by Cameron Taylor
The 2015 Porsche Parade is off to a great start. Held at the beautiful French Lick Resort in Southern Indiana, the event has seen a great turnout of Porsche enthusiasts and their cars. The event began with a dinner on Sunday night, with Porsche AG on hand with the new 911 Carrera GTS Club Coupe. The concours was moved to an indoor location after heavy rains flooded the golf course. There were many spectacular cars on hand.
Chuck Stoddard brought his 1970 917K. This particular 917 was raced out of Spain in the 1970s, and held the track record at the Jarama racetrack for five years.
One of the few 917s sold as new to a privateer, this car, Chassis #18, was bought by Alex Soler-Roig of Spain. The car was raced in Spain and held the track record at the Jarama race track for five years. After Soler-Roig retired from racing at age 42 to persue a business career, Stoddard bought the car and has owned it ever since. This fine example of one of Porsche's greatest racing cars drew a huge crowd of admirers.
The 917 featured a potent flat 12 engine.
Chuck Stoddard also brought an early 356, which was a rare aluminum bodied car built in Gmünd, Austria in the earliest days of Porsche history. There were many spectacular 356s on hand, from a immaculate black pre-A coupe and a rare America roadster to several 356Cs.
Modern Porsches were well represented as well. Robert Ingram showed a gorgeous 918 Spyder, with the unique color of Viola Metallic. Ingram also has a 993 Turbo in the same color. There was also a 50th Anniversary 911, a distinctive edition of the 991 that was not sold in the US. Another never sold in America Porsche was the 959, and there were two examples of the model at the Parade. One, a red 959 Komfort street car, was brought by the Abraham family. The other was quite a different breed of car: it was a 959 raced in the grueling Paris – Dakar Rally! This 959 had been brought by Porsche AG from Germany. The factory also had a 911 GT1 racecar that had been driven by legendary driver (and three time Le Mans champion) Allan McNish.
Early 911s were in abundance. Included in the historic display was a rare 911 used in the Trans Am racing series. Although most remember Trans Am as a series dominated by American cars, Porsche had a significant presence from the beginning. Also on display was an example of the legendary 911 Carrera RS. Stoddard’s product development and marketing manager Mark Taylor brought his 1972 911 T Targa, a car that has been in his family since 1980. Several 914s and 912s represented early four cylinder Porsches. The water-cooled cars at the concours and historic display included a rare 924 Carrera GTS and a Martini edition 924 Coupe.
The 1973 911 Carrera RS is one of Porsche's most iconic cars. This Viper Green RS was in the historic display.
The venue for this was French Lick, Indiana, at an impressive hotel who’s past guests included Franklin Roosevelt, Al Capone, and Frank Sinatra among many others. One building on the grounds was particularly interesting: The West Baden Springs Hotel. The circular hotel was the world’s largest dome when it was built in 1902, and it was a luxurious retreat for the well to do of the period. Eventually it fell on hard times and was sold to a Jesuit Monastary who stripped it of its luxury. The hotel declined greatly over the years, but a restoration in the 1990s restored it to its former luxury. Porsche Parade attendees were treated to a banquet in the hotel’s domed atrium, where Wolfgang Porsche gave the keynote speech.
This 356 America Roaster had an impressive racing career when new. Famed driver Briggs Cunningham, who famously campaigned his own cars at Le Mans and (very successfully) at Sebring, raced this car in the 1950s.
This modified "outlaw 911" was owned by noted Porsche customizer Magnus Walker. Dubbed "911STR", this car was on display at Pebble Beach in 2013 (where the current owner bought it) and had been featured in Road and Track magazine.
The 911L was made only in 1968 and featured 911S trim with the same engine as the normal 911. This beautiful Burgundy example was among the historic display at the Porsche Parade.
In the 1990s, Porsche's 911 GT1 was a tour de force in international sportscar racing, competing in races from Le Mans to the Rolex 24, to the FIA GT Series. This GT1 was driven by legendary driver Alan McNish, who would go on to win Le Mans, Sebring, and the Petit Le Mans for Audi.
Few races on earth, if any, are as gruelling as the Paris Dakar Rally. A demanding run from France to Senegal that passes through the Sahara Desert, the Dakar may seem an unlikely event to find a Porsche factory effort. But in the 1980s, the 959 was a highly successful entry in the race. In 1986, a team led by René Metge and Jacky Ickx took first overall. This particular car was brought to Indiana by Porsche AG and spends most of its time in the Porsche Museum in Germany.
This 911T Targa belongs to Stoddard's own Mark Taylor, and has been in the Taylor family for decades. Painted Gemini blue, this classic 911 drew much attention in the historic display.
One of the many elegant statues in the West Baden Springs Hotel. Built in 1902, this beautiful and historic hotel was the home of many events at the Parade, including the banquet which featured a speech by Wolfgang Porsche.
