Stuttgart has been associated with automobiles ever since Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, and Wilhelm Maybach created the first vehicles there in 1887, and it remains the capital of the German auto industry today. Of the automakers to emerge in Stuttgart during the twentieth century, none is more revered than Porsche, whose sports cars have become legends both on and off the track. Porsche fans from all over the world converged on Stuttgart on January 31, 2009, when the company opened the doors to its new Porsche Museum. The fifty-million euro museum is set in a striking angular building of concrete and glass that houses eighty valuable historic vehicles, ranging from Ferdinand Porsche's earliest designs to mid-century street classics like the Porsche 911. In addition to the cars, visitors will find a complete Porsche archive along with interactive exhibits that illustrate the process that takes these amazing vehicles from the drawing board to the Autobahn. There's even a stylish new restaurant on the second floor with views of the Porscheplatz, so you can daydream about your future sports car while savoring contemporary bistro fare. The new Porsche Museum is a short drive from Le Méridien Stuttgart.
