IIn the Third Reich, motor sports were controlled by the National Socialist Drivers’ Corps, whose president was Adolf Hühnlein. In 1938, Drivers’ Corps chief Hühnlein commissioned the development and construction of 3 sports coupes, based on the KdF car, for the Berlin to Rome race. The Beetle sports model was to take part in the race for propaganda purposes, in order to boost sales of the KdF car. In Porsche’s project register, it was given the number 60 K 10, where the 60 stood for the modification of the Porsche 60, while K 10 stood for bodywork version no. 10. In fact, developments for the Porsche 60 were entered into the project register as far as bodywork version no. 12.
In autumn 1938, development work began on the record-breaking Volkswagen racing car. Between the autumn of 1938 and early summer 1939, bodywork constructors Reutter, in Stuttgart, built 3 Porsche 60 K 10 vehicles. Although development of the bodywork was carried out from the point of view of aerodynamics, the front of the racing car was the same as the regular Volkswagen. The rear, with the small window and ventilation slots, was similar to the Porsche 114 despite having a smaller interior. In order to decrease the drag, the stream-lined light metal aluminium bodywork was fitted with fully integrated wheel coverings.
The interior of the Porsche 60 K 10 was also dominated by a similarity to the KdF car. It was equipped with the base plate, central tube platform frame, with torsion bar axle at the front and sprung torsion bar oscillating axle at the rear, as well as the shock absorbers and drum brakes of the Volkswagen. Gearbox specialist Fröhlich designed the engine so, that the gearbox was behind the rear axle. The re-bored 1.1 litre VW engine, with larger valves, twin carburettor and greater compression, achieved a performance of 45 horsepower. The car weighed 545kg, 200kg less than the KdF version. It reached a maximum speed of 150km per hour and, thanks to excellent testing results, appeared to be absolutely ready for the forthcoming race.
However, the war prevented the Porsche 60 K 10 being brought into action for the Berlin to Rome long-distance race. Hitler declared war and not one single KdF car nor one active savings deposit was received by the hopeful buyers. Vehicles important for the war effort were built based on the KdF car, the Porsche 60 design. Instead, production of the bucket car, the Porsche 62 began with its characteristic box-shaped open-topped bodywork, four doors and flattened out front on which a spare tyre was mounted.
