Flying pig?

[exploserous]

Okay, this is may be a bit off topic, but I'm struggling to find this answer searching.

What is it with Porsches (911's?) and the “flying pig” or “Porker” nicknames. Are these related? Is it really as simple as a reference to the pink pig 917 and that British people pronounce “Porker” and “Porsche” the same? Is there more to it? I feel like there just has to be more history there.

[Craig_D]

Yeah, there's a place for this: Off Topic Discussions - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

[id10t]

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/history/917-20-sau-10894.html

The Porsche 917/20 takes a special place among the various 917 versions. It remains a unique one-off. Porsche engineers together with the French company SERA undertook the attempt to combine the advantages of the short and long tail 917. Its body was extremely wide and it had extremely rounded wheel cut-outs. As the track width remained unchanged, the wheels were hidden deeply in the wheel housings. The nose was equally low and flat like that of the new long-tail coupé, but shorter.

But the best part was the fanciful paintwork which let the 917/20 go down in Porsche history as the "Pink Pig", "Big Berta" or even "Truffle Hunter". Porsche designer Anatole Lapine decided in favour of the pink body colour and labelled each of the body parts according to the butcher-style cuts. Porsche caused a sensation at Le Mans 1971 with the Pink Pig. It was the fastest car during the pre-race qualification session, although it was totally untested. But during the main race, the 917/20 running in fifth position dropped out shortly before the end due to an accident.

And I've seen pics of a 356 and a 911 done in the same style...

[masraum]

I've never heard a reference to a flying pig except for the one 917.

Other than maybe someone occasionally calling one of the more modern heavy cars a porker or pig, maybe.

[carrera30]

Well, I hate to blow everyone's mind, BUT the Flying Pig is in Placencia Belize.
I ate there !!!!!

[legion]

Ha ha charade you are!

[Por_sha911]

I thought you were talking about Floyd

[wdfifteen]

Around here the "Flying Pig" is the Cincinnati marathon.

[Bergo]

Onassis also sells flying pig (porkasus, instead of pegasus) grille badges:

[exploserous]

Checking out Onassis's website, that 356 does look a lot like a pig—is it just the resemblance that gained the nickname? Did folks call Porsches “Pigs”*before the 917?

Onassis Porsches Agency - HOME