Twelve teams will attempt to add to Porsche’s unparralled 108 class victories at the 2021 24 hours of Le Mans. If any of the four GTE-PRO or eight GTE-AM entries running the formidable 911 RSR reach victory lane, they do will do so seventy years after Professor Ferdinand Porsche sent two cars to compete in his eponymous firm’s first international motor race.

Shortly after celebrating his seventy-fifth birthday at Solitude castle with a rapidly growing band of Porsche enthusiasts, Professor Porsche made a visit to the 1950 Paris Motor Show. During the annual automotive extravaganza, the Professor received an invitation that set the course of his firm’s enviable competition heritage. Charles Faroux, a founding father of the 24 hours of Le Mans, wished for Professor Porsche to enter two cars into the 1951 race.

At the time, Porsche had only been producing his own cars for two years and was in the process of relocating back home to Stuttgart after struggling to survive in Gmund, Austria. Furthermore, the hangover of the devastating war lingered. After the war, Porsche’s Stuttgart works had been occupied by American forces and the Professor found himself imprisoned by the French government. As it transpired, the French had two clear motives for incarcerating Porsche. Firstly, they craved the input of an engineering mastermind for Renault’s new 4 CV road car. Secondly, the French government demanded a colossal bounty for Porsche’s release. Charles Faroux proved an essential ally to Professor Porsche in arranging his release.

As a way of repaying Faroux for his friendship and support, Professor Porsche agreed that his firm would enter two cars in their first international motor race as a works team. By now, production of steel bodied Porsche cars had begun in rented accommodation at the Reutter coachworks in Stuttgart, but these wouldn’t be ideal for competition. However, the Porsche family had some typically genius post-war ingenuity up their sleeve.

Back at the farm shed workshop in Gmund, Porsche had produced hand built aluminium bodied cars. Luckily, the few remaining bodies could be repurposed for the Le Mans race cars. These flyweight bodies weighed in at a staggering 120kg less than the steel alternatives now churning out of the Reutter coachworks. Therefore, the Gmund bodies formed the ideal basis for the firm’s first Le Mans racer.

Dubbed the ‘356 SL’, the ‘Super Leicht’ boasted a streamlined body designed to cut through the Le Mans air at high speed. Despite a modest power output of 46 horsepower from an 1100cc air cooled engine, the 356 SL could reach 100mph in top gear. Fitted with a 78-litre long range fuel tank and longer gearing, the diminutive Porsche was ready to take on the world’s greatest motor race.

However, Porsche’s extensive preparations for their international debut were marred by a succession of setbacks. Prior to the event, team manager Paul von Guilleame was dispatched to Le Mans for some vital reconnaissance and testing. As a class winner at Le Mans before the war, von Guilleame was the perfect man for the job. During a high-speed run in the 356 SL, Guilleame encountered a cyclist crossing the road, resulting in a violent crash. A few weeks later, a works mechanic testing another 356 SL collided with oncoming traffic on the autobahn. Porsche now faced the unthinkable prospect of reneging on the promise of two cars for Le Mans. Once again, Porsche’s resourcefulness shone through. From the scraps of two destroyed cars, the works mechanics revived one complete machine and Porsche’s brace of Le Mans racers was finally complete.

On Saturday the 16th of June at 7.15am, the pair of Porsche 356 SLs left Stuttgart for the long journey to Le Mans. After a brief stop for lunch, the German squad arrived at Le Mans in the early evening in a slightly cautious mood. With wartime still clear in the memory, concern remained over the French reception to a German team. However, Porsche’s crew were embraced by the racing community. Just as Charles Faroux had promised.

Porsche’s squad faced yet another setback during practice when Rudolph Sauerwein crashed at Maison Blanche. With the #47 car now destroyed, Germany’s only driver entered for the race would not take the start. Therefore, Porsche’s #46 entry was the last car standing for the fledgling constructor.

Heading into the race on the 23rd of June, Porsche’s hopes of success lay with the French crew of Auguste Veuillet and Edmond Mouche. Fittingly, Veuillet played a pivotal role in encouraging the Porsche family to take on the challenge of the 24 hours of Le Mans. As Porsche’s French importer, Veuillet convinced the family that success at Le Circuit de la Sarthe would boost the reputation for the company’s road cars. Veuillet’s vision proved correct.

From day, to night, and back to day again, Veuillet and Mouche relayed through the race with metronomic consistency. For twenty-four hours, Porsche’s plucky 1100cc motor relentlessly thrummed away, powering the French drivers to victory. At the fall of the checkered flag, Veuillet and Mouche had not only vanquished their 1100cc class rivals, but all of the 1500cc cars as well. Porsche had triumphed on the grandest stage on a stunning international debut.

Given the brutality of Le Mans in the early 1950s, Porsche’s achievement with the 356 SL remains difficult to comprehend. Considering the reported maximum speed of 100mph, the #46 Porsche’s average speed of 73.5mph over twenty-four hours is astounding. Lightweight, superb aerodynamics, and relentless reliability were the cornerstones of this initial triumph. These pillars of success have remained throughout Porsche’s 108 class and 19 outright victories at the 24-hour classic.

Nowadays, most Le Mans winning machines enjoy a dignified retirement in museums. Back in 1951, Porsche #356/2-063 didn’t enjoy such luxury. This Le Mans winner was quickly converted for a successful assault on the Lieges-Rome-Lieges rally and then again for high-speed trials at Montlhery near Paris.

After being imported to the USA by Max Hoffmann in New York, #356/2-063 was sold to Johnny von Neumann of Competition Motors in Los Angeles who continued to race the car with reasonable success. Today, Porsche’s first international race winner finds its final resting place in California after a surgical, yet sensitive restoration by master craftsman, Rod Emory.

Shortly after the maiden Le Mans victory, Professor Ferdinand Porsche sadly passed away on the 30th of January 1952 after a stroke in the Autumn of 1951. However, one believes that the Professor would be delighted to see car #46 living on in fine health, surrounded by enthusiasts who truly appreciate its significance in Porsche’s story.