Porsche C88

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The Porsche C88 was a study by the automobile manufacturer Porsche for the Chinese automobile market. The prototype was created as part of a tender by the Chinese government and was presented for the first time at the International Family Car Congress in Beijing in November 1994 . As part of this competition, in which several international automobile manufacturers took part, a simple and inexpensive vehicle was to be developed for mass mobilizing the Chinese population. After Porsche and Mercedes had presented their results, those responsible stopped the tender without choosing a winner. The Porsche C88 was never built in series.

development

C88 in the Porsche Museum

The sports car manufacturer from Zuffenhausen was stuck in a sales crisis in the early 1990s and posted losses worth millions. The development contract for a Chinese simple vehicle therefore seemed very attractive. Porsche had also helped develop small cars such as the Lada Samara or the Seat Ibiza earlier , which is why they could look back on some relevant experience. In cooperation with Chinese engineers and business people, the “C88” study was therefore completed in just four months. The specifications included economical engines and uncomplicated production, which, depending on the version , should bring the car to a final price of between 8,000 and 14,000 D-Marks . A five-door sedan with a notchback and a three-door entry-level model were planned. The engine of the car would have been a gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.1 liters and 47 PS (35 kW) or 1.6 liters and 67 PS (49 kW). A turbo diesel was also under discussion. With the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, the 980 kilogram vehicle reached a top speed of 165 km / h and accelerated from zero to 100 km / h in 16 seconds.

Although the then chairman of the board, Wendelin Wiedeking, himself traveled to Beijing to give a presentation and gave a speech in Mandarin that he had previously rehearsed in phonetic transcription, the Chinese government officials did not place an order for series production. The unique piece can be seen today in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart .

design

C88 in the Porsche Museum

The C88 shows some design elements that indicate its purpose. It starts with the name: The C stands for China, and eight is an important lucky number in Asia. There is no Porsche logo anywhere on the car; instead there is a stylized triangle with three points on the steering wheel and radiator grille. The symbol should stand for the Chinese conception of the family as part of the one-child policy and symbolizes father, mother and child.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.porscheengineering.com/peg/de/about/history/
  2. ↑ The ugliest Porsche of all time? Why the C88 was never built. In: lexicar.de , February 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ Sebastian Viehmann: Why the 4000 Euro Porsche was never built. In: Focus , February 12, 2014.