If you were in the United Kingdom last weekend, you might have noticed a curious lack of Porsches on your local streets, and that’s because Sunday saw the sixth instalment of Megaphonics welcome thousands of Porsche’s finest creations to the incredible locale of Boxengasse in Bicester. Striking a balance between English countryside estate and world-class event space, Frank Cassidy — the event’s founder and front-man — proved there was no better place to be for fans of Stuttgart’s finest.
The English weather was certainly on our side with the sun beaming down as we strolled up Boxengasse’s tree-lined driveway, passed every few seconds by the flat-six burble of a four-wheeled guest. In fact, the turnout was almost too much to comprehend: every generation of 911 in seemingly every colour from Porsche’s paint-to-sample catalogue flooded the grounds along the banks of Boxengasse’s tranquil lake. Whether you’re into period-correct originality or outlaw builds with a healthy helping of patina, there was something for everyone, and we haven’t even mentioned the plethora of carefully curated star cars on display.
Upon entry, we were immediately greeted by an acid yellow RUF SCR, complete with a chocolate Alcantara interior, but four green goddesses soon drew our eye away from the radioactive RUF. A British Racing Green Metallic over tan 996 Turbo faced off against an immaculate 993 in the same colour, while a pair of Brewster Green 911s in the form of another 996 Turbo and an ever-so-appealing manual 997.2 Carrera GTS completed the quartet.
In celebration of the 911 Turbo’s 50th anniversary this year, Megaphonics proudly dedicated an entire courtyard to the model’s lineage, featuring everything from a 930 Turbo Martini — equipped an the amazing red, white, and blue interior — to an incredibly rare 1998 993 Turbo WLS II, of which fewer than 150 were ever made. Sitting at the front of the display was arguably our favourite livery of the day: the full-spectrum VSD-sponsored 1976 934 RSR, a three-time Le Mans veteran and a winner at Zolder and Spa in 1978.
While the brilliant sunshine was helping to show off the PTS catalogue on wheels in the best possible light, we were beginning to take on a hue closely resembling Rubystone Red, so we ducked inside one of the many impressive (and air-conditioned) showrooms to see what else was sheltering in the shade. One hall housed some breathtaking prototype racers, including a 1968 Porsche 908 Langheck draped in an amazing hand-painted livery, and its equally long-tailed descendant, the design prototype for the 917LH, separated by Jo Siffert’s ludicrously wide 1971 917/10 Can-Am racer.
Across the yard, an even larger space contained yet more air-cooled wonders, among them a pair of 550s and several 911 RSRs. However, the 1951 Pre A 356’s Radium Green Reutter coachwork and split windscreen stole the show for us with its beautifully simplistic lines. That is, until we spotted one of only three examples of the ‘Sanction Lost’ 356 Carrera Zagato Coupe ever built, which had to be one of the rarest cars on display, but still not the most obscure.
That title must go to the collection of 356-based oddities that were parked just outside, right by the largest assortment of 993 GT2s we’ve seen in recent memory. Our first double-take came courtesy of a pastel yellow 1958 Beutler 356A 1600 — a coachbuilt Swiss creation that looked nothing like the 356 from which it borrowed its running gear — parked opposite its slightly more conventional successor, a 1960 Beutler 356B Super 90 of which only seven were ever produced. Between the pair of Beutlers sat another true rarity, and one that arguably shouldn’t have been allowed entry to this Porsche-only event, a WD Denzel 1300 Super Sport. This bizarre little barchetta actually competed with Porsche’s creations in the 1950s, and similarly used Volkswagen blueprints as the foundation for its design.
All in all, Megaphonics truly blew us away with the sheer variety of cars on display. One would think that a Porsche-only event might become repetitive, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Between all the fabulous food and trade stalls vying for our attention — among which we spotted Paul Howse, whose artwork can be found in our very own CD Shop — and the endless array of rear-engined dream rides, the hours simply flew by at Megaphonics. What Frank Cassidy and his team have built at Boxengasse in just a few years is nothing short of breathtaking, and we certainly can't wait to return for the next edition to see what new wonders await at this Porsche paradise!
Photos by Tom Horna
