For such a relatable person, I forget that you have some incredibly unique relationships with the motor industry, which allows you to share with us some equally special experiences.
It really felt quite emotional. A car like this was the start of an automotive phenomenon. Thank you for commenting. Jonny needs to get his £1900 Boxster on the road asap now!
Jonny…I had an involvement with Volkswagen from age 2 in 1950 when a neighbour brought one back from Berlin after WWII. Mt father bought a 1942 “60” in 1956 and along the way, that friend bought a new Microbus in 1954. Hence my early life was reading rare books, leaflets, brochures and seeing lots of black and white pictures which thrilled and chilled me. That numberplate used to frighten me…they were on cars “made by the enemy”…I had impossible childhood dreams of going to those Alps when Press pictures were taken..of the race tracks where Mercedes and AutoUnion clashed..of fear..of war…but also of wonder. There is much more to write but I wish I could convey you back to the early 50’s to truly understand what early Porsche and Volkswagen ownership was like…no book or film will tell you. A special ride fir you indeed! 🙂🙂🙂🙂Richard
Kind of a Porsche thing to do. I don't think they'll ever stop driving this one. That's what you do with Porsches. They're made to be driven, not sit in garages or museums.
Love the fact you are driving past famous Le man’s Porsches and it’s Porsche no1 getting all the attention ( with you driving it). But was it as good to drive as your Beetle?
A much younger me was given a book about Porsche for Christmas a long time ago and it had photos of this car and I thought it was beautiful. I still do. I can't imagine how exciting yet terrifying it must be to be driving it and the relief and sadness at the end.
Thanks for sharing this incredible experience, Jonny. What a well deserved honour. I was surprised the group didn't cover the car with bubble wrap before sending it on the track! 😊
@@TheLateBrakeShowthat's incredible Jonny, it's great that they share this with the public, rather than locking it away in a museum. This is additional proof that Porsches are meant to be driven regularly.
Fantastic! Great video. As a fellow air cooled fan as you know can totally appreciate the emotional experience and honour to be able to drive Porsche number 1. Bet it was weird how close and yet still different a driving experience it was to your Beetle.
This is surreal to behold. I feel like I am standing on holy ground just watching the video. I never realized that the actual Porsche Number One still exists. Thank you.
This tells you something about where you stand in car history yourself dear Jonny. You are truly part of it in a most excellent way! Greetings from the Netherlands were
That… must’ve felt very bizarre. Not just “a” car from the Porsche museum in Stuttgart, but pretty much “THE” car; the very first car you see when you walk in. (Unless you turn up the day that Jonny Smith is taking it for a quick spin at Laguna Seca. 😊)
Hey I saw you at the show! I was the guy photographingyou at 3:51 😂. Thanks for sharing the video! I was eagerly awaiting to see what story you'd be telling.
Oh Jonny, what an amazing and surprising episode.. Thank you! Glad you've had a great and memorable trip.You're never gonna top that and thanks for the typ 64 info.. They had a few of them for the Berlin-Rome race that didnt happen and the famous racer Otto Mathe owned one until '95 when he passed, now in a private collection. (We won't mention the American troops that cut the roof off of one after ww2 and smashed it up! Looked and sounded amazing. After restoring a '54 Pre A for over 20 years this is as good as it gets for me😊🙏👌
As a long standing air cool VW and Porsche fan, there is not a single journalist or You Tuber I respect more for having truly understood the significance of this car than you. We followed the same automotive path in our early years, And you truly did give it the respect and admiration it deserved. For me, at least, this was your best episode. I am also indescribably jealous too, so I think I may also may hate you for ever.
Wow, praise indeed. To be honest it was an honour to get this permission and it will almost certainly be one of the most significant cars Jonny ever gets to drive.
Porsche deserve huge credit for letting you have the car so we could enjoy your drive. Although I own a 1976 911s, I'm really a Ferrari nut but I couldn't see the boys at Maranello allowing you to take a Ferrari 125 S out for a spin around the car park of such a busy show....perhaps you could enquire, I'd really enjoy that video as well !
