William J. Dick Jr. sent his General Manager all the way to Europe in search of a designer who would be willing to construct a four-door version of the Porsche 911. At that time, BMW and Mercedes-AMG had not yet developed practical sports cars like the M5 Touring or the AMG 63 4-Door Coupe. As a result, someone outside of the car manufacturers had to take on the task. William Dick, co-owner of a Texas dealership that distributed Volkswagen and Porsche cars in the United States, owned several Ferraris and Maseratis. However, these were all two-door vehicles that were not suitable for family use or road trips.
In a somewhat unconventional move, William Dick and his wife came up with the idea of building a four-door sedan based on the Porsche 911. Despite facing opposition, William Dick eventually connected with Dick Troutman and mechanical engineer Tom Barnes, who agreed to take on the ambitious project.
The transformation began with an early-production Porsche 911S, which was modified by Emil Diet, a skilled metalsmith. Diet removed the roof and extended the platform by 21 inches (55.3 centimeters) between pillars A and B. This resulted in a lengthened wheelbase of 108 inches (2,743 millimeters), compared to the original 87.0 inches (2,210 millimeters). The additional doors, which opened in a reverse manner similar to those of a Rolls-Royce, required extra space, as did the rear seats specially requested from Porsche. The roof also had to be elongated. Whenever possible, original Porsche components were utilized in the modifications.
In August 1967, the car was fitted with Fuchs wheels and the Sportomatic transmission, introduced by Zuffenhausen that same year. The Sportomatic transmission, while not a traditional automatic gearbox, allowed the driver to shift gears without using a clutch. Instead, the driver could simply move the lever through its standard H-pattern movement.
The result of these modifications was not only the creation of the first four-door Porsche but also one of the first Porsche models to feature only two pedals, as it eliminated the need for a clutch pedal.
In the summer of 1967, William Dick requested that the car be painted brown, allegedly to match one of his pairs of leather shoes. In December of that year, his wife, Hester, received the completed conversion just in time for Christmas. The cost of the conversion was approximately $20,000, equivalent to over $150,000 in 2024.
Image: Petersen Automotive Museum
One year later, the car caught the attention of the Porsche executives. Upon seeing it, they began considering the development of a sports sedan. However, the project did not receive approval at that time.
The Cayenne marked Porsche’s first venture into the realm of four-door vehicles. This move, which introduced the first Porsche SUV, was met with controversy and dismay from purists. They expressed horror at the introduction of not only a four-door model but also a high-riding vehicle that deviated from the brand’s traditional values.
Suddenly, Porsche had a family-oriented car in its lineup, and this was reflected in the sales figures as the Cayenne surpassed the 911. For example, in 2015 alone, Porsche sold 13,607 Cayennes compared to 10,107 911s in the US. The gap between the SUV and the two-seater continued to widen, with 20,288 American customers choosing a Cayenne in 2023, while 11,728 opted for a 911.
Nevertheless, the Cayenne managed to maintain its sports car credentials despite its elevated stance, standing 9 inches (217 millimeters) above the ground. The Turbo S variant featured a 4.5-liter V8 engine that produced 550 horsepower (557 metric horsepower) and allowed for a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) acceleration in 4.7 seconds. At the time, the most powerful and fastest Porsche 911 had 456 horsepower and achieved a 0 to 60 mph time of 4 seconds.
Porsche did not stop with the Cayenne and expanded its lineup in 2009 with the introduction of the Panamera. This move also faced criticism as it deviated from the traditional lightweight, two-seat, two-door design that Porsche was known for. However, the German automaker responded to market demand and created a sports car that allowed customers to transport their children to school. The Panamera Turbo S, the most powerful variant, boasted 542 horsepower (550 metric horsepower) and performance figures that rivaled those of the 911.
The idea of a four-door Porsche had actually been explored back in 1989 with the creation of the 989 concept car. This vehicle, which was essentially a stretched version of the 911 and had an unconventional appearance, featured a newly developed 4.5-liter V8 engine mounted at the front and was capable of reaching a top speed of 174 mph (280 kph).
However, due to financial constraints, Porsche had to cancel the four-door project. Two years later, ItalDesign presented a bold proposal known as the 932 Panamera II Study, previously referred to as the Seat Photo TL.
The concept car was never publicly showcased, as it became clear that the market was not yet ready for a four-door Porsche. The Panamera eventually made its debut in 2009.
Over the years, the landscape has changed, and Porsche now offers four such vehicles in its lineup: the Cayenne, the Panamera, the Macan, and the Taycan EV. It is remarkable to think that it all began with a Christmas gift…
Today, this car takes center stage at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
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According to the Source autoevolution.com