FAT Mankei x Porsche 1

Few places carry as much meaning for Porsche as the Grossglockner. This is where Ferry Porsche tested prototypes in the early days of the company, driving up from Gmünd over the pass – right past the door of what is now FAT Mankei. That history makes this alpine stop far more than a scenic coffee break.

Perched at over 2,200 metres on Austria's highest paved mountain pass, FAT Mankei was established by Ferdinand Porsche, grandson of the founder, as a gathering point for enthusiasts on one of the world's great driving roads. The name references both F.A.T. International – the motorsport-rooted lifestyle brand behind the GP Ice Race – and the local word for the marmots that inhabit these slopes. Since opening in 2023, it has become a genuine pilgrimage site for the Porsche community.

The FAT Mankei x Porsche weekends take this further. The terrace and dedicated parking areas fill with everything from air-cooled 911s to the latest GT3 RS models, often joined by museum pieces and race cars brought up from Zuffenhausen. Morning convoys head toward the summit through 36 hairpins and the Mittertörl tunnel, where flat-six engines sound better than anywhere else on earth. Between runs, there's strong coffee, Alpine views stretching to the Hohe Tauern peaks, and conversations with people who understand why you drove six hours to get here.

The road is only open from May to November, which makes every visit feel like a privilege. If you own something from Stuttgart and want to experience it where the brand's DNA was forged, this is the place.