It was a breathtaking plan - both it ins simplicity and its vision; to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 with a parade of 911 examples on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on Sunday 28 July - a world record number for a parade of Porsche sports cars.
But no sooner had Porsche Club GB announced the plan than the iconic number was exceeded as registrations poured in. In the end 1208 Porsches, representing every possible derivative of the iconic 911, packed the circuit to create an unforgettable display.
The parade, in aid of the Hope for Tomorrow cancer charity, was led by a number of famous Porsche personalities, among them guest of honour Mark Porsche, son of 911 designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, and great-grandson of founder Ferdinand Porsche, and some of the sports car manufacturer's most successful racing drivers - former F1 driver and five-times Le Mans winner Derek Bell, 1970 Le Mans winner Richard Attwood and John Fitzpatrick.
COLOURFUL CONVOY
Porsche owners and enthusiasts made up the remainder of the colourful convoy, which included famous 911 models from past and present such as Carrera, RS, RSR, GT, Speedster, Targa and Turbo derivatives, as well as a number of distinctive race and rally versions.
Mark Porsche said: "The 911 was my father's most successful design, and will always have a special place in my heart. Over the years it has become a family member, and I'm very proud to be here today to represent the Porsche family.
Derek Bell commented: "It's because of the 911 that Porsche had the financial resources to go racing, and create history with the 917, 956, 962 and all the wins we had around the world.
"Porsche did a lot for me, so it's an honour to be here in this parade driving a 911 around my home track.”
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