The Last Surviving Japanese Porsche 912 Police Car

(kottke.org)

78 points | by zdw 2 days ago

11 comments

  • vanderZwan 1 hour ago
    The police of Amsterdam also used to have Porsche police cars

    https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/for-more-th...

    Any other police departments that did this or just those two?

  • n4r9 16 minutes ago
    > In the 1960s, four Porsche 912s were customized for use as police cars in Japan

    Fascinating. So many follow-on questions. Why four exactly? Were they all in Tokyo, or spread around? Did they get used for anything other than highway patrol? Who got to drive them?

  • smackeyacky 1 hour ago
    Bit of a shame what has happened to classic Porsche prices. They used to be “car guy” cars. Now the prices went wackadoodle they’ve become cars for people who…aren’t car guys and can’t even pronounce it properly.

    Interesting history on that one, bit of an odd choice for the Japanese police.

    • close04 41 minutes ago
      That's what happens to things when they become status symbols. They're chased for status. Not the case for Porsche but sometimes that object ends up losing all the core value, pushing away the original fans, and rides the status wave until there's nothing left to offer.
      • testfrequency 11 minutes ago
        My love for Porsche almost completely stopped as soon as I moved to the Bay Area.
      • tonyedgecombe 29 minutes ago
        >Not the case for Porsche

        I'd argue it is, at least once they started making more SUV's than 911's.

    • anal_reactor 20 minutes ago
      > can’t even pronounce it properly

      There are things which pronunciation I've learned in childhood and it will never change no matter how good my foreign language skills get. "Tomb Raider" with comically butchered accent.

  • tkcranny 1 hour ago
    I'm no car guy, but that's a beautiful vehicle. How totally Japanese too; zany but rad.
  • tarzasai 35 minutes ago
    not Porsche but the italian police has 2 Lamborghini Huracan. They make some good use of them sometimes: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/20/italian-police...
  • varjag 1 hour ago
    Really dig that side mounted siren. Peak mid century aesthetics.
  • kart23 1 hour ago
    whats the huge sports chrono looking thing on the dash? wonder if thats the origin of the modern option
  • fsalehpour 1 hour ago
    Steering wheel on the wrong side!
  • ishtanbul 1 hour ago
    Scrapping them should be a crime
  • lifestyleguru 1 hour ago
    People are doing really ugly, corrupted, and cruel things to own and to drive Porsche. Don't understand sentiment to this brand, especially considering a hole in their history during 1930s-1940s. It's a drving scrap, they didn't scrap it, big deal.
    • bayindirh 53 minutes ago
      I'm a car enthusiast, but I like brands like Porsche because of the engineering they have on their cars.

      You don't have to appreciate it, but the engineering of these cars are not orthodox, yet they're daily driveable cars unlike the cars in their own class, e.g. Ferrari, Maserati, et. al.

      The thinking out of the box, and evolution instead of revolution makes them extraordinary. Personally, I prefer the looks of Porsches to any other car.

      However, would I go great lengths to own one? I'm not sure.

      You can admire something without going crazy about it or define yourself via it.

      If we're going to "shame" companies about doing things between 1930-1940, the list will be much longer and multi-national.

    • jgilias 23 minutes ago
      Ever buying a Fanta?
      • lifestyleguru 21 minutes ago
        Wrong address, I absolutely avoid this "fantastic" brand and other sugar syrups. I tend to drink plain water (like in the toilet bowl).