Porsche Model Names Explained

New Porsche Inventory

Every Porsche model has an official name and an in-house type number. When you look at the Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera, you may be wondering what some, if not all of the letters and numbers mean following the brand name.

In this specific case, this Porsche 356 was part of the refined A series, had an engine capacity of 1,500 cc (1.5 liters) and was given the suffixes GS (Grand Sport) and Carrera, which is Spanish for “racing”.

What Do the Porsche Numbers Mean?

The in-house numbering method started back in 1931, though the first time an automobile was to be made under the official brand name of Porsche didn’t come until 1948. By then, the project numbers (in-house number) had climbed to 356, resulting in the birth of the Porsche 356.

The mid-engined Porsche 550 Spyder came from Porsche’s usage of the internal plant code for newer sports car types in 1953. The Porsche 911 encountered an issue when the originally-named 901 could not be named as such due to another group using three-digit number sequences in France.

The zero was replaced by a one and the “1” typeface, which had already been created, was simply duplicated for the brochures and type name on the rear of the vehicle. In 1964, no one could have guessed that the 911 would one day be world famous.

Current Porsche Models

Boxster

The Porsche Boxster was a name first created in 1993 and a portmanteau derived from “boxer” and “roadster”.

Carrera

The Carrera was the name of the Type 547 four-camshaft engine designed by Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann. Porsche later used this suffix for the most powerful engine versions. However, Carrera has almost become established as a synonym for the 911 model series, with the name coming from the Carrera Panamericana, a Mexican endurance race in which Porsche secured major successes with the 550 Spyder.

E-Hybrid

As well as the combustion engine, the E-Hybrid models also have an electric motor on board, which provides more power while ensuring the powertrain as a whole emits less CO₂.

Executive

The Executive models of the Panamera range have a stretched body, which primarily benefits the rear-seat passengers.

GTS

GTS stands for Gran Turismo Sport and was originally a homologation class for motor racing. The GTS suffix is currently used to designate the especially sporty and exclusive models of a Porsche model series.

RS

The RS (RennSport, or ‘racing sport’) is a road-legal model that has been derived from its motor racing equivalent. The designation is, however, also used for particularly sporty models, such as the 911 RS America.

RSR

The RennSport Rennwagen, which translates as racing sport racing car, is a purely competition version and is not road legal.

S

S for ‘Super’ or ‘Sport’: a version with a more powerful engine. Today, the S consistently stands for Sport and, in addition to the extra-sporty engine, hints at the equipment enhancements compared with the basic model.

Spyder

Originally coming from the coach-making term for lightweight, open carriages for two people, the name ‘Spyder’ at Porsche is reserved for open-topped mid-engined sports cars, just like ‘roadster’.

Targa

The 911 Targa is an open-roofed version of the 911, characterized by its distinctive roll-over protection bar and its fixed (rather than folding), removable roof section. The name comes from the legendary Targa Florio Sicilian road race and means ‘plate’ in English.

Turbo

These models have an engine with an exhaust gas turbocharger, which produces a powerful boost in performance.

4

Models with all-wheel drive

Shop For New Porsche Vehicles at Porsche Riverside

If you’re looking to get behind the wheel of a Porsche yourself, schedule a test drive with us at our Riverside dealership near Los Angeles. If you have any questions about any of the available cars in our new Porsche inventory, please do not hesitate to contact us at Porsche Riverside today.

New Porsche Inventory