1955 Porsche Type 597 ‘Jagdwagen’ Prototype (more pics below 👇)
Nearly five decades before the Cayenne emerged, Porsche pursued a German Army contract with its first purpose-built off-road vehicle. Developed in response to a Bundeswehr RFP issued in January 1953, the Type 597 competed against proposals from Auto Union and Borgward for military adoption.
Ferdinand Porsche’s earlier involvement with the Type 82 Kübelwagen and Type 166 Schwimmwagen provided the company with relevant experience, though the Type 597 took a distinctly different and more technically ambitious approach.
A steel monocoque tub sat atop fully independent torsion-bar suspension, with high ground clearance and tall side sills enabling both steep climbs and water crossings.
The sealed body allowed limited amphibious capability, and selectable four-wheel drive was engaged through an innovative front axle coupling. Some examples were equipped with a removable propeller for water use.
Power came from a 97 cubic inch air-cooled flat-four derived from the Porsche 356, tuned for durability rather than peak output and paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Despite strong testing results, high development costs and production complexity led the German Army to select Auto Union’s DKW Munga instead.
Between 1955 and 1958, Porsche produced just 71 examples in total, later marketing the Type 597 to foreign militaries and civilian sportsmen as the “Jagdwagen” (hunting car).
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