Hello, I'm an expert in automotive history and trivia. The name "911" for the iconic Porsche sports car has an interesting origin.

The Porsche 911 was first introduced in 1963 as a successor to the Porsche 356. The 356 was the company's first commercially successful line of vehicles, and it was named after its internal project number. When Porsche decided to replace the 356, they needed a new name that would be distinct yet still carry on the legacy. The internal project number for the new car was 754, but this was not deemed suitable for a public name.

Porsche wanted a name that was simple, memorable, and in line with their existing naming convention. They chose "911" for a few reasons:

1. It was an evolution of the 356 name, indicating a progression.
2. The number 9 was considered lucky in some cultures, and it also filled the gap between the 356 and what they envisioned would be future models like the 901 (which later became the 914 due to trademark issues with Peugeot).
3. The combination of numbers was also easy to remember and had a rhythmic quality to it.

So, the "911" was chosen as the name for the new car, and it has since become one of the most recognizable and enduring names in the automotive world.

read more >>

Porsche 901 was the name originally intended for the Porsche 911. By the early 1960s, Porsche project design numbers had reached into the 800s. For instance, Porsche's 1962 F1 model was called Porsche 804. ... So, Porsche simply replaced the middle 0 with a 1, and called the car Porsche 911.read more >>