It was the dying months of 1979, the firm you work for selling advertising space has had its best year on record, spirits are high, and the expectations of a fresh new company car are even higher. Many of your tache-toting colleagues and executives opt for what is perhaps the sensible option, a variation of BMW’s E12 5-Series, or the six-cylinder offering from Mercedes-Benz. The thing is, whilst those cars are perfectly adequate ways to rack up the motorway miles and put one up over that newly opened agency down the road and their exec’s measly Opel Kadetts, the rumours that some higher-ups could get away with a two-door coupé became all too tempting. And so, for the turn of a new decade, one filled with the promise of cutting-edge technology, unrivalled ambition, fashion trends beyond the wildest of dreamers and music set to burst your Blaupunkt tweeters, the keys to your brand-new Porsche 924 land on your desk, and a new world of opportunity awaits…
That’s one way of looking at it, anyway, But for photographer Tomek Sarna, he wanted to bring the magic of this unmistakably stylish era back to 2024 and celebrate a more than worthy cause at the same time. Purchasing this wonderfully kept 1980 Porsche 924 in January of this year, Tomek knew it was the ideal subject to get creative on some period-correct shoots, most of which usually involve him behind the camera lens and a priceless classic in front. Having never grown a moustache before, this November became the perfect month to bring the car, a carefully curated outfit and a freshly trimmed ribbon of facial hair all together for Movember, a charity dedicated to raising much-needed funds and awareness for men’s health.
Shot by Tomek’s friend Maciej Skrzyński, the photos look straight from the era, thanks to carefully chosen locations and backdrops to immerse the viewer into this beige-heavy era. The main inspiration came from hairstyles of the 1970s, in particular Robert Redford in the iconic film ‘All the President’s Men’ from 1976, released the very same year that Porsche first started delivering the 914 successors to their eager customers. The significant date continues, as Tomek chose the National Library in Warsaw, whose construction started in early 1977 and became the ideal backdrop for the shoot.
Tomek’s car may not be from 1976, but despite being a September 1980-registered model, it is powered by the early 2.0-litre engine, without the “S” and spoiler which so many were fitted with in period, ensuring the car remains true to how it rolled off Audi’s assembly line in Neckarsulm, Germany. It took Tomek almost a year to find the perfect car, his conditions were an example boasting an unusual colour and the best possible documentation. Thankfully, he struck gold in Brussels at the end of 2023 with this Petrol Blue over Brown and Beige example, which had been previously owned by a Belgian man living in Lubumbashi, Zaire (now DR Congo). He needed a car for seemingly very occasional visits back home, rocking up a mere 30,000 kilometres before it was sold to the second owner in 2000. Now showing just 66,000 kilometres on the odometer, Tomek has enjoyed the car on several trips across Europe this year alone, including Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Germany, all starting from Warsaw. In total, he’s already added nearly 10,000 kilometres since January, with no sign of that smile dwindling anytime soon! Perhaps he and the make-believe travelling salesman aren’t so different after all?
