911 at 60: key figures
3. PETER SCHUTZ
The Porsche CEO who famously extended 911 production well past its scheduled end in 1982
Having reinstated the 911, Peter Schutz goaded the racing department into building the Le Mans-winning 936, encouraged the production of the ‘missing’ 911 version, the Cabriolet, and above all vastly increased Porsche sales and profits. For a time it seemed that everything Peter touched turned to gold. Yet there’s far more to the story than a simple run of luck.
Peter worked outside of the car industry, but was head-hunted by Porsche and joined the company in January 1981. He recognised that of its three product lines – the 924, 928 and 911 – only the latter, the model it intended to drop, made any profits.
Not a sports car specialist (indeed, Peter
