People are only just realising what Porsche car names stand for – and it’s blowing their minds
CAR FANS are only just realising what Porsche car names stand for – and it’s left them stunned.
The German manufacturer is renowned for its high-end, sports cars, but many people in the UK don’t know what each Porsche model name actually means.
However, Porsche has recently revealed the story behind each supercar name on its website.
Carrera
The name Carrera (Spanish for ‘race’) ultimately commemorates the success of Porsche at the Carrera Panamericana.
In this famous border-to-border Mexican endurance race, Porsche achieved great success with the 550 Spyder in the 1950s.
Boxster
Porsche revealed that when they presented the mid-engine Boxster concept study to the world in 1993, it became an instant crowd-pleaser.
And the model name is derived from merging the Boxer engine (so-called because the horizontal movement of the pistons resembles the actions of a boxer’s fists) and that punchy Roadster design.
Cayenne
When the Cayenne debuted in 2002 it became, at the time, the third model in the Porsche product line-up, alongside the 911 and the Boxster.
Porsche says: “The name derives from the piquant cayenne pepper – a bold and relevant choice for this intrepid traveller with a fiery nature.” Mmm… sounds like marketing speak to us.
Cayman
The name of this car derives from the crocodile-like South American Caiman.
Porsche explained: “Powerful yet agile when it launched in 2006. It joined the Boxster and 911 as another stand-out sportscar in the Porsche range. It now sits with the former of those two models under the 718 umbrella.”
Panamera
Unveiled in 2009, the Porsche Panamera name derived from the legendary endurance race the Carrera Panamericana.
This gruelling race, similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy, took place from 1950 to 1954 from the Mexico/US border to Guatemala.
Macan
Taken from the Indonesian word for tiger, Porsche’s marketing department had great fun in claiming the Macan name ‘acknowledges the fierceness that lies beneath the car’s elegant exterior’.
However, the lively nature of the Macan is the reason why it’s universally considered one of the best-handling compact SUVs.
Taycan
The word Taycan derives from two terms of Turkic origin, translating approximately to “soul of a spirited young horse”.
It’s a phrase which Porsche says epitomises the personality of the electric sports car – lively, vigorous, agile, free-spirited and tireless.
The name also reflects both the brand’s roots and its future simultaneously, with the ‘horse’ reference reminiscent of the iconic silhouette on the Porsche crest itself.
This comes after car fans discovered what Audi’s fame Vorsprung durch Technik catchphrase means.
Plus, car enthusiasts were blown away after discovering the real truth behind BMW’s logo.