Legendary Porsche models

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has just announced its latest exhibition dedicated to the famous Stuttgart sports car manufacturer. The collection of cars from the exhibition "The Porsche Effect" includes famous production versions and racing cars that have contributed to Porsche's victories on the track in the past. From the 1939 Porsche Type 64, the company's first prototype, to the Porsche 911 GTS Club Coupe, all are present.

Among them are models that won Le Mans such as the 1979 Porsche 935 K3 owned by collector Bruce Meyer, the Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster that once belonged to actor Steve McQueen and is currently owned by his son Chad McQueen.

There's also one of two Porsche Carrera GT prototypes and several custom builds, including Singer Vehicle Design founder Rob Dinkinson's 911 Hot Rod and Rod Emory's 365 Outlaw.

Take a look at some of the most impressive cars featured in "The Porsche Effect" exhibition, which will run until January 2019.

Porsche Type 64 60K10 1939

The Type 64 60K10 is the ancestor of all Porsche models and the design foundation of the brand. It was built to compete in the 1939 Berlin-Rome race, but the race was canceled due to the war. Only three examples were built, each using Volkswagen hardware, with an aerodynamic aluminum body designed by Erwin Komenda and manufactured by Reutter Karosserie.

The vehicle was restored from major parts of a second Type 64 disassembled after World War II.

Porsche 935 K3 1979

This is the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979. This 935 K3 is one of the most successful examples of the racing car that made Porsche famous.

The Porsche 935 K3 competed in the FIA ​​Group 5 class, was the most powerful 911 racing car of its time and one of the few models to win overall at Le Mans. The codename "K" stood for "Kremer Racing", Porsche's racing team.

Porsche 356-2 "Gmünd" Coupe 1949

By 1944, Porsche's factories had all moved to Gmünd, Austria. Here, Porsche's new focus was on creating a sports car from Volkswagen parts, and Ferry Porsche, engineer Karl Rabe, and designer Erwin Komenda came up with the idea for the Type 356.

The 356-1 Roadster prototype took design cues from the pre-war Type 64 racing car, paving the way for the later production 356-2 Coupe and Cabriolet, typified by the "Gmünd" model of the 1950s. It may have been the last one produced in Austria.

Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster 1958

The celebrity status of the owner often elevates the value of the brand, the influence of the cultural wave that Porsche loved when actor Steve McQueen ordered a Speedster.

McQueen bought the race car with his acting earnings and used it to pursue his passion for speed. His successes at Santa Barbara, Del Mar, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca raised awareness of Porsches as desirable and powerful.

Porsche 917K 1969, chassis #15

Seizing the opportunity when FIA regulations changed to allow racing cars to be equipped with larger engines, Porsche developed a completely new racing car, the Porsche 917.

Built from lightweight materials, powered by an air-cooled 12-cylinder engine producing nearly 600 horsepower, the original 917 had some problems with aerodynamic lift. A redesigned tail improved its stability. In 1970, the 917K won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche.