An Air-Cooled Outlaw Re-Imagines Porsche's Past
Though Porsche is sparing no expense — and leaving no corner un-cut — breaking the hearts of their loyal fanbase, not everyone is willing to ride a diesel Panamera into the bleak lease-only future. Magnus Walker has come up with a unique aesthetic for the earliest Nine Elevens. He’s made an impression with a lot of people, he’s made more than a couple bucks doing it, and now he’s made a film.
This morning, the short film Urban Outlaw was released. It follows Magnus as he shows off his shop, discusses real estate, and drives a variety of stunning but definitely non-original cars around Los Angeles. Mr. Walker was a racer and instructor with the splinter-group Porsche Owner’s Club (definitely not to be confused with the Porsche Club of America, by the by) and has a variety of trophies to show for it. At one point in the film he demonstrates the proper way to handle a 90-degree turn in a slow-steering ratio car, too; the index hand (which is your left hand for a right turn and vice versa) stays locked on the wheel through the whole steering motion and the non-index hand stays close to the rim to provide leverage if needed. Nice job.
The movie is a pleasure to watch, although from the perspective of a middle-class Midwestern Porsche owner such as myself it’s all a bit twee, precious, and deliberately distressed-denim. I always find the business of wealthy people in California pretending to be poor people in California to be regrettable. Still, the machinery is gorgeous and there’s one genuinely heartbreaking moment; as Magnus spins a silver air-cooled 911 through his test loop, he states “Porsche is a brand that’s built on loyalty.” Isn’t it pretty to think so?
More by Jack Baruth
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I've owned an MG Midget, Fiat Spiders, and raced metric GM IMCA stock car type race cars for over 10 years. I just bought my first 911 this summer. It's an '86 Carrera Coupe. I've never had so much fun in a car in my life. The feel, sound, and performance of the car puts a smile on my face every time I sit inside. There's still enough of an old school feel with manual steering and the 915 gearbox, but I have the creature comforts I need with a power sunroof, power windows, and a 25mpg 6 cyilder with plenty of power. My only regret is not buying one sooner...
Say what you will, but sit behind the wheel of a RX-8, particularly the R3, and there is no doubt what the car is trying to be. Sit in the new 911 or Boxster and they feel more like a premium car with maybe a few sporty touches. Turn the key and these Porsches mostly ride like a premium car as well. There may be buttons to press to release the sports car within, but there are two problems with this approach. First, Porsche charges for those buttons (ie sport chrono or PASM). Shouldn't a sports car come standard with the options that make it what it is??? Second, even if the buttons came standard, if one pays Porsche money for one of their sports cars, I don't want to have to press a button to be reminded of what I paid so much money for. The old 911s did not suffer from any dual personality, they were sports cars, nothing else and that is a large part of their charm. A sports car should be unapologetically a sports car. If that isn't what you want, get another car. When you try to make a car that straddles the line between premium vehicle and sports car, something gets lost in the translation.
I don't get it. At all. Is he selling cars, or just showing off his collection by way of an ego driven film? He's an "Urban Outlaw" because he has tattoos and pooh dreads? His cars are way cool - good for him and his passion. Not sure why he has a blog/website/film/etc.
Absolutely awesome. Makes me want to believe. It's like a religion: Intellectually irrational but you know in your heart what you've got to do.