- Porsche begins celebrating 75 years of motorsport at Retro Classics 2026.
- An original 356 SL that won its class at Le Mans in 1951 features on the stand.
- The 1968 909 Bergspyder weighs under 400kg and produces 202kW from its flat-eight engine.
Porsche will launch its “Raceborn – 75 Years of Porsche Motorsport” celebrations at Retro Classics 2026, opening a year-long tribute to seven and a half decades of competition success.
From February 19 to 22 in Stuttgart, the Porsche Heritage and Museum team will present four race cars in Hall 1, each representing a different chapter in the brand’s racing story.
“Motorsport is far more than history for Porsche – it is part of the company’s identity,” says Achim Stejskal, Director Porsche Heritage and Museum. “We’re inviting our guests to explore Porsche Motorsport from a new perspective. It’s about stories of technology, courage and people.”
Where customer racing began
Among the headline cars is an original Porsche 356 SL, the first model built specifically for motorsport by the young sports car manufacturer. Its class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 marked the official start of Porsche’s racing programme.
The 356 SL went on to secure class wins on circuits and endurance rallies, while Richard von Frankenberg completed a 72-hour record drive covering 10,987km at an average 152.34km/h. In 1952, Gilberte Thirion finished second in class at the Rallye Paris–Saint-Raphaël Féminin in the same model.
Extreme lightweight engineering
Also on display is the 1968 Porsche 909 Bergspyder, weighing under 400kg. Powered by an air-cooled eight-cylinder boxer engine of just under 2.0 litres, it produced 202kW and could sprint from 0 to 100km/h in around 2.4 seconds.
With an aluminium tubular spaceframe, titanium coil springs and a glass-fibre reinforced plastic body, the 909 pushed hill climb regulations to their limits under the supervision of Ferdinand Piëch.
Modern DTM milestone
Bringing the story up to date is the Porsche 911 GT3 R that carried Ayhancan Güven to the DTM title at Hockenheim. His victory secured him the distinction of becoming the first Turkish DTM champion, with the championship decided only in the final laps.
The car will be shown publicly for the first time since its competitive outings.
Alongside the cars, Porsche will display archive artefacts and historical film footage. A panel discussion titled ‘Different perspectives in Motorsport’ will feature Timo Bernhard, Ayhancan Güven and other Porsche representatives, exploring topics from sim racing pathways to life after active competition.
Retro Classics attracted around 77,000 visitors in 2025, and the 2026 edition marks the event’s 25th anniversary.
