We come to automotive manufacturers for various causes. Perhaps your dad drove a automotive that grew to become particular to you. Or your uncle gave you a experience in a single. Maybe a cool automotive was featured in a film you liked, otherwise you bear in mind the thrill of races seen both in individual or on TV. You then get deeper right into a model and study its historical past, its accomplishments, and the individuals who made it work. In the event you’re fortunate, your appreciation grows by experiencing the vehicles, or shopping for one…or 10.

For the Porsche fan, there’s no higher celebration of the model than the Rennsport Reunion. It began in 2001 as a public relations effort to achieve out to Porsche followers, and has grown immensely since. Rennsport Reunion 7 came about Thursday, Sept. 28–Sunday, Oct. 1 at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. The occasion coincided with the model’s seventy fifth anniversary, and appropriately, was the largest but with greater than 91,000 followers in attendance.

Motor Authority was there to soak up the sights, sounds, and environment of a legendary model celebrating the vehicles and people who have created so many followers worldwide.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, photograph courtesy of Porsche

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, photograph courtesy of Porsche

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, photograph courtesy of Porsche

And there was loads to see, beginning with the motion on the observe. All through the occasion’s 4 days, greater than 300 fashionable and historic vehicles grouped by period and velocity, hit the circuit to the delight of drivers and followers. The classic racing was achieved largely for enjoyable, however the Porsche Membership of America additionally performed membership races that counted, and the ultimate two rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America sequence have been held at Rennsport.

In between the races, particular vehicles such because the 356/1, the primary Porsche prototype, that kicked off the sports activities automotive model, and the 917/10 racer that dominated Can-Am within the Seventies, took parade laps. Additionally featured on the observe was a hilarious race of Porsche tractors piloted by legendary racers.

Talking of legends, a number of profitable drivers from Porsche’s previous have been readily available to drive the vehicles and act as model ambassadors. Among the many names have been Derek Bell, Dick Barbour, Joerg Bergmeister, Timo Bernhard, David Donohue, Romain Dumas, George Folmer, Hurley Haywood, David Hobbs, Jacky Ickx, Leh Eager, Arie Luyendyk, Brian Redman, Danny Sullivan, Mark Webber, Jeff Zwart, and co-Grand Marshall Patrick Lengthy. Lengthy was joined by Alwin Springer as the opposite co-Grand Marshall. Springer spent virtually six a long time as an engineer, supervisor, and government advancing Porsche motorsports.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, photograph courtesy of Porsche

Porsche additionally used the occasion to make some information. Webber launched the model’s newest particular version, the 611-hp Porsche 911 GT3 R Rennsport, a million-dollar track-only particular restricted to 77 models. Porsche racer and model ambassador Patrick Dempsey and watch model Tag Heuer confirmed a 718 Cayman GT4 RS that Dempsey will drive within the Carrera Panamericana. The finale of the Porsche Esports Championship came about in racing simulators, and a brand new champion was topped. Within the parking zone, rivals for a Porsche restoration problem have been on show and three winners have been chosen.

The parking zone itself was an excellent automotive present in its personal proper. Followers drove Porsches of each stripe to the occasion and parked with vehicles by period, with gleaming, rounded sheetmetal bringing colour to the arid panorama. Onlookers might sidle up near the race vehicles within the paddock, and Porsche had shows of a number of necessary new fashions and ideas, together with the together with Mission X idea, the Imaginative and prescient 357 Speedster idea, and the brand new 911 S/T. Additionally readily available have been Mirage, the 911 Carrera RS 3.8 from the newest “Transformers” film, the Sonderwunsch-built Sally Carrera impressed by the “Automobiles” motion pictures, the cartoony Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera full-size fashions additionally from “Automobiles,” and a safari-style 944 that acquired become a Scorching Wheels automotive.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, photograph courtesy of Porsche

Most of those vehicles have been proven in a central sq. by the primary stage. The stage was the sight of a keg-tapping to kick off the occasion, and several other curated talks that includes racers, Porsche personalities, and model info.

On this gallery you’ll be able to see lots of the sights of Rennsport Reunion 7. You gained’t be capable to hear the offended bee howl of the vehicles, odor of the exhaust, or meet the folks. For that, might I like to recommend attending Rennsport Reunion 8, which must be held on the identical place 4 years from now.

Porsche paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to expertise a celebration of its legendary model.