To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Porsche Design, the product design arm of the German car manufacturer, the road car division Porsche AG has released two special cars to mark the milestone: a limited-edition Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design and a historical 911 S 2.4 Targa from Porsche Design’s founding year, restored by Porsche Classic.
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Founded by Professor Ferdinand Alexander and Hans-Peter Porsche – the grandsons of Porsche AG founder Ferdinand Porsche – in 1972, Porsche Design served to extend the Porsche brand into the lifestyle realm, producing high-end watches, sunglasses, fragrances, luggage, and other luxury goods. The inaugural product released by Porsche Design was the Chronograph 1 created by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who also designed the original 911 alongside Erwin Komenda. Both the limited-edition Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design and the restored 911 S 2.4 Targa draw from the colour scheme of the Chronograph 1, taking shape largely in black with accents of platinum. Alongside the automotive releases, the seminal watch is also having its moment, with the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition released in a run of 500.
Available in a limited run of 750 examples, the Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design takes on F.A. Porsche’s favourite colour of black, coming in the standard hue or an optional jet black metallic shade. “Black was the colour of the very first Porsche Design product, the Chronograph I,” said Roland Heiler, managing director and chief designer at Design Studio F.A. Porsche. “That’s why we’ve chosen it for our limited-edition model. Using Platinum as an accent colour elevates the Black paintwork in the same way chrome details used to.” The Targa bar is painted in platinum with a satin finish, as is the decorative film spelling out ‘Porsche Design’ on the doors. The limited-edition model has the same wheels as the 911 Turbo S, with 20” at the front and 21” at the rear. Other highlights include brake callipers finished in high-gloss black, matte black rear ‘911’ badging, and an exclusive commemorative badge on the rear grille.
Step inside and you’ll find seats trimmed in Sport-Tex fabric with black leather details and slate grey seams, while the seats themselves feature a striking retro checked pattern in black and cool grey, and headrests are embossed with the ‘Porsche Design 50th Anniversary’ logo. Opting for the Sport Chrono Package will score you a Porsche Design Subsecond clock on the dashboard, which featured the small seconds hand in red, mimicking its wristwatch brother, the Chronograph 1 from 1972. On the dashboard, you’ll also find a silver badge declaring which one of the 750 limited-edition cars you’re driving.
Accompanying the 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design is the relaunched Chronograph 1, with buyers of the limited-edition car given the option to purchase the matching timepiece. The edition number of each watch is engraved on the back of the case, inextricably linking the watch and car. Naturally, this means the watch is also limited to 750 pieces. The new Chronograph 1 remains faithful to the original, featuring the seam bilingual date display and red second hand. Contemporary changes place it in line with the car it’s linked to, utilising the current Porsche Design logo, a tachymeter scale, a pointed minute hand for increased legibility, and a case and strap crafted from titanium. A sapphire glass caseback reveals the winding automatic movement, with the design based on the wheels of the limited-edition car and painted in platinum.
In addition to the limited-edition release, Porsche Classic has restored a 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972. “The vision was to produce a historical counterpart to the new 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design,” explained Ulrike Lutz, head of Porsche Classic. “With the aid of the new Sonderwunsch (special wishes) programme, we were able to implement the idea of a unique pair of vehicles. The job of the designers and works restorers was to carefully transfer the specifications of the new car to the classic.”
The based vehicle was in shabby condition and missing a few parts, with Porsche Classic completely overhauling the car, upgrading the engine and chassis to the specs of the S version. A tribute to F.A. Porsche, the unique vehicle also takes on the same colours as the Chronograph 1 watch he designed in 1972, with the majority of the interior and exterior blacked out. Accents include side stripes in a platinum finish and Porsche Design decal on the flanks. The Targa roll bar is also lasered in a platinum satin finish, while the Targa lettering is in matte black. As with the special edition model, the grille on the rear engine cover features a ‘Porsche Design 50th Anniversary’ badge with a reproduction of F.A. Porsche’s signature.
Words by John Deckard
