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Porsche 969
| File:Porsche 969.jpg | |
| Porsche 969 | |
|---|---|
| Porsche | |
| aka | Porsche 969 |
| Production | 1988 - one-off prototype |
| Class | Sports Luxury |
| Body Style | Four-door saloon |
| Length | c. 4700 mm |
| Width | c. 1850 mm |
| Height | c. 1300 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2826 mm |
| Weight | 1500kg |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual or automatic |
| Engine | 3.6-4.2 litre 80-degree V8 engine, water cooled |
| Power | c. 300bhp |
| Similar | Porsche 928 Maserati Quattroporte Mercedes S-Class BMW 7-Series |
| Designer | Harm Lagaay |
In 1988, Porsche produced a four-dour saloon called the 969, based upon the bodystyling of the 911. Intended as the successor to the Porsche 928, the car did not get past the prototype stage.
Ulrich Bez's Brainchild
During the 1980s, Porsche was going from strength to strength, and the 928 model was selling more than expected. However, many customers complained that it did not offer enough interior room to be a true GT, and Porsche set Dr. Ulrich Bez and a dedicated team of engineers onto the task of creating a replacement.
The brief of the design was a car that would be both comfortable and sporty, and would out-perform the contemporary Mercedes, Maserati and BMW saloon cars. Bez designed a front-engined, rear drive platform, powered by a completely new 80-degree V8 engine, around which Porsche CoD Harm Lagaay designed a fresh and modern bodyshell. Power output was targeted at around 300bhp, and water cooling was chosen for the V8. The prototype was finished in silver metallic, and given 'Cup' alloys. It certainly looked promising, and Porsche reportedly received numerous letters of intent from particularly keen customers.
However, it was to get better. Under the shell, Porsche stole the technology gleaned from the Porsche 959 supercar for the suspension and braking systems. For Porsche's flagship, customers and media were ready to draw conclusions that it would feature lavish usage of advanced materials, like carbon and plastic composite body panels, and titanium engine parts.
Losing Steam
The project, heading into 1991, was around 80-85% complete. But a string of events led to its downfall. As Dr. Bez left Porsche, the management voiced concern over the project - and rightly so, as Porsche's worldwide sales had dropped dramatically following the stock market crash. Money was drying up quickly, and it was reasoned that the market for such a large and expensive automobile had evaporated years before. With much trepidation, the project was cancelled, and money piled into other models in the range.
Porsche said shortly after the termination that they had crushed the sole prototype, but have recently denied this and maintain that it is in storage. The legacy of the 969 project lives on, though, with the styling directly inspiring the Porsche 993 and rear-light design echoed in the Porsche 996. The control-arm suspension became a Porsche 911 key feature from the 993-generation forwards.
However, more specifically, Porsche plans to revive the 969 concept with the Panamera, due for release in 2009. It will have taken 21 years, but the 969 will see the light of day yet.
