There are car shows, and then there are events that feel like a proper family reunion of Porsche people. Porschefreunde 1. Mai sits firmly in the second camp. Furthermore, this year’s Clubday — the 24th running of it — gave us every reason to come back for the 25th in 2027.

For the team at Design911, the first of May meant an early start. We packed the transporter and headed across to Dinslaken to set up under our orange and black canopy. Once there, we joined some of the most passionate Porsche owners in Europe.

What followed was one of those days where you don’t really notice the hours going by. There were too many cars to look over. Too many stories swapped with visitors. Above all, a stand that simply didn’t quieten down from gates open until close.

Here’s how it all went.

A quick word on the event itself

Porschefreunde 1. Mai is held every year on the first of May at the Marathon Motorsport site in Dinslaken. It’s organised by the Rübener family and has been running since the early 2000s. As a result, it’s grown into one of the most well-respected Porsche-only gatherings on the continent.

The mix is everything you’d want. Air-cooled classics parked next to fresh GT cars. Race-prepped track weapons. Restomods. Additionally, the occasional one-off you simply don’t see anywhere else.

There’s a proper programme too. First, a Concours d’Elegance for the show cars. Then, a Battle of Sound competition for anyone brave enough to put their exhaust note on the line. Finally, plenty of paddock time to wander, talk, and admire.

The Design911 stand

We brought the full setup. Branded canopy, parts laid out on the tables for people to pick up and inspect, and the whole team on hand to answer questions. Over the years, we’ve learned that Porsche owners want to see and feel parts before they commit. A photo on a website only gets you so far.

As a result, having brake discs, exhaust components, suspension parts and styling pieces physically there meant we had proper conversations all day. What fits what. What the difference is between OE and aftermarket. What we’d recommend for a specific build.

If you’ve ever wondered what we actually stock, the answer is essentially every part for every Porsche. And that’s not a marketing line. In fact, it’s literally what’s printed on the tote bags we gave away.

Speaking of which…

Free goodie bags for visitors

We brought a stack of Design911 tote bags loaded with bits and pieces for anyone who stopped by the stand. However, they went quicker than we expected. That’s usually a good sign — it means people were enjoying themselves and happy to chat.

If you grabbed one, thank you for coming over. If you didn’t manage to get one this year, don’t worry. We’ll be at plenty more events through the season, so keep an eye on our channels.

The cars we brought

We rolled in with four cars on the stand. Each one was chosen to show a different side of what’s possible when you start playing with a Porsche.

50th Anniversary 992 Turbo

The 50th Anniversary Turbo is one of those cars that photographs beautifully. Moreover, it looks even better in person. Porsche built it to mark half a century of the Turbo nameplate.

The heritage touches all land just right. The bold “50” roundel on the doors. The script down the sides. The classic Fuchs-style wheels. Together, they nod to the past without tipping into pastiche.

It’s a tasteful nod backwards from a car that, mechanically, is very much pointed forwards. As a result, people kept coming back for a second look at this one throughout the day. It also pulled a decent crowd whenever someone fired it up.

992 Dakar in Roughroads livery

If the 50th Anniversary Turbo represents tradition, the 911 Dakar is Porsche at its most playful. Lifted ride height. All-terrain tyres. Roof basket optional. In short, it’s a 911 that genuinely wants to be driven on a gravel stage.

Ours wore the Roughroads heritage livery — a tribute to the 1984 Paris-Dakar-winning 953. As a result, it stood out a mile against the more conventional 911s in the paddock.

This one always gets the same reaction. First, people walk past. Then they do a double-take. Finally, they come back to ask if it really works off-road. The answer is yes. And brilliantly so.

718 Cayman S with full GT4 RS body kit

This Miami Blue 718 is one of our favourite long-term builds. Underneath, it’s a 718 Cayman S. However, the bodywork has been completely transformed with our 718 to GT4 RS look complete body kit.

New front and rear bumpers. The proper GT4 RS-style ducktail. Side intakes. The lot. In other words, it’s a build that turns a great-looking car into something that genuinely makes people stop and ask what it is.

It also has a story from the day worth telling.

The 718 was entered into the Battle of Sound competition. We came second. The funny part? We had the valves on the exhaust closed the entire time. A small oversight in the heat of the moment when the car was being staged.

Still, second place with the system effectively in quiet mode is a pretty good result. If we’d had the valves open through our Designtek Sport Valvetronic Silencer in titanium, first place was probably very much on the table. Lesson learned. Next year, we’ll be checking twice.

Nevertheless, silver was hardly a bad result. And the trophy looks good on the shelf.

Silver 991 GT3

The 991 GT3 might be the most “Porsche” Porsche on the stand. Naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six. Manual or PDK depending on spec. Above all, a chassis that’s almost telepathically responsive.

Ours is in silver, which suits the car perfectly. It lets the bodywork and the wheel design do the talking without shouting about it.

It sat between the Turbo and the 718 on our stand. Quietly, it stole quite a few hearts over the course of the day. The GT3 is one of those cars that doesn’t need anything done to it. In fact, that’s exactly why we brought it. Sometimes the best display is just letting a great car be itself.

Thank you

A massive thank you to everyone who came over to the stand. Whether you stopped by to say hello, ask questions, pick up a goodie bag, or just have a look at the cars — we appreciated it. These events only work because people show up and engage with them. Thankfully, the energy this year was genuinely brilliant.

Thank you as well to the Design911 team for putting on such a fantastic display. Getting four cars, a full canopy setup, a parts display and a full crew out to Dinslaken takes serious work. However, everyone pulled their weight beautifully. It’s a proper team effort and it shows.

Finally, thank you to Sonja, Marathon Motorsport and the Porschefreunde 1. Mai organisers for running an event that just keeps getting better.

We’ll see you at the 25th Clubday on 1st May 2027. Mark your calendars — we already have.

In the meantime, if anything you saw on the stand caught your eye, head over to the website. Or if you’ve got a Porsche project of your own that needs parts, accessories or styling, the full Design911 range is available at design911.co.uk. Every part for every Porsche. And we mean it.