Porsches

Ferdinand Porsche not only designed the forerunner of the Volkswagen Beetle, he laid the groundwork for one of Germany’s most successful and celebrated industrial empires of the 20th century. It all started in 1948 with the Porsche 356, a two-seater powered by a rear-mounted, slightly beefed-up VW Beetle engine that provided agile handling, dependability, and performance unmatched in sports cars of the day.

Porsche went on to create its own engines in the mid-1950s, and in 1964 its launched what would become an automobile legend: the Porsche 911. Decades later, no modern car has stayed as faithful to its creator’s original vision, and the 911 has become the ultimate symbol of privilege for Wall Street traders, Chinese tycoons, and serious Porsche fans.

With an illustrious history marked by almost countless wins in racing circles and world-class precision and reliability, Porsche continues to run laps around the competition with vehicles like the Cayenne SUV and the hybridized 918 Spyder.

Quick Facts

• In a 2015 Gooding auction, a 1982 Porsche 956 went for $10.12 million, making it one of the top 10 most expensive cars to sell that year
• A 1967 Porsche 910 Endurance Racing Works Coupe sold for $799,000 at a 2010 Bonhams auction
• Steve McQueen’s 1970 Porsche 911S from the film “Le Mans” sold for $1.375 million in a ROM Sotheby’s 2011 auction