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Production Experience
Dare to dream and never give up.
Project Grey:
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The finished one-off based on a 24-year-old Porsche 911 (996) Carrera.
PUBLISHING DETAILS CHRISTOPHORUS Porsche Magazine
70th year, no. 402, 1 / 2022, ISSN 0412-3417. Price per issue in an annual subscription: €6; USA: $8.50. Christophorus is published in thirteen languages: German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. • Christophorus on the internet christophorus.porsche.com • Editor Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Germany, Public relations, press, sustainability, and politics: Dr. Sebastian Rudolph • Head of channels and publications, managing editor Sabine Schröder • Head of channels and media Daniela Gutfleisch • Christophorus editorial management Alexander Günzler • Editorial staff Dieter Gross, Karolina Mahrla, Sarah Pelters, Hermann-Josef Stappen • Distribution / Coordination Simone Kühner / Kathrin Breuning, Christina Hettich • Editorial office Delius Klasing Corporate Publishers (DKCP), Germany; Editors-in-chief: Thomas Ammann, Edwin Baaske; Head of content: Heike Hientzsch; Editor: Christina Rahmes; Project management: Stephanie Bremer, Marco Brinkmann, Laura Holstein; Image editing: Markus Bolsinger; Head of production: Dimitrios Kigmas • Graphics design hoch drei GmbH & Co. KG, Germany; Art direction: Wolfram Schäffer; Layout: Ioannis Karanasios, Mark Ch. Klein, Freya von Bülow • International editions Wieners+Wieners GmbH • Contact Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Christophorus, Porscheplatz 1, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany; Tel.: +49-711-911-25278; E-mail: christophorus@porsche.de • Advertisement marketing EV Media, Alsterufer 16, 20354 Hamburg, Germany; Advertising director: Armin Roth, Tel.: +49-40-6077193-11; E-mail: armin.roth@ev-media.com • Production and printing The Hennegan Company, An RRD Company, Florence, KY. All rights reserved. Reprint of articles or portions thereof only with permission of the publisher. We are not responsible for the return of any unsolicited photographs, slides, films, or manuscripts. • Subscriptions Christophorus can be obtained by calling 1-800-PORSCHE, Option 3. The subscription runs for at least a year and is also billed for this period. Please make payment only upon receipt of the bill.
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Handcrafted by Mercury Racing for the high-performance disciple craving unrelenting power on the water, the Mercury Racing 450R outboard engine makes the paramount performance statement. Boosted by an exclusive Mercury Racing supercharger, the 4.6-liter V-8 FourStroke powerhead delivers 450 peak horsepower. Run wide open, without compromise.
Quiet, Please – the Calm before the Storm
Clarity packed with emotion.
Barbora Strýcová: She celebrated her biggest successes in doubles. Leitmeritz presents her as Eve.
The tennis world’s female idols are happy to model for celebrity photographer Radka Leitmeritz, who poses in front of the camera herself exclusively for Christophorus.
By Jürgen SCHMIEDER Photos by Radka LEITMERITZ
Radka Leitmeritz is impossible to miss at the quaint beach cafe on the Pacific coast. Of course, she came straight here from tennis practice, wearing an 80s jacket with a greenish-yellow pattern and the word “Tennis” embroidered on it a thousand times, a silver necklace with tennis racket pendant, and a white cap with mint-green tennis ball print. Sporting this outfit, she could easily appear in one of those unforgettable movies that romanticize tennis such as Woody Allen’s Match Point. Leitmeritz likes the visual style of the 2005 melodramatic thriller.
“I grew up in a concrete block not too far from Prague,” says the 47-year-old. “For me, tennis was an unattainable sport. I had a romantic idea of what it was: people go to the club, wear beautiful vintage clothing, and drink lemonade on the terrace.” This world was far removed from her actual life in the Czech Republic. Leitmeritz went to Munich and worked as a photo assistant before moving on to Paris. As a trained photographer, she made the bold decision to try her luck in Los Angeles, where she has worked with stars such as Nicole Kidman.
It was also there that she discovered her passion for tennis. She took her first lesson just four years ago: “I was immediately hooked and wanted to learn everything about the sport.” What happened next is proof that pursuing your passion is often rewarded with success. “The editorial team of the Czech edition of ELLE magazine noticed that I was always posting tennis photos on social media, which ultimately led to a request to photograph Petra Kvitová.” The famous photo showing the
Court Supremes
The ongoing photo project of Porsche Central and Eastern Europe, Porsche AG, and Radka Leitmeritz (above) is an artistic homage to the powerful women of tennis. World-class female players such as Petra Kvitová and Martina Navratilova as well as Porsche brand ambassadors Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber, and Maria Sharapova have already posed for the camera. As winners of the Stuttgart Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, all five of them have also driven away from the competition in a Porsche 911 as a prize. The 2022 tournament will be held from April 16 to 24. The sports car manufacturer has supported women’s tennis since 1978 and has continuously expanded its activities on an international basis.
More images:
You can find more of the extraordinary photographer’s photos with captions at christophorus.porsche.com two-time Wimbledon champion on the steps of a dilapidated stand was captured during this 2018 shoot. Her back is turned toward the camera, and her clothes and body are covered in red sand. The tennis world had never seen anything like