EVENT

For some, there are no ifs and or buts about it – Luftgekühlt (German for air-cooled) is the boundary that defines the “genuine” Porsches. But it’s also one of the most iconic events for fans of the brand, which came to Poland a week ago. A really thorough representation showed up at Świebodzki Station in Wrocław.

But let’s start from the beginning, shall we? Over a decade ago, Patrick Long, a two-time Le Mans winner, together with Howie Idelson were looking for the perfect motoring event. Today, one might think it a daunting task, after all, the season filled to the brim. At the time, it turned out not to be easy either, but for a slightly different reason, because… they found nothing special. Think how high the bar must have been set. This is how Luftgekühlt was born in California in 2014.

Patrick and Howie

The organizers always choose unusual and interesting locations, creating added value not only for visitors, but also for photographers. Suffice it to say that one of the previous editions was held in the town of Universal Pictures! Only a few people do remember that Wroclaw was not the first European edition of Luft. In 2018, the gentlemen held rallies in Munich and Bicester Heritage near Oxford. However, this does not change the fact that we can be proud of the capital of Lower Silesia receiving such a recognition.

Such a scale of the event required an appropriate setting. That’s why, together with a few Porscheblog friends, we met at 9 o’clock in front of the Porsche Centrum Warsaw Okecie to set off south in a column of 15 cars. A quick coffee, a few tire kicks and off we went. It was a star-studded cast, indeed, as we had every generation of air-cooled 11s, as well as the most famous (and fastest) 356 in Poland. Such a collection attracted attention. All the attention, even from foreign media. No wonder, though.

VENUE and cars

Świebodzki Station was opened in 1843, and although definitely past its prime, from the outside it still pleases the eye and fits in well with the classicist architecture of Wroclaw. And inside? Not so long ago, no one would leave their Matiz parker there at night, let alone a priceless 917. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Porsche Polska team, Porsche Centrum Wrocław and Mateusz Klawiter and his agency team, the historic space has been thoroughly refreshed and ready to welcome 200 air-cooled machines. As soon as the whole gang arrived at the venue, we found a truly surreal sight. The winner of the 1000-kilometer race at the Nürburgring in 1970 Porsche 908/30 Spyder, an extreme 917/10, a 911 SC Safari wonderfully eaten by the tooth of time and rallying, a Carrera 2.7 RS or a 959 together with 959S! Absolutely unique machines were standing along the buildings and under the roof of what once served as the platform of the Prussian train station. Unfortunately, some of the cars stood against a background of metal mesh covered with Luftpol banners, which looked a bit like a developer’s construction site and departed from the standard of the whole thing. But this is just a drop of bitterness in a cup brimful of wonderful sights.

In addition to the cars, there was a tastefull (sic!) food court in the main building of the station, a fancy store from Luftgekühlt, and a booth of Lodz-based custom 911 specialists Carbone Liveries. Walking along the north wall, we passed a couple of 356s, an F in beautiful Bahama Yellow, and a Singer stand. Just behind it stood a perfectly ordinary white G model, and next to it there were two metal buckets filled with abrasive sponges. A 10-year-old grabbed one sponge and started scratching the car with it. He was joined by two more boys, and the paint quickly started disapprearing from the surface of the car. But nothing bad happened. There was a board with an inscription saying “scratch me” that showed us it was an unusual project, and at the same the scratch-off was a great entertainment for the younger (and older) participants. What kind of project, you may ask? Well, we already know more, but we can’t reveal it yet.

all about people

And, as is usually the case, all these unique cars and attractions, while undoubtedly wonderful, would not have stayed in our memories for so long if it were not for the people. There were lots of friends from all over Poland and abroad, including special guests like Brock Keen (aka 996roadtrip) and Jeff Zwart, currently the event’s creative director, but also an award-winning Porsche driver and author of the brand’s legendary commercials. You’re familiar with “Kills Bugs Fast,” right? Well, exactly. Jokes, reminiscences, conversations about cars and things completely unrelated to them. The most persistent ones sat up until the early morning. Thanks to such a community of people such events are simply priceless.

Another opportunity to meet up will be soon. Luftgekühlt will return to Europe in September and this time it will come to Copenhagen. The Danish organizers are planning something special, and we will try to report on it for you! Before that, one more stop awaits us there – Petro Surf, which connects two islands and thus two countries. The representation from Poland is already gearing up. See you there!

Source: RENNCODE

Translation: Luiza Jakubowska