The Incredible HUL

Not all plates are created equally, some are personalised, but only a handful bear as much recall as T400 BHP, 911 GB, OPR 911, A 911, AML 1, or the créme-de-la-créme 911 HUL. The thing is that unless you've somehow resisted the temptation to turn the pages of any major UK motoring title from the 70s onwards, have somehow never tuned into Top Gear, or the concept of car reviews on YouTube is alien to you, you'd have come across this Porsche GB press plate.

The 911 Turbo, which celebrates its 50th this year, has benefitted the most from this registration, but Porsche GB haven't made it strictly specific to the standard Turbo/Turbo S press demo cars. From my understanding, '911 HUL' also found its way to the G-model SC Sport, Flachbau Turbo SE and a Flachbau cab, and even a 993 Carrera S.

Porsche GB confirm the plate's importance:

In terms of the number plate, it’s been on most of our 911 Turbo or 911 Turbo S press cars since the late 1970s. There’s much discussion about the significance of the ‘HUL’ letters, but if there was, we’re not aware of it! While we have a number of other recognisable registrations, due to 911 HUL almost always being on one of the more powerful 911 variants, it’s the one most people are familiar with.

- Porsche GB

Last year, Porsche released two 1:43 models of the 930. I picked up one with a makeshift '911 HUL' plate for it. It's not completely identical to the late-model 911 Turbo 3.3 (930) that graced the Porsche press office, since this one is left-hand-drive, but otherwise it doesn't look too bad, I think.

We love the passion enthusiasts have for it and the number of ‘spotted’ posts that appear whenever it’s out and about. Even within Porsche, we all date ourselves by which generation of ‘HUL’ we had as a poster on our bedroom wall as kids. It’s a tradition and significance we don’t take lightly, we always spend more time on the spec of ‘911 HUL’ than anything else on the fleet!

- Porsche GB PR

For enthusiasts, 911 HUL isn't just a custom plate, it represents a car that has consistently surprised them with each new generation. It's as much of an icon as the 911 itself, and spotting, driving, or even looking at its pictures in print, online, or videos on YouTube is a little event in itself, one to cherish for the rest of your life.

Special thanks to Dan Furr (Editor, 911 & Porsche World) and Rob Durrant (Ex-PR at Porsche GB). The scale model was purchased from Exclusive Porsche Models, it's made by Spark but it's not quite their best effort.