Watch All Eight Porsche 911 Generations Hit The Open Road

The Porsche 911 has changed a lot since the German automaker rolled out the first one over half a century ago in 1963. However, while the car has certainly grown in size since then, Porsche has done a fantastic job at somehow keeping the 911's sleek, slightly bulbous design consistent through eight generations of models. That's no easy task for any automaker, especially when you consider how safety standards and other regulations have changed over the years.

To commemorate eight generations of the 911, with the newest 911 generation set to debut, Porsche put together a thrilling video showing off the octet cruising the roads of southern Thailand. For one, the scenery is gorgeous possibly dwarfing the beauty of the 911 – but don't tell Porsche. The Porsches cruise on tree-lined two-lane highways with the sun beaming through the foliage. They then pause at a gorgeous dock set out over blue waters. After a quick refueling, the 911s are again back on the road, but it starts to rain. However, it doesn't slow down the caravan.

The latest 911, the 992 for those who speak Porsche parlance, is debuting for the 2020 model year, which could be one reason why Porsche gathered the other seven generations. While the car did grow for 2020, it's lighter than the last-generation 991 and lighter than the 997 that debuted in 2005 thanks to Porsche's increased use of aluminum and decreased need for cold-rolled steel.

There's little doubt the Porsche 911 is an icon and has been one for 56 years. Porsche's continued focus on improving the 911 – to some – has kept it at the top of the sports car food chain. It's rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout may have been an odd choice to start, but the automaker has made the layout work for over half a century, so who are we to judge?