While almost every car brand has its loyal hordes of groupies, no other manufacturer has loyalty quite like the band of Porsche brothers and sisters. For as long as models like the 356 and 911 have been around, with the latter now being in production for over 60 years, there has always been gatherings of like-minded enthusiasts meeting up to talk all things air-cooled engines and duck tails at local parking lots and national parks all over the world, with Los Angeles arguably representing the epicentre of Porsche appreciation.
Fast forward to 2014, and two-time Le Mans winner Patrick Long and famed creative director Howie Idelson squeezed a gathering of like-minded Porscheholics into a cramped parking lot at Deus Ex Machina in the Venice area of California. It was something far more than a new bi-annual car meet or an opportunity to nerd-out over vintage Porsches, but a chance to celebrate the design, beauty and power of Stuttgart’s finest. In the ten years that followed, Luftgekühlt would travel all over the world, branching out from its humble beginnings in Los Angeles to Indianapolis, San Francisco, then over to Great Britain, Germany, Poland, and Denmark, before bringing it back to its homeland for Luft10.
And what a return it was. The backlot of Universal Studios, the iconic homeground of the event since Luft6, was completely reimagined for this anniversary celebration, working as the perfect backdrop to allow the plethora of PTS Porsches to take centre stage. The positioning of every single car in attendance had been meticulously thought-out, allowing attendees to marvel at each model in as much detail as they desired, while making for some simply breath-taking photograph opportunities, something which our shooter Nikos Karampotis took full advantage of!
Of all the incredible models at Luft10, spanning Pre-A 356s to the 993 series, there are always one or two that have you stopping and staring just that little bit longer. Parked gracefully under the old-school cinema foyer was a 550 Spyder, a car that simply oozes cool with its curvaceous body lines and low-profile windscreen. Everywhere you looked, Porsches littered the pastel-shaded movie sets and archways, with a bonkers 962-112 dressed in the Victor Computers livery, a hero of Group C and a car that brought in onlookers throughout the day.
So, where does Luftgekühlt go from here? The truth is, anywhere they fancy. The world is truly Luft Creative Director Jeff Zwart’s oyster, as the love of air-cooled Porsches is showing no sign of slowing anytime soon. Luft is more than just an event; it’s a true Porsche phenomenon. Considering the meteoric rise Luft has experienced in the 10 years since it started, we are intrigued to see where the team’s hunt for significant and intriguing cars takes them over the next decade and beyond!
Photos by Nikos Karampotis
