June 8, 1948: The Car Born in a Sawmill

Some of the most enduring brands in history weren't built from abundance. They were built from whatever was left after everything else had been taken away.On June 8, 1948, the State Government of Carinthia issued a road permit to a hand-built sports car assembled in a former sawmill in a mountain valley in Austria, using parts from a Volkswagen Beetle, by a team of engineers who had followed the Porsche family from Stuttgart when the bombs started falling.The man who built it was Ferry Porsche, running his father's company while his father sat in a French prison awaiting release on a bail his family could barely afford. That car, chassis number 356.001, was the first vehicle ever to carry the Porsche name. What came after it is one of the most studied examples of premium brand building in the history of consumer products.From bsnsHistory, the daily podcast about the moments when business quietly reshaped the world.Written and hosted by Ron Trucks. Research and editing by Rodney Russ. Sound design by Angela Cahoy. Music by Cody Martin and Soundstripe.For more daily business stories, visit www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com