Porsche enthusiasts, at the weekend, converged on Porsche Centre Lagos to pay tribute to the brand’s 70-year storied past, marking the day the first-ever Porsche 356 was registered as an automobile.
Tagged ‘Sportscar together day,’ the event attracted a cluster of Porsche drivers in Nigeria in a gathering of crème de la crème, who in spite of the inclement weather, came to participate in the drive activity held to commemorate the birthday of the iconic brand.
The Porsche obsessives later journeyed in a convoy of approximately 88 kilometres to the Epe Resort & SPA – a tourist suburb on the outskirt of Lagos, where the brand enthusiasts were hosted to a sumptuous breakfast.
This is the first time Porsche iconic sports’ car owners are meeting to share experiences and be feted in union with the six-year-old Porsche dealership.
Majority of the drivers are also from indication, for the first time, putting to the test, the potency of their iconic cars at a seeming racing encounter that reaffirmed Porsche’s supremacy on the road.
One of the drivers who preferred anonymity said: “This is the first time ever I will be putting to the test the agility of my Porsche 911,” which had barely gone pass 3,000 kilometres in four years.
The celebration continued in the afternoon at the Porsche Centre showroom after the drivers returned from the exhilarating drive, where they feasted and relaxed.
Patrick Mgbenwelu, a Porsche fanatic and proud owner of a 911 Carrera cut the anniversary cake, and while congratulating the brand at 70, he praised the Porsche Centre Lagos for taking the marque to a deserving height in Nigeria.
Porsche has for 70 years revolved around fascination sports car – a rare attraction of discerning drivers.
Porsche Centre Lagos Head of Sales and Marketing Anurag Shah said: “this special anniversary exhibition was held to commemorate the June 8 1948 birthday of the brand, when the first Porsche prototype with chassis number 356-001 received its general operating permit.”
He said the event was undoubtedly unique to both the dealership and Porsche drivers, who are meeting for the first time to share rare experiences and discuss salient values and versatility of their cars.
“The cars drove effortlessly in flooded roads, which ordinarily, wouldn’t have inspired the drivers – but thanks to the anniversary exhibition, which allowed the dealership to also instruct the drivers of the various capabilities of their Porsche vehicles.
“In other words, we didn’t only celebrated the birth of this iconic sports car, but also reassured the owners that their vehicles can be in everyday situations,” Shah noted.
About this time 70 years ago, Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche turned his dream of a sports car into a reality with the birth of the 356. The 356 later inspired icons including the Porsche 550 and Porsche 911, and without the 356 there would be no Mission E, the automaker’s latest leap into the future.
The range of “Sports cars today” is illustrated with a Panamera Turbo SE-Hybrid Sport Turismo, which, as the flagship of the model line, demonstrates the possibilities of alternative drive technology in a virtual reality scene.
