WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Supplied

“What’s your favourite car?” It’s a question some folks battle to answer. There are so many great cars, in so many different categories… It can be a bit paralysing.

I remain confi dently limber. My top three may vary a little, but the number-one spot is a constant. Currently, Volvo’s brilliant little electric EX30 is at three; Toyota’s new bulletproof-meets-luxe Land Cruiser Prado is at two; and at one, as it has always been, is the Porsche 911. It’s my Best Car In The World.

The 911 can be an everyday driver in which you pop out to the shop – and when that beautifully machined alloy dial on the steering is turned a few clicks clockwise, it can transform into an out-and-out performance coupé. And then there’s the sublime yet still reassuringly predictable handling… And the famed Porsche build quality that is, quite literally, the definition of German engineering… And, of course, that iconic silhouette. It may have stretched, widened and hunkered down over the generations, but the very first 1964 iteration remains a key strand in the 911 DNA.

So that’s the history lesson. Now, let’s turn to the 911 you see on these pages. There are two things to note:

The “T” is for…

The uninitiated may guess “turbo”, but the “T” in Porsche’s storied nomenclature stands for “Touring”, and can be traced back to 1968, when the first Porsche 911 T was launched. It was positioned as the lower-priced, lower-specced and lower-performance entry point into the world of 911 ownership – and in some aspects, things haven’t really changed. But that’s a good thing. It continues to sport the least-powerful engine in the range (a still-punchy 290kW), but it offers two counterpoints to make it a particularly compelling proposition. One: it’s 40kg lighter than the standard 911 Carrera, thanks to lightweight windows and reduced insulation. Two (and this is the really good bit): it comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Essentially, then, with its agile handling, emotive sound, rear-wheel drive and satisfyingly analogue gearbox, this is the modern 911 – for the purist.

The standard Carrera’s 8-speed auto transmission may whip through the gears more rapidly, but there’s something enormously satisfying in the manual change in the T variant, especially when the engine is operating at peak revs. It’s about control over power – a spark that flickers down your own strand of DNA, connecting you back to an ancestor who controlled the reigns of a galloping horse. My guy was probably late for work at the smithy.

It joins all the other sensory inputs flooding your brain with pleasure: the raspy exhaust note from the 3.0-litre 6-cylinder twin-turbo boxer engine; the beautifully weighted steering wheel transferring the road surface through your hands; the adaptive sports suspension that keeps the car planted and tracking through corners, with the tyres’ traction limits clearly communicated through the seat of your pants. And through the muscles in your neck, as the 911 leaps forward from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds.

Purist signaling

Many visual features distinguish the Carrera T from other models in the 911 range, not least of them the stickers with the shift pattern logo on each of the triangular rear windows, which tell the world there’s actual manual shift ing going on inside. It also gets an aerodynamically optimised spoiler lip taken from the 911 Carrera GTS; and the inlays on the rear lid grille, the upper and lower trim of the exterior mirrors and the machine-polished light alloy wheels are painted in matching Vanadium Grey Metallic.

If you want to personalise your 911, there are Carrera T design packages for the exterior and the interior. As worn by this 911 Carrera T, you get contrasting Porsche Gentian Blue inlays in the rear lid, and matching coloured Carrera T decals on the front and rear lids and doors. Inside, the standard purist black interior also gets the Gentian Blue treatment with contrast stitching throughout the cabin.

So yes, for me, it’s the best car in the world. And if you appreciate design and engineering in its purist form, then this 911 T – the essence of the contemporary 911 – is the one for you. | porsche.com

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Nelson Makamo’s latest artwork might just be his most unique piece to date. “My Life in Motion” is a one-off customised Porsche 911 featuring the artist’s signature accents.

World-renowned visual artist Nelson Makamo’s latest art installation – “My Life in Motion” – is literally a moving canvas. The customised Porsche 911 is an eye-catching, Jet Black Metallic Porsche 911 Carrera Coupé, featuring the artist’s signature accents, which include a hand-painted rear bumper panel, as well as side mirror covers, seatbacks and interior trim panels.

Nelson painstakingly created the individual elements for his latest art installation by hand-painting selected parts of the car at his studio in the heart of Johannesburg. These parts were taken back to Porsche Centre Johannesburg to be lacquer coated and assembled, ready for the private unveiling.

This project encouraged Nelson to reflect on his personal journey, recalling the various individuals that had an impact on his life. Doing so, he was able to portray his belief in community through the depictions painted on the vehicle. This community has no race, age, gender or geographical origin, representing an international collective of individuals. “What better way to summarise my journey through life than by putting it in a form of collectives. We are at a point in time in the world where we are slowly moving into one culture because we care about each other as people more than anything. I want you to see yourself on the car” Nelson says looking at the rear bumper panel featuring a large crowd of people. “This 911 is meant to inspire anyone to believe that they can succeed through their passion”.

