The Porsche brand has always brought people together all over the world. The foundation of the Westfälischer Porsche Club Hohensyburg on the 26th of May 1952 was the germ of a unique idea that today is brought to life every day by events held by Porsche Clubs around the world. Today, there are more than 700 Porsche Clubs worldwide with in excess of 240,000 members in 86 countries. This venerable global ecosystem of marque-specific clubs is unparalleled in the automotive industry in both its form and its size. A variety of activities and celebrations are planned throughout the year to mark the 70th anniversary.
“Porsche would not be Porsche without the global community of friends and fans who come together to share their passion for our brand,” says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “The Porsche Clubs preserve the legend of our brand, while at the same time their members are involved in social, sporting and community activities, and in this way are also representing our values. This makes the clubs attractive for young and old. We are delighted to be able to celebrate this special anniversary.”
The first Porsche Club founded in 1952
On 26th of May 1952, Günter Heidemann, Hans F. Debner, Gustav Pardun, Alfred Göddert, Rolf Vormstein, Emil Handtke and Karl Wertz found the Westfälischer Porsche Club Hohensyburg, which goes on to become the Porsche Club Westfalen e.V., in the presence of publicity manager and legendary racing driver Baron Huschke von Hanstein.
Founding articles of the Westfälischer Porsche Club Hohensyburg
The first international Porsche Clubs
In 1953, the first Club outside of Germany is founded in Belgium under the stewardship of the Porsche importer D’Ieteren. The international success story of the Porsche Clubs begins. For Porsche, the United States quickly emerges to become the most important export market thanks to the industrious importer Max Hoffman. By as early as the mid-1950s, almost half of the cars produced each year are sold overseas. The history of the Porsche Club of America is a success story in its own right. Initiated in 1955 by Porsche enthusiast Bill Sholar, a commercial graphic design artist from Washington, as a self-help group for carrying out repairs on Porsche vehicles, the Club quickly develops to become a large community outside of Washington as well. Around the globe, roughly five new clubs see daylight every year.
These are autonomous, independent, registered associations or comparable legal forms and are organized jointly and on a voluntary basis by their members. Each club, therefore, offers a unique program and range of services. From drives and motorsport events to social gatherings and technical lectures on vehicles and e-mobility to ‘Concours d’Élégance’ and multi-day Porsche parades. The vehicles of the club members range from classic cars to the current Porsche model range. Even the purely electric Taycan can be seen at club events. Classic Clubs around the world are particularly dedicated to the preservation and maintenance of historic Porsche cars.
The first international Porsche Meeting in Meran
Back in the early years of the first ‘circles of friends’, Porsche founder Ferry Porsche and Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, who was racing director at this time, decided to bring the ‘Friends of Porsche’ together. As the first groups emerged from the motor racing community, Huschke von Hanstein formed the link to the company and was active in the founding of the first club. Although the first gathering of Porsche Clubs takes place in Stuttgart in 1954, the Porsche gathering in the Italian town of Meran on the 14th and 15th of May 1955 is often referred to as the first international Porsche event. These multinational gatherings have been designed to reinforce international relations, says company boss Ferry Porsche in describing their significance.
In the years that followed, around 600 vehicles regularly met there. Ferry Porsche continued to attend Porsche rallies in the US well into his later years. It’s a tradition that Dr. Wolfgang Porsche and Hans-Peter Porsche have carried on to this day. In the meantime, management of the clubs has been taken over by the Global Community Management team of Porsche as well as by importers and Porsche dealers.
A festive celebration of the anniversary year
To mark the anniversary in 2022, Porsche is planning a worldwide campaign with a variety of communications and events under the banner of ‘Enduring Passion’. In addition to traditional Porsche-branded media materials, this includes a central content hub, on which the Porsche Club members can publish their personal club stories. The company is also supporting Porsche Club events such as the 356 Meeting in the Netherlands in May, the Porsche Parade USA and Le Mans Classic.
We do not have a complete list of clubs at our disposal, but here you can find at least some. Is your club not on the list? Please let us know, and we will be happy to add it to the list.
Edited Porsche Factory Press Release
Pictures courtesy Love for Porsche Collection, Porsche AG, and Porsche Club News.
