What a different 60 years make…
The first ever Porsche was built in 1948 – a achingly beautiful mid-engined roadster.
The latest Porsche to appear is the 2010 918 Spyder concept – also a mid-engined roadster.
The first car is very obviously a Porsche – those sensual curves are what most people relate to the marque and can be seen in the 356s, 911s and Boxsters that have followed.
But does the 918 have Porsche design values? Paint it red and it could almost be a Ferrari. It certainly doesn’t have the purity of design of the 1948 car, but that’s because modern cars require numerous air intakes, aerodynamic aids and have to conform to various safety requirements.
Of course, not all Porsches have shared the DNA of that first car – think of the pretty 924, the muscular 944, the boxy 914 and the spacecraft-like 928. Maybe it’s time to see a fresh design direction from Porsche – it’s just a shame the company didn’t think that when they tried to make the original Cayenne have 911 styling hints…
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