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Porsche 998 test driver in fatal accident

Lloyd Six

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4 Nov 2008
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See below.
 
Porsche Test Driver Killed
Report: Porsche engineer in fatal accident while testing new 911







A Porsche test driver has been killed following an accident in a 911 cabrio prototype, it has been reported. The driver, a 51-year-old Porsche engineer, was driving the car on the A5 Autobahn in what is thought to be an endurance test of the new car.

The vehicle apparently came off the road and hit the guard rail. The accident involved only the one car and happened at 2:45am just past the Weiterstadt exit on the motorway. A spokesman for Porsche was quoted as saying the engineer 'was one of the most experienced test drivers.'

Police and fire department personnel responded to the scene from nearby Darmstadt. An investigation has now been launched by the public prosecutor.

Witnesses said the driver, who has been with the company for 25 years, had been driving at a high rate of speed in the 998 prototype. He was being followed by a second Porsche test driver in a camouflaged four-door Porsche Panamera prototype, but he avoided the collision and escaped unharmed.
 
Shame to hear this - Thoughts with his family.

I wonder what speed he was doing ?

Late night on the Autobarn...
 
We can often forget what some people have risked/do risk to bring us these wonderful cars that we are all lucky to own and drive.

This will be a monumental tragedy at Porsche HQ
 
Tragic, really bad news, must have loved his job though. RIP
 
Porsche 998 Test Driver Killed

sad story...

Report: Porsche engineer in fatal accident while testing new 911

A Porsche test driver has been killed following an accident in a 911 cabrio prototype, it has been reported.

A 51-year-old man died in Germany this morning while behind the wheel of a prototype for the next-generation Porsche 911. The victim, a Porsche engineer, was driving the vehicle on the A5 autobahn south of Frankfurt at approximately 2:45am when he lost control and slammed into a guard rail.

Speaking with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a spokesman for Porsche said the engineer "was one of the most experienced test drivers" and had been working for the company for 25 years. He also confirmed that the prototype was for the new 911 and that it was covered with fake panels to mask parts of the vehicle's appearance.

Local authorities are still investigating the accident but eyewitnesses claim the prototype was driving at a high rate of speed before the crash. The location of the accident was midway between Frankfurt and Heidelberg, in the German province of Hessen, and the particular stretch of road where the accident took place had no speed limit.

Numerous prototypes for the new 911 have been spotted testing across Germany in recent months, including versions for the standard Coupe and Cabrio, Targa, and high-performance Turbo models. Testing is still in the early stages as the new model isn't expected to debut in production trim until early 2011.
 

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Rather dangerous looking barriers for anything low slung,

Looks like he would have just glanced off a regular armco style barrier

RIP
 
Lots of the central barriers in Germany and Holland are very poor.
I'm sorry this guy found out the hard way.
 
What a bunch of pricks on that forum, no respect. FFS article starts "A 51 yr old died..." and still this caused confusion as to whether he survived unharmed or not???

There's a time for witty banter and that ain't one of them. :evil:
 
:nooo: Man that's bad.
Makes You realise how dangerous these cars are.
I wonder what went wrong?
 
ldt said:
:nooo: Man that's bad.
Makes You realise how dangerous these cars are.
I wonder what went wrong?

What do you mean

'makes you realise how dangerous these cars are'?

We have no idea what happened yet, only that had the accident been in England the Arco style barrier would almost certainly have saved the drivers life, as it is the one in Germay caused his death.

Its astraight road late at night with a hugely experienced Porsche test driver at the wheel, I say a blow it is apretty strong candidate

I doubt the accident had anything to do with the car or style of car at all
 

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