The Porsche 911 was introduced back in 1964 already, and the general shape we saw almost 60 years ago has been fine-tuned over the decades into several different generations, but today the Porsche 911 is still a highly regarded supercar among enthusiasts, and while there have been several celebration models already, Porsche AG just unveiled a special edition, limited to just 750 units, all individually numbered, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Porsche Design.
The golden jubilee of Porsche Design is being celebrated by the brand new, 2022 Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design and a historical Porsche 911 S 2.4 Targa originally built in 1972, the same year Porsche Design was inaugurated, the latter classic just came finished a two-year restoration by Porsche Classic.
Both cars look amazing side by side, mainly because they are both Targa models, but they also share a similar black-on-black color scheme that was inspired by the legendary Chronograph I designed by none other than Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche himself in 1972, as a further homage, Porsche Design also presents the Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition during a special exhibition at the Porsche Museum from January 19, 2022, only 500 units of this watch will be produced, available at $7,700.
“When you rethink the function of something, the form sometimes emerges as if by itself” was how F.A. Porsche described what still drives the engineers and designers at Porsche Design today, since the founding of Porsche Design in 1972 together with Hans-Peter, Porsche Design became an internationally renowned premium lifestyle brand, known for functional and durable products with a purist aesthetic.
The 2022 Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design will only be available in 750 units and comes with a plethora of bespoke features taking inspiration from some of the more iconic designs from F.A. Porsche himself. Apart from the fully black bodywork, the interior is finished in the classic checked Sport-Tex seat center panels while the standard fitted Sport Chrono Package shows a red second hand on the Porsche Design Subsecond clock.
This limited edition version for 2022 is based on the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS and is already available for ordering, with an MSRP in Europe of €185,606 with deliveries foreseen for April, for US customers this anniversary model is listed at $195,850 excluding $1,350 for delivery, processing, and handling, US customers will have to wait until the spring of 2022, do note that there is a second version of the Chronograph 1, this one is called the 911 50 Years of Porsche Design and is limited to 750 units, and it comes with the same serial number as the actual car it joins.
A few more details on the outside of this 911 50Y Porsche Design, the wheels are finished in Satin Platinum, these are 20/21 inch center lock Turbo S wheels, the same Satin Platinum is applied to the Targa bar and the bespoke Porsche Design stripe on the lower part of the doors, while the brake calipers come in glossy black, naturally there is a special “50 Years Porsche Design” badge on the engine cover.
And the bespoke details continue on the interior, like a silver badge on the dashboard showcasing the individual serial number out of 750 units for that specific car so you know you are seated in a special, limited-edition Porsche if by any chance you might have missed that badge, there is also the signature of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, founder of Porsche Design and son of Ferry Porsche while the headrests are embossed with the 50 Years Porsche Design logo on the 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus with seat belts in Slate Grey.
The engine for this celebration model is the 3-Liter flat-six, twin-turbo engine delivering 473 hp with a maximum torque of 420 lb-ft, all-wheel drive, and the 8-speed PDK, or Porsche Doppelkupplung, while the 7-speed manual gearbox is available as a no-charge option, and just so you can enjoy that amazing symphony with the top removed, this car comes with the Sport Exhaust fitted.
To really have a throwback to 1972, the Porsche Classic department has been working on an amazing project for the last two years, a 911 S 2.4 Targa signed by F.A. Porsche. “The vision was to produce a historical counterpart to the new 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design,” explains 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.”
As a tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, this classic was restored in the same colors found on the legendary Chronograph I watch that he designed in 1972, with black dominating both the exterior and interior, the side stripes are also done in Platinum satin and the integrated Porsche Design lettering highlight the connection to the 2022 version, which is emphasized with the Targa roll bar being lasered in a Platinum satin finish instead of the original brushed stainless steel. Matt black Targa logo on this roll bar and the ‘Porsche Design 50th Anniversary’ badge with a reproduction of F.A. Porsche’s signature on the engine cover make this car a milestone for sure.
