Porsche continues to ramp up its credibility as a brand with impeccable connections to the worlds of art and design, inviting collaborations and partnerships as well as stewarding its own rich past. Artifacts is part of that process, a new book created from the company’s Historic Archive in Zuffenhausen.
The Porsche archive is unsurprisingly comprehensive and includes plenty of things you would expect – styling models, sketches, engineering drawings – as well as great swathes of more esoteric ephemera from across the company’s 75-year history of producing cars.
Delve into Porsche history
Some of this is on display in the Porsche Museum – much more is squirrelled away and ripe for discovery. Overseen by ERG Media, which is also responsible for Porsche’s Type 7 Instagram page, Artifacts is presented as if it were an archaeological dig into industrial history.
With a nod to Porsche’s very first model, the book is 356 pages long, with photography throughout by Thomas Walk of ERG Media. Rather than simply scan or catalogue the collection, Walk and his team have opted for a moodier, more atmospheric approach, using strong lighting and fetishistic close-ups of items, whether they’re parts, prototypes or even tools used to shape the early cars.
The photography is accompanied by a separate pull-out index that gives detail and context about each object, written by Type 7 editor Nat Twiss. The whole monograph is also lavishly presented in a package designed in collaboration with Andy Cruz of House Industries. The hardback book itself is sealed into a reproduction ‘archive box’, which is in turn wrapped in a faux design blueprint.
Patina and heritage are an integral component of a car-maker’s story, and in this age of new brands and new names, the experienced players are making the most of their past riches. Artifacts is a fitting historic chronicle of a company that has always kept a weather eye on the past.
Artifacts, available from ERG.media Porsche.com and select Porsche global centres
Type 7 Magazine, House Industries
-
Design beyond humans: a new exhibition argues that the world doesn’t revolve around us‘More Than Human’ at London's Design Museum (until 5 October 2025) asks what happens when design focuses on the perspectives and needs of other species, from bees to seaweed
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album coverThe compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for danceJacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
This Porsche surfboard collaboration captures the spirit of 1970s Southern CaliforniaThe Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is the inspiration for the company’s second collaboration with California’s Almond Surfboards, featuring a custom-made board and limited-edition apparel and accessories
-
‘Wundercar’ celebrates the ineffable aura of the Porsche 959, the first true hypercarCurated by London creatives INK, ‘Wundercar’ is a London exhibition dedicated to the image and influence of Porsche’s seminal 959, a true icon of 1980s engineering
-
The Porsche 911 Spirit 70 harks back to the aesthetic and ethos of the 1970sAs part of Porsche’s Heritage Design strategy, the company has launched a new special edition, the Porsche 911 Spirit 70 convertible
-
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch's Porsche photography showcases the aesthetics of speedTaschen's new edition of Rainer W. Schlegelmilch’s collected imagery from a quarter of a century spent following Porsche racing highlights historical machines, emotive camera technique and major moments on the track
-
Michael Mauer on two decades at the helm of Porsche’s designPorsche’s signature style has diversified in recent years, thanks to the design leadership of Michael Mauer. We caught up with him to reflect on his 20 years in the hot seat
-
Team Ikuzawa brings the art of Daniel Arsham to motorsportCreative director Mai Ikuzawa has overseen a new capsule clothing collection, a collaboration with artist Daniel Arsham that also honours her racing driver father Tetsu Ikuzawa
-
We sample the latest sports car from bespoke British manufacturer Theon DesignWith the GBR002, Theon Design have transformed a classic Porsche into a low-key bespoke supercar, uprating and enhancing the iconic 964 model to exacting customer specifications
-
New-generation car camping and roof tents for luxury-loving adventurersCar camping is having a moment. While Hyundai and Porsche can get you kitted up, we explore other options
