Why Do Porsches Have the Key on the Left? - Anatomy of a Myth

Some stories are told so many times that people start to believe they are true. We call these "urban myths." One famous myth is about Porsche cars and why the ignition key is on the left side of the steering wheel. Let’s look at the facts to find the real answer.

There are two main answers to this question:

1. The Racing Story: Many people say it comes from the "24 Hours of Le Mans" race. In the past, drivers had to run to their cars, jump in, and start the engine. If the key was on the left, the driver could start the car with their left hand and put it into gear with their right hand at the same time. This helped them save a few seconds.
2. The Saving Money Story: This story is simpler. After World War II, materials like copper were expensive. Some say Porsche put the key on the left to use a shorter cable to the motor. This saved weight and money.

What Does History Say? - To find the truth, we must look at the first Porsche cars. The Porsche 356 No. 1 from 1948 already had the key on the left. This was before Porsche started racing at Le Mans. This supports the "saving money" theory.

However, history is confusing. Some later models had the key on the right, and then it moved back to the left again. - There was no fixed rule at the beginning. Did racing cars always have the key on the left? Actually, no.

• In 1951, Porsche’s first race car at Le Mans had the key in the middle.
• Famous racing cars like the Porsche 550 Spyder had the key on the right.
• It wasn't until 1967 that Porsche racing cars started using the left-side key regularly.

This shows that the „racing advantage" was not the main reason for the design in the beginning. If it were a big advantage, Porsche would have used it in every race car from the start. What is the Real Reason? - Even inside the Porsche company, people disagree: Official Porsche brochures say the reason is the Le Mans race. But the former Director of the Porsche Museum Klaus Bischof said it was actually to save cable, weight, and money.

In the end, it doesn't really matter which story is 100% true. Today, the key on the left is a trademark. It is part of what makes a Porsche 911 special, just like its rear engine and classic design. The Porsche 911 is an unconventional car, and the key on the left is part of its character. It has always been this way, and it probably always will be.