Well that must be a life highlight! I will say, though, the incredible lack of 'stance' with the wheels virtually invisible from many angles, makes me imagine it with no wheel cut-outs at all, just bumpers that run all the way around and the shell sat on the ground - or floating like a Star Wars Landspeeder!
What luck,there Jonny. Wonderful,I could see you were terrified, but calm. Any other car manufacturer wouldn't have let you drive thier n0.1, so fair play to Porsche!
Porsche developed its sports car from the VW Beetle. Flat, sporty, tuned engine. This meant that Porsche moved further and further away from the Beetle. Porsche earned the necessary money with small red Porsche tractors.
My all time favourite car. Went to Gmund in Austria and went around the museum there. They had a full size wooden 356 used for creating the metal panels.Found the museum because we came of the motorway a exit before we wanted. Didnt know it was there. Droveminto them village a saw a metal ssign on a building saying Ferdinand Porsche. Knew we had found something special.
Jonny, I was at Rennsport watching you drive back and forth in the paddock area, it was awesome to see and I've been waiting for this video to come out. Cheers from California!
Hello Jonny, I always love your very unusual classic car documentaries, and how you often get these cars running again after many years. I'm so happy for you that you got to drive this incredible Porsche and you deserve it! Think about it, who is actually allowed to drive this? You're not even allowed to touch it in the museum. A very special video. Thank you! cheers Klaus from Düsseldorf
Classic. Proof if it were needed that Porsche want their cars to be driven. Hence today, they continue to support (in the main) spares for all ages of car and no one judges you for what you drive.
What an honour! A Beautifully icon and i hadn't realised it was mid-engined. I first saw this car in Top Gun with Kelly McGillis, a truly Beautiful car with a Beautiful girl driving it, Truly Memorable 😍 Jayemm had a 357 Replica on his channel not so long ago. It was Beautifully built and that had me thinking. You have a Cheap Boxster! Maybe an Iconic Replica conversion to yours would be a great idea for the channel and something to remind you of your Great Journey. I'm sure Jayemm could point in the right direction 😌
What an honour, Jonny.. A wonderful car (The 356 is still the GOAT)... And you were probably right, nobody was going to pull out in front of that... Can you imagine ringing your insurance company with that news.. Another great video.. Cheers 🏁
@samholdsworth420 wouldn't put it past porsche to bring over the proper number 1, and I suspect that if they did make a replica it'd be an exact copy of the car in its original form
Driving the first Porsche would be everyones dream. Well done JS, and congrats to Porsche for keeping the history alive. I've seen that var in Stuttgart, but it's awesome to see it being used. Well done!
Love it! Congratulations! Epic drive! Couple corrections: 1. Rennsport Reunion is supposed to be every 3 years but #7 was delayed due to the pandemic. 2. Porsche 356-1 does not have the Porsche badge; it had not yet been created. It does bear the Porsche name.
Honestly, I wasn't too interested in the Porsche show... skipped the other video.... but this... wow. What an amazing opportunity. Your nerves were palpable!
You're a very very lucky man to get to drive that piece of Porsche history (without chaperone too). I can see the excitement and the relief to get it back on the stand in one piece. Great video Jonny, thanks for sharing.
What no romp though the corkscrew ? I guess that would be another level of trust to allow you on track with it. Now you've left us all wondering what lap time it could set at Laguna Seca. But seriously, fun to see it move. Even if ever so slowly.
I’m by no means a fan of Porsche but that was special! Getting to drive the first product of such an iconic brand is just something else, thanks for sharing that with us! We need a genesis series now where you drive the first car a brand made (if it still exists and is still road legal!), see if Mr Ratcliffe will let you have a go in the first production Land Rover!
This vehicle is surely one of, and perhaps THE most significant, in the history of sports cars, is it not? What a unique honour and privilege. Thanks for bringing us along.
