PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4

Our journey through Germany naturally brought us to Stuttgart, the official home of both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. We made sure to visit both brand museums (the detailed Mercedes chapter will follow) and were fortunate enough to secure a spot on the factory tour at Porsche, an experience centred in the famed Zuffenhausen district.

The contrast between this and other large-scale manufacturing tours, like the one we took at Volkswagen, was immediately noticeable. At Porsche, you actually walk the factory footprint rather than riding past on a designated vehicle. This closeness is key; it allows you to get a far more detailed view of the meticulous process, occasionally even letting you observe the skilled employees at close range. As expected, cameras were strictly forbidden, so my observations here are entirely from memory.

The facility produces approximately 300 cars daily, and the real surprise is the utterly random sequencing on the line. You could see a straightforward, base-model Carrera being built, then walk a few paces and suddenly encounter a highly customized, paint-to-sample 911 GT3 RS, followed by a convertible or a Targa. It’s clear that every vehicle manufactured is tied to a specific customer order, and the complexity of managing this high degree of personalization on a moving line is truly impressive.

Two moments really stood out. First, at the very last inspection station, I pointed out a few extremely minor fit-and-finish items — a tiny panel alignment issue, a section of the chin spoiler that wasn’t flush, and a small paint imperfection. This caught the eye of the lead inspector and the tour attendants, which was both slightly embarrassing and satisfying! It shows how closely they look at everything.

The second moment was a powerful statement from our tour guide. I’ll share it as closely as I can recall: “Every Porsche you see in print, outside these walls, in movies, in your home country, all exited this facility here.” That really resonated with me. It brings home the singular, consistent origin of such an iconic global brand.

The Porsche Museum itself is huge and expansive. A quick tip for budget-conscious visitors: if you don’t need the electronic headgear for information, you can simply bypass the additional fee and walk right into the main display area via the escalators. The presentation of the cars and the brand history is comprehensive. You can explore the various eras at your own pace, and there are many friendly staff members available to answer detailed questions. The cars on display represent a spectacular timeline, and the included photos should give you a good idea of what was featured when we visited on September 19, 2025. It’s highly recommended.