The left side door panel insert subtly bears the inscription “Mma”, purposely only visible when the door of the 911 is open. These three letters mean “Mother” in Nelson’s home language of Sepedi and are a dedication to his mother, the first artwork on which he has ever mentioned her. With this subtle, yet deeply meaningful acknowledgement, Nelson pays tribute to his Mother who supported him throughout his life, inspiring him to believe that success through art is possible, despite many challenges.

From building wire toy cars as a child, to owning a customised Porsche 911, Nelson is humbled by his success. “I always knew I was going to own a Porsche, I just never knew that my relationship with the brand would start this way – and it’s only the beginning.” The project took weeks to complete, and Nelson declared that he enjoyed every moment. There was no brief – it was entirely Nelson’s story to tell; the story of a young man who chose to believe that he can succeed.

Toby Venter, CEO of Porsche South Africa, says the project has provided great motivation: “Working with Nelson has been inspirational and this commission is on a level we’ve never seen before. This is a truly bespoke art installation worthy of any gallery. In addition, it illustrates the lengths Porsche South Africa will go to; the creativity and flexibility of our team to accommodate a request as personal as this. Porsche customers already have a virtually endless array of options available through Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to make their car completely individual, but then, when a unique customer such as Nelson chooses to do something extraordinary, we are delighted to accommodate his wishes.”

Looking for more on local art? Take a look at the work of Georgina Gratrix and Chris Soal’s collaboration with Lady Dior.

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Businessman and Porsche fanatic Gavin Rooke has partnered with Culinary Equipment Company managing director Stefan Gutstadt to establish a dynamic showroom where great coffee is served.

Gavin Rooke is a lover of hot coffee, great design and classic Porsche roadsters – not necessarily in that order – which is what prompted him to house his design company, Dutchmann, his passion project, Porsche Weekend Racer Series, and a purveyor of fine coffee, Coffee Lab, under one expansive roof. We chatted to him to find out more.

Your new showroom is all about classic cars and hot coffee, with some great design thrown in…

My company Dutchmann has been producing a range of design pieces since 2012. Since the majority of our products are exported, our focus has been on building a strong online presence and community. As the business grew I felt it was time to show our products in a single physical showroom and commenced the search for a space that would also serve as our design office.

I identified a suitable space inside the Culinary Equipment Company’s coffee roastery and got talking to Stefan Gutstadt, who runs the roastery. We decided to collaborate – with them focusing on serving high-end coffee and us focusing on design objects and cars.

Where does the concept of the Porsche Weekend Racer Series come from?

Our core focus is on merging contemporary design with iconic objects. In the late 1960s, as Porsche launched its now iconic 911 model, the factory supplied Rally Kits, which included a range of high-performance optional extras to private owners. These privateer rally enthusiasts would compete on the track on the weekend while still using their vehicles for daily commuting. This notion led us to develop a contemporary Porsche Weekend Racer Series, now comprising a wide range of classic Porsches that deliver safe, reliable, high-performance motoring.

How do form and function come together in this space?

The space is an active coffee roastery and serves as the office from which we produce all our commercial design work. It is effectively a working space into which we have integrated a design gallery that is open to the public. The coffee was there first. Usually coffee bars are added to spaces and showrooms as an afterthought, whereas this is a true industrial working space.

What was your approach to the design and layout?

Our primary objective was to retain the functional nature of the warehouse space, but add a welcoming, lounge-type feel that would make people want to linger while drinking coffee and perusing design objects.

The first step was to consider the working areas and ensure that we could be productive in the space. Then we focused on how to make the space welcoming yet unique and interesting. The cars are integral and serve as the central focus point, but we purposely included a select range of functional items, including coffee machines, surf-boards and a small clothing range. Without restraint a space can become eclectic, so we’re happy with the end result.

It’s also a relatively dynamic space where we launch new car models and host coffee tastings and design talks. It serves as our office and a commercial coffee roastery during the week, and then opens to the public on the weekends to serve as a showroom and coffee bar.

We use the showroom to launch all our new cars, and will continually add to our selection of design objects. We will shortly launch a series of coffee tastings and barista workshops by Coffee Lab, and to this will add breakfast drive events managed by existing automotive communities.

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The team drew inspiration from as far as Chile, as wide as houses made of baked sugar and as close as Sumien’s garden this week. Debbie and Anton elevated the status of their submissions to art, and Cat got in touch with her inner Hell’s Angel. Here are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 21?

1. www.loscarpinteros.net
2. liviamarin.com
3. www.judah.co.uk
4. www.assouline.com
5. www.williamlamson.com

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 21 on picks of the week 259.

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Due to open next month, the store will stock a portfolio of products that bear the Porsche stamp of classic luxury and stark modernity. From watches and sunglasses to luggage, writing instruments, leather goods, electronics, a sports line and men’s and women’s fashion lines, it’s sure to become a pit stop for racy gifts.

With over 111 Porsche Design stores worldwide, the flagship South African store will be no different to its international counterparts, with each element designed and manufactured in Europe and flown here for installation.

The Porsche Design store opens in October at the Hyde Park Corner in Johannesburg.

More information: www.porsche-design.com

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