Germany Trip Recap: Day 4 - The Porsche Factory and Museum
 

After a 3 hour drive on the autobahn we arrived in Stuttgart Monday evening in time for dinner. After some more schnitzel we hit the sack early knowing we needed to be at the Porsche Museum early to see the sights before our factory tour.

Unfortunately they don't allow camera's during the factory tour (actually made us lock them up before starting) so the only pics I have are from the exterior and inside the museum.

My Dorki brothers need not worry because I paid due homage during the tour knowing that our vehicles all came off that one assembly line. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend the tour 8)

Enjoy ...

Here's a sampling of pics from inside the Museum. Unfortunately only about 20 cars are on display at any one time but a new Museum will be opening in 2007 which will allow them to show about 80 cars.

I must admit that I was very disappointed with the merchandise / memorbilia selection in the gift shop. There wasn't anything there that couldn't be bought at home except for the Museum Catelog. You'd think they'd have something special :cry:

At precisely 10 am our names were called for the tour and off we went on a 90 minute walk.

Afterwards we went and got some lunch and then headed over to the Mercedes-Benz Museum on the other side of town.

I know this isn't P-car related so please don't shoot :wink: but I thought you might want to see the MB Museum. As much as I hate to say it I think this Museum was 10 times better then the Porsche Museum. Not only were there more cars but the displays were better, the building was better and the gift shop selection was better.

We spent over an hour in this Museum (didn't take a factory tour) and then it was time to head North to Frankfurt where we'd be spending the night at an airport hotel so I could catch the mid-morning flight home.

About 90 minutes out of Stuttgart we saw on the horizon the outline of a Concorde and thought "WTH, those stopped flying a few years ago." As we got closer we saw it was a static display and alongside of it was a Russian Tupolev (equivalent of the Concorde) and at that point we could make out a sign that said "Sinsheim Museum." Of course we exited the autobahn and pulled in for a looksee.

What we saw was unbelievable and we spent a frantic 90 minutes running from building to building (there were 6 of them) taking as many pictures and movies as we could. Unfortunately we got there at 4:30 and it closed at 6:00 but we easily could have spent 2 days there.

This by far was the best Museum I have ever seen in my life (my Dad agrees and he's been to many more Museum's then I have). Besides the planes, helicopters, tanks, trains, engines and motorcycles they also had cars ranging from Porsche's, Ferrari's, Jaguar's, Lamborghini's, MB's, Bugatti's and may others. I honestly shot more pictures here then I did at the Porsche and MB Museum's combined.

Much to my amazement the variety of cars were staggering so here's just a sampling of them.

After closing the Museum we hit the autobahn and drove right by the Hockenheim F1 track. I never knew that Hockeheim was so close to the 'Ring and it surprises me that 2 F1 races are held so close together.

Before I knew it we arrived back in Frankfurt and I was on my way home the next morning. All in all it was an incredible 4 days and I wish I was able to spend more time on everything we did.

Of all things my flight home was number 917 8)

Thanks for sharing, Doug. Looks you had a blast with good company!!

Can't wait for the DV article.

thanks for the recap... it was quite fun to read about you on Pelican from K9handler as well. To walk up to a bunch of 911's and flat out ask "who's from Pelican" is classic Dorki!

sorry about the wet track. At least it makes sure you respect it and not have an off.

Can't wait for a writeup from a track junkie :D