Seventy years is a long time for any club to stay relevant, let alone one tied to a single automotive brand. Yet the Porsche Club of America (PCA) has managed to thrive since its founding in 1955, and in 2025, it is celebrating that milestone with so much more than just nostalgia. The story of the PCA is less about rare cars and more about the people who built a global community around them and the passion that they share for the brand.
It all started when Bill Sholar, a commercial artist from Washington, D.C., bought a 1953 Porsche 356 Coupe. Back then, Porsche ownership in the United States was rare, given that the 356 was the only model on offer at the time, after production had moved from Gemünd, Austria, to Stuttgart in Germany. Sholar would flash his headlights to connect with other drivers in the area, but that small gesture wasn’t enough for him. He wanted a club, and by September 1955, he would have one. Just over a year later, the PCA held its first national event, the Porsche Parade, with 64 members in attendance.
Fast forward seven decades, and the PCA has more than 145,000 members, making it the largest single-marque club in the world. Today, the Parade draws thousands from across the nation and beyond, and its scale alone has real-world benefits if you own a Porsche. Throughout the year, the organization hosts regional meets, driver education programs, technical workshops, concours events, and more. If you need a trusted shop around where you live, or need specific advice on keeping your pride and joy in top form, the PCA network is often the first place to turn to.
The 69th Parade in Oklahoma City, held this past July, was the centerpiece of the anniversary year, but the highlight wasn’t just the cars, because Hans-Peter Porsche, grandson of the founder, Ferdinand Porsche, and son of Ferry Porsche, attended the event. His presence was enough to show how the Porsche family itself has been part of these gatherings now for decades.
Of course, no anniversary would be complete without a special edition. Over the years, PCA has collaborated with Porsche on several special builds and just like we saw with the 50th (2006: 911 Carrera S Club Coupé) and 60th (2015: 911 GTS Club Coupé) anniversary, PCA has once again worked with Porsche Sonderwunsch (Special Wishes) program to build a limited-edition 911 Carrera T Club Coupé, a car that we reported on, with a member-exclusive Chronograph to go with it.
Designed by Grant Larson, who worked on cars like the OG Boxster and the now-iconic V10-powered Carrera GT, this new special edition is finished in “Sholar Blue,” a modern metallic take on the Club Blau introduced in 2015. The car is limited to just 70 examples and will be offered exclusively to PCA members in the United States and Canada.
If you’ve ever wondered whether joining a brand-specific car club makes sense, PCA’s seven-decade run offers a clear answer. As the cars evolve, the community around them continues to grow and strengthen. Their motto sums it up best: “It’s not just the cars; it’s the people.”
Images: Porsche