The Mexican Way - The Carrera Panamericana of the 1950s

The Carrera Panamericana ... the Mexican Road Race. In its day it was the longest, fastest and likely wildest international automobile race ever staged. A World Championship event along with Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, Nürburgring and the Tourist Trophy, most drivers considered it the best-and the worst-of them all. From 1950 to 1954, it was witnessed by ten million spectators along a nearly 2,000-mile course that featured deserts where the faster cars could reach 180 mph and 10,000-foot mountain passes requiring first-gear operation. Carrera Panamericana influenced engineering and marketing from Michigan to Modena. Ferrari designed and named a model specifically for the race. Lincoln emerged as a high-performance sedan and Porsche's Carrera was named in honor of its wins. 1948 saw the birth of the Porsche brand with construction number 356. Its series production began two years later. From 1953 onwards, Porsche began to use a mid-engine roadster designed for motorsport, which was to have a long tradition of spectacular success: the 550 Spyder. Both the 356 and the 550 Spyder are very clearly featured in our film "The Mexican Way." We are telling the story of the birth of the Porsche Carrera! And we are telling the story of the rebels who put their lives on the line during the Carrera Panamericana, one of the world's most dangerous open road races. Our film is about danger and competition, hearing engines that sound angry but make people happy, seeing the drivers - the rebels. It works with emotions, heritage, consistency and something that is ... mystical. The 'Pan-Am' was so unconventional and fascinating that it came to hold the world's attention for a full week each year. It was one of the last of the great open road events and the first in which European and American cars could be compared and marked the return of US factory support to racing in America. With this new creation, Mexicans certainly had a thing going in their favour. A Mexican game, played by Mexican rules - on Mexican terrain. If you wanted to be part of it, you had to do it ... THE MEXICAN WAY.