Ferdinand Alexander Porsche
| Ferdinand Alexander Porsche | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 December 1935 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Died | 5 April 2012 (aged 76) Salzburg, Austria |
| Occupation | Porsche designer |
| Notable work | Porsche 904 Porsche 911 |
| Children | Ferdinand Oliver Porsche |
| Parent(s) | Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche |
| Relatives |
Ferdinand Porsche (grandfather) Ferdinand Piëch (cousin) |
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (11 December 1935 – 5 April 2012), nicknamed "Butzi", son of Ferry Porsche, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, was a German designer whose best known product was the first Porsche 911.
While his grandfather and father were engineers, he was more involved in working out the appearance of a product. He never thought of himself as an artist or designer, but more as a technically talented craftsman in shaping.
After attending the Waldorf School in Stuttgart he began studying industrial design in Ulm, Germany. After a year was dismissed by the examination board, because his talent was doubted. In 1957 he started practical training at the body design department of the family-owned sports car company under design director Erwin Komenda.
When it came to the designworks of the coachwork for the company's most successful car so far, the Porsche 911, Ferdinand Alexander was heavily involved, as it was family tradition that every generation of the Porsche family took part in the genesis of a new car generation. Ferry Porsche wished the successor of his 356 should provide more space and comfort in the cabin, though he was also cited as saying, "Comfort is not what makes driving fun, it is more on the opposite." The trunk, especially, should have provided more space. Ferdinand Alexander's first drafts were well accepted, but Komenda made unapproved changes over the objections of Ferdinand and Ferry . Ferry set the main attributes concerning wheelbase, power figures and suspension and after Komenda still did not cooperate, he took F.A.'s drawings to the coachwork manufacturer Reutter across the street. They gave the actual shape to the 901 as it was presented at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show. The original project code 901 was changed to 911 after intervention of Peugeot who had a trademark protection on three-number-combinations with "0" in the middle. Production began in 1964.
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