Friday, April 6, 2012

FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE 1935-2012

On the death of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche yesterday, the grandson of the founder of Porsche: In 1959, he designed the Porsche 911. 53 years later, its basic design remains unchanged. On the street today, it's the same beauty it was when it was left the factory five decades ago.

Through the lens of designing, what a thought: a car created 53 years ago [steam engine locomotives still roamed], remains perfect on the street today. Is there a Mercedes, BMW or Cadillac that can say the same thing?   [a hint below]. The 911 is like fine architecture: a great building ahead of its design times that stands for decades, but never looks old or even like a timepiece.

The designer who creates timeless. Did he know back then?

Imagine what cars looked like then, and what they look like now. Imagine other objects and goods of today: phones....televisions.....furniture.....kitchen equipment [and kitchen gadgets!]. Imagine the computer you're reading this on right now. What are the odds that the design of your computer today will be unchanged in 2065?

“A product that is coherent in form requires no embellishment," said Porsche. And so it was with his legacy the 911.



1959 Cadillacs. Introduced the same year the Porsche 911 was designed. 


1 comment:

  1. There's a Chevy that qualifies as equally timeless: Corvette. Its shape, maintained since 1963, is actually even more venerable than the 911's.

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