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Porsche Design Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Throwback Timepiece and 911

Porsche Design is celebrating its 50th birthday this year, and the German company has prepared two cars, a watch, and a lifestyle collection to mark the occasion. All the celebratory products are united by a color scheme, which is a nod to a design by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972.
Special edition of the Porsche 911 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Porsche Design 39 photos
Photo: Porsche
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While Porsche was already making the 911, the year 1972 led to the creation of the first black chronograph in history. It was also the first product designed by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche outside of vehicles.

The company decided to celebrate its 50th birthday in style, so they prepared several products to mark the golden jubilee of the launch of Porsche Design. The Porsche Museum will celebrate with a special celebration that opens on January 19, 2022.

Therefore, Porsche will offer a limited run of just 500 units of the Chronograph 1 in the 1972 Limited edition, which is a reissue of the 1972 original, but with the latest technology. It will retain the typography of the 1972 version, as will the baton hands, while the materials used will be new, so titanium will replace stainless steel.

The second-anniversary timepiece offered by Porsche Design is the Chronograph 1 – 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design. The latter is only available to customers who buy one of the 750 limited models of the 911 Porsche Design 50th Anniversary Edition, which will also be a limited series.

Just like the original, it will come with a bilingual date display and a red stopwatch second hand, but several details are meant to mimic the vehicle it accompanies. For example, the winding rotor that is a part of the automatic movement has a design that mimics the 911 Turbo S wheels of the limited-edition sports car, and that is just one element in the big picture.

Porsche Design will continue its celebration with fashion, sportswear, and lifestyle accessories. All the items offered focus on heritage while also providing technical innovations, such as real carbon inserts in the midsole of a Porsche Design 50Y RCT PWRPLATE anniversary sneaker. Just 911 pairs will l be made, and the technology has been developed by Puma.

Porsche celebrates 50 years of Porsche Design
Photo: Porsche
Three models of sunglasses are offered, and one of them is limited to 911 pairs, while the other two are limited to 1,972 pairs. The most exclusive of the eyewear products described above is the Porsche Design P'8950 50Y Iconic 3D, which is a long name and is also a homage to the Shield model.

Now, about the cars. The limited edition of the 911 that celebrates 50 years of Porsche Design will come with an all-black exterior, as well as Sport-Tex seat center panels and other nods to past designs made by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Sport Chrono Package, which is standard, has its second hand in Red.

The special edition of the 911 is based on the Targa 4 GTS, and it is available to order starting today. Since just 750 units will be built, it would be wise to hurry if it is something that you like and can afford.

The first units will reach European dealers in April. Be sure to order the matching timepiece, which is only available to the owners of this version of the 911 but does not come with the vehicle.

Collectors should take note of this, as the anniversary models offered for sale in a couple of years might not come with the corresponding timepiece, but that would only happen if the matching chronograph was ordered with the vehicle or after delivery, but it is not mandatory with the purchase.

As you may have noticed, Porsche has also revealed another 911 with the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Design division. This time, it is a classic model, a 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972, the year that Porsche Design was founded. This example has been restored after two years of work, and the goal behind the restoration was the creation of a historical counterpart of the new 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design.

Porsche celebrates 50 years of Porsche Design
Photo: Porsche
You may consider it a factory restomod if you will. Since the base of the project was in poor condition and lacked various components, the team of restorers went ahead and modified it. The engine was upgraded to the top-of-the-line specification of the day, including a mechanical fuel injection system. Black dominates the exterior and the interior, and the flanks are adorned with the Porsche Design lettering in a Platinum satin finish.

Even the Targa roll bar has been finished in Platinum satin with the use of a laser, while the "targa" lettering is in matte black. The engine cover has a special Porsche Design 50th Anniversary badge on it, which has a reproduction of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche's signature.

Porsche Design was founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972, and his motto for the company was as follows: "Good design must be honest." The company focuses on following that philosophy in the 21st century by using authentic materials and designing functional and durable products that have a purist aesthetic. The design office has locations in Berlin, Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Zell am See.

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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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