1939 Porsche Typ 64

The Real Porsche Prototype

CarshowClassic.com tells the story. 

The Porsche 356 No. 1 is the prototype of the very first commercial release of Porsche, but it is the 1939 Porsche Type 64 that is actually the very first Porsche car. 

The history of Porsche is very rich—so much so that the company deserves to-have its very own museum. Of course, the legacy of Porsche in the automobile industry is-unparalleled. The first cars made by the model are considered to be not just major items in the-industry; they can be considered as important historical artefacts. 

This is the reason why the Porsche 356 No. 1 is one of the most priced possessions-of the Porsche museum, as it shows how the company began and how its progression started. And, of-course, who wouldn’t want to see the very first car that the company created.

However, while the company Porsche began its legacy with the iconic Porsche 356 and-its prototype, the Porsche 356 No.1, these aren’t exactly the first cars made by the person-behind the company, Ferdinand Porsche. And the car that is considered to be the grandfather of the-all the Porsche cars today is the 1939 Porsche Type 64.

To know the history of the Type 64, it is important to know the history of the-company and the company’s founder. Ferdinand Porsche, before founding the company in 1930, was-first associated with the German company Volkswagen. In fact, while another designer was credited,-he was responsible for the design of the very first Volkswagen. When the company was founded in-1930, it was first a vehicle development and consulting company, not a car manufacturer. Later on,-the very first Porsche was produced. This was the 1930 Porsche Type 64. 

When one looks at the Type 64, its resemblance to the Volkswagen Beetle design is-very apparent. To many, it was the ideal touring car, with many concepts, design details, and-aerodynamics so far beyond its time. It ran on a speed of 130 km/h, a true feat during the 1930s,-even for Porsche. Ferdinand Porsche believed in the car so much that he actually drove it-himself—a sign of his great love for his own creation.

The car was created for the purpose of racing, but the car pre-empted its entry on the race tracks. Because of this, only three 1939 Porsche Type 64 were built,-with one actually used on races from the 1940s to the 1950s. Sadly, two of the three 1939 Porsche-Type 64 cars no longer exist today, while the last remaining Type 64 is privately owned. The one-exhibited in the Porsche Museum is only a replica, although the replica made use of many original-parts from the two original Type 64 cars. 

Of course, it was the 356 No. 1 that proves to be the more known-prototype—since the commercial release of the 356 is the company’s entry in the-commercial market. Nonetheless, this cannot underscore the importance of the 1939 Porsche Type 64.-It plays a very significant part in the history of the company, and not only because it shows a-number of trademark Porsche details that remain to be present even until today.

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