I've wondered on and off over the years how Germans refer to Porsche model numbers. Is it "nine forty-four" or "nine hundred forty-four", for example. Given the Germans' penchant for exacting descriptions and 25+ letter words it wouldn't have surprised me if it was "neunhunderftvierundvierzig" (nine hundred forty-four). Hmmm, that might look cool on my trunk lid come to think of it...

Anyway, I recently struck up a friendship with a work colleague in Munich who has a very nice 928 and so I asked him, thought y'all might be interested.

Per Markus in München:

911 – “Neun elf” (Nine eleven) is correct and common, whereas nobody really says “Neun Hundert elf” here (although it would be correct German grammar).
Some german Porsche Fans also say „Neun Elfer“ (Nine elevener) or just very short „Elfer“ (Elevener)

928 – “Neun achtundzwanzig” (Nine twenty-eight) or just “Achtundzwanziger” (Twenty-eighter). In Bavaria and Munich also often „Achtundzwanz`ger“ we leave out the „i“ coz of our dialect (local tongue) ;-)

944 – “Neun vierundvierzig” (Nine forty-four) or just “Vierundvierziger” (Forty-fourer). Same applies for the “i” being left out as mentioned above.

Learn something everyday.

 

Very cool.

The same goes with BMW. For example, they call the 3 series a "3er", and the 6 series a "6er"

 

And here I was thinking "with a heavy accent."

 

In my best Sgt. Schultz accent "I know nothink!"

 

I think they call the 944's a ...ItzaFolksvagenschiztenboxen.

 

Interesting. When I lived in the UK, I was nicely corrected a few times by Brits on the "correct" way to say the models. One guy, in a rather un-British way, made a disparaging remark on how Americans say the models. I was told the "correct" way was:

Nine-eleven
Nine-four-four
Nine-two-eight

 

How about Blah Blah Blah

 

lol

 

The Brits would also have you say "BMW Zed-Four Coupč".

I have heard Porsche AG employees say "Nine Five Nine" (when speaking English). I was surprised that they don't call it a Nine Fifty-Nine.

 

Yes, as owners of front engine water pumpers we have the unique pleasure of having even dwarf owners of 911s look down their noses as us!

 

We say it the same down here too.

 

In Canada I always hear, nine-four-four, nine-two-eight and nine-eleven. Same as the Brits and Aussies. Of course we probly still have closer ties to the British than you "Yanks" Lol!!

PS Doesn't everyone say BMW Zed-Four?

 

yep
nine eleven
nine two four
nine four four
nine two eight
nine five nine
nine nine six..nine nine seven..ect
arr ex seven
two hundred ess ex..

 

Zed-Four, 240-Zed, etc. I could live with, but hearing little kids sing the alphabet song and end it with "W, X, Y and Zed" just messes with my head.

 

Interesting the note though, here in the US we say nine-sixty-four then switch and say nine-nine-three, nine-nine-six, nine-nine-seven and nine-nine-one.