Doug DeMuro

Plus, an important distinction between Porsche and Ferrari in this era is that Porsche was largely focused on road cars, and then the road cars went racing. Except for the 550, which was kind of purpose-built for racing. And there were racing versions of the 356, but the goal was mostly road cars. Whereas Enzo, very famously, he just wanted to race. And he hated his road car customers deeply. Yeah.

Plus, an important distinction between Porsche and Ferrari in this era is that Porsche was largely focused on road cars, and then the road cars went racing. Except for the 550, which was kind of purpose-built for racing. And there were racing versions of the 356, but the goal was mostly road cars. Whereas Enzo, very famously, he just wanted to race. And he hated his road car customers deeply. Yeah.

It wasn't his thing. He just wanted to race. He only sold road cars to kind of finance racing. And a lot of the road cars that he ended up selling were either based on race cars or just former race cars. I'm done with this crap. Whereas Porsche was selling, I mean, 356s were like being sold in pretty good volume.

It wasn't his thing. He just wanted to race. He only sold road cars to kind of finance racing. And a lot of the road cars that he ended up selling were either based on race cars or just former race cars. I'm done with this crap. Whereas Porsche was selling, I mean, 356s were like being sold in pretty good volume.

Like, one car. And it remains true. It's kind of like Porsche's thing to this day. Like, how relatively usable the car is in just about any setting. Like, you can drive it to work. You can actually take it on a racetrack. That, like, has remained sort of an ether. Whether or not it's constantly a North Star for them, it is what they do more than anybody else.

Like, one car. And it remains true. It's kind of like Porsche's thing to this day. Like, how relatively usable the car is in just about any setting. Like, you can drive it to work. You can actually take it on a racetrack. That, like, has remained sort of an ether. Whether or not it's constantly a North Star for them, it is what they do more than anybody else.

And there have been, and we'll get to, and the 550 Spider is one of them, there have been some portions that kind of go one way or another in the philosophy. But generally speaking, it's sort of a middle of the road, going back to Ferry's quote about this exact thing, can do all these things.

And there have been, and we'll get to, and the 550 Spider is one of them, there have been some portions that kind of go one way or another in the philosophy. But generally speaking, it's sort of a middle of the road, going back to Ferry's quote about this exact thing, can do all these things.

Le Mans is like, there are various car races that are considered sort of the big car race, right? Like the Indy 500 is the car race of that racing series. Le Mans has always kind of been a place to prove technology. It's a 24-hour race, so you switch drivers. And it's always been a place where some of like

Le Mans is like, there are various car races that are considered sort of the big car race, right? Like the Indy 500 is the car race of that racing series. Le Mans has always kind of been a place to prove technology. It's a 24-hour race, so you switch drivers. And it's always been a place where some of like

It proves like the endurance and the capabilities of a car and of a manufacturer over that time period. It's really serious. It's always raining and it's always a disaster and it's in the middle of the night and it's difficult. And so like being able to win or win your class, Le Mans is like the Monaco Grand Prix, the Super Bowl, if you will, of like vehicles racing in that sort of race series.

It proves like the endurance and the capabilities of a car and of a manufacturer over that time period. It's really serious. It's always raining and it's always a disaster and it's in the middle of the night and it's difficult. And so like being able to win or win your class, Le Mans is like the Monaco Grand Prix, the Super Bowl, if you will, of like vehicles racing in that sort of race series.

relative to the other races it's closer to like what you want for a all-around car that would also be a drivable car because like fuel efficiency matters it's also a road race so it's not on a racetrack it's literally on they close down roads in the french countryside and and race on the road and so there's like some component of like instead of purpose building a car for a circuit like cows were using this road you know two days before yeah right totally

relative to the other races it's closer to like what you want for a all-around car that would also be a drivable car because like fuel efficiency matters it's also a road race so it's not on a racetrack it's literally on they close down roads in the french countryside and and race on the road and so there's like some component of like instead of purpose building a car for a circuit like cows were using this road you know two days before yeah right totally

It's amazing to think that 588 cars was 40% of Porsche production. Right? I agree with you, by the way, about your point that they didn't really have America in the business plan. One thing to provide some context is important to keep in mind.

It's amazing to think that 588 cars was 40% of Porsche production. Right? I agree with you, by the way, about your point that they didn't really have America in the business plan. One thing to provide some context is important to keep in mind.

The number of sports car startups happening in Europe at this time was significant, most of which listeners, viewers will have never really heard of because they all died. These came up. They showed up. They raced a little. They sold some cars. They failed. And there were tons of these. There was no concept that Porsche would be more successful than any of them.

The number of sports car startups happening in Europe at this time was significant, most of which listeners, viewers will have never really heard of because they all died. These came up. They showed up. They raced a little. They sold some cars. They failed. And there were tons of these. There was no concept that Porsche would be more successful than any of them.

Obviously, the family hoped it would, and it became that way. But so many families hoped theirs would, too, and they all failed. And somehow Porsche, you know, grew and grew and grew.

Obviously, the family hoped it would, and it became that way. But so many families hoped theirs would, too, and they all failed. And somehow Porsche, you know, grew and grew and grew.