Three little-known Porsche facts every petrolhead needs to know

German carmaker Porsche is best known around the world for its outstanding sports cars, which are not only high-end in design, but also offer excellent driving performance. But like most historic brands, Porsche has its own unique stories that are not widely known. Today, we will reveal three such little-known facts.

1. The electric car, developed in 1898

More than a century ago, in 1898, Ferdinand Porsche developed one of the first all-electric cars, the P1, officially known as the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton.

This revolutionary car used a 3 horsepower (2.2 kW) electric motor that could reach speeds of up to 22 mph (around 35 km/h) and could travel up to 80 kilometres on a single charge, with room for 4 passengers. This was a particularly impressive innovation in an automotive industry dominated by internal combustion engines.

Incidentally, an electric P1 took part in the 1899 Berlin Motor Race and won first place, covering a steady 38 kilometres with a team of three.

The development of the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton electric car proves that Ferdinand Porsche was not only a talented engineer, but also a visionary, and that technological progress was part of the DNA of Porsche from the very beginning.

2. "Porsche made tractors

After the Second World War, German industry sought to recover and restore economic prosperity. Porsche also took an unexpected path at that time by launching tractor production, and between 1956 and 1963 Porsche-Diesel produced around 125,000 tractors.

A total of 4 different engines were produced, ranging from one to four cylinders. "The Porsche Junior with one cylinder, the Porsche Standard with two cylinders and the Porsche Super with three cylinders. The most powerful, with a four-cylinder engine, was called "The Porsche Diesel 419".

These tractors were not only of high quality but also became an important tool for agriculture, and many are still in use today. It is a unique segment in Porsche's history which, although not related to sports cars, is worthy of attention.

3. The numbering history of the legendary 911 model

One of Porsche's most famous and popular models - the 911, launched on 12 September 1963 - might have been given a very different name had it not been for an unexpected setback.

According to the manufacturer itself, the original numbering of the car was supposed to be "901", but at an exhibition in Paris, France, Porsche discovered that Peugeot had already reserved this name for its cars. Porsche therefore "ran out of freedom" and had to rename the model, so instead of 0, they added 1 and the result was "911".

This forced and unplanned name change seems to have done no harm, making the model highly recognisable and distinctive and bringing the Porsche 911 worldwide recognition.

"Porsche's heritage has many interesting stories to tell, and today's discussion reveals just a fraction of the manufacturer's ability to adapt to the constant changes in the world.