Ultimate Factories: Porsche 911 Featured on National Geographic (VIDEO)

Last week's episode of Ultimate Factories on the National Geographic Channel was spectacular. We got a great look behind the scenes of the Chevy Camaro SS being built inside one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world. This week's show features Porsche and the production of their world class 911 sports car. Be sure to tune in on Thursday, October 22nd, at 8PM ET/PT. Check out the video highlights and show details after the jump.

Rolling off the assembly line and taking the world by storm in 1964, the Porsche 911 is now one of the world's iconic sports cars. From the modest 911 Carerra with a top track speed of 185 mph to the 911 GT3, a street legal racecar that tops out at 194 mph. This Ultimate Factory can offer a color, style, and speed for even the most fastidious driver.

 

-At least two-thirds of the approximate one million Porsche sports cars built in the last 50 years are still being driven.

 

-The 911 Turbo was the world’s first production sports car to feature an exhaust turbocharger and a pressure regulator.

 

-The 911 Porsches have an ignition switch between the steering wheel and the driver’s side door, which allows drivers to switch the engine on and put the car into first gear simultaneously.

 

-An electric, lithium-ion powered Porsche 911 is being designed by German tuning haus Ruf, which will have a ten-hour charge to power the car for 155 to 200 miles.

 

-The Panamera, Porsche’s new four-door sedan, is available as an eight-cylinder with the option of either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. A six-cylinder model and hybrid version of the Panamera will be released in the future.

 

-Porsche recently released a two-and-half-hour documentary DVD on the company’s history. The film covers the very early days of the Ferdinard Porsche and gives details of the history of the German car maker decade to decade.

 

-J.D. Power US market research institute awarded Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG first place for the fifth time in a row for brand ranking for automotive performance, execution, and layout.

 

-Porsche racers have won the Le Mans 24 Hours race 16 times and the Targa Florio and Paris-Dakar race multiple times. The Formula 1 World Championship was won three times using Porsche engines.

 

-The engineers of Porsche have designed many non-automotive items including Olympic winning bobsleds, off-road electric wheelchairs, barbeques, and hospital beds.

 

-Volkswagen and Porsche released the VW-Porsche 914 in 1969 and sold it collaboratively. The car’s engine was located in the middle of the vehicle to improve the car’s weight distribution.

 

VIDEO: The Porsche's body is transported by bridge over a busy Stuttgart highway. Then the multi-step painting process begins.

Source: National Geographic