell you - I'll have to kill you. YMMV.

 

I believe that all Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, and VAG products [SEAT, Skoda, etc.] are assigned a "type number" during their development. Porsche is the only one that actually sells their cars under this designation, with the exception of the Boxster [986]. Some examples:

VW Golf- type 17
Jetta- type 16/16a
Scirocco- type 53
Corrado- type 50

Porsche 911 type 911
911 [later] type 993
911 turbo type 930
911 turbo [later] type 964
911 [H2O] type 996
Boxster type 986
944 type 944
944 turbo type 951
928 type 928

And a few others that I can't think of now. It appears that when a car is either completely new or substantially upgraded that Porsche assigns a new type number. Makes sense...

Normy!
'85 S2 5 Speed

 

i believe the project numbers started after the 356 era with 901 and have been sequential since then for every new project. early on porsche was sued? by peugot as they claimed ownership of 900 to 910 so the 911 was technically the first project nymber. many of these cars never made it to production or were just race cars. don't know what will happen when they run out of 900 numbers.

 

Ed-

You forgot that the 924 turbo was given the 931 designation.

I had always wondered about the numbers also, how about this reasoning...

9 - uh, who knows...
---------------------
2 - water cooled (past the first generation i.e. 1 = air cooled)
4 - second iteration of the water cooled
---------------------
4 - cylinders?
8 - (same)

So, 928 = water cooled 8 cylinder
and 924 = water cooled 4 cylinder
and 944 = 2nd iteration of a water cooled 4 cylinder.

Can't reason the 930, 931, 951 numbers though.



Just a thought....

 

Jay:
Your logic is valid, but the factory didn't apply that logic, if any. Hence, according to the logic, the 968 should be - a water cooled, front engine, 8 cylinder??? Oops!

Also, Peugot didn't have the rights to all 900 to 910 numbers. They claimed a right to designations with "0" in the middle and ending with "1". Otherwise, the Porsche 904, 908, and 910 would have had different designation numbers. YMMV.

BTW, an early 356 model was originally called the "Continental". Guess who sued Porsche for the use of that name? Meantime, there was also a Rolls Royce "Continental", but they were never sued for the use of the name. Go figure. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

 

The project numbering goes back to times before Porsche as an auto manufacturer existed. Professor Ferdinand Porsche (Ferry's father) started a sequential numbering system. Porsche was a "for hire" design company, so they assigned project numbers to all their jobs.

It so happens that project 356 was the first Porsche named auto that was undertaken after the war under Ferry Porsche's management. The famous Porsche Number 1 356 Gmünd coupe started it all for the Porsche name.

 

Some of the things I have heard/read

Somewhere in the Company's history the numbers were "fudged" to make it look as if there was alot more going on for financing reasons; I believe this was in the 356 days not the 900.

The 911 was orig. designated 901 but the peugot thing made it the 911.
Most of the numbers seem to make sense when you include all the race car; 907, 908 917 etc., fills in alot of the missing spots. I believe the numbers are assigned very early in the idea stage so alot of them are lost on stillborn project and those that don't ever make it to market or in the case of racecars those that become obsolete pre-production due to rules changes.
Just some things I've heard.

 

Thanks for your useful info
Happy New years to your all
<img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" /> <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

 

Does anyone know the Cayenne's type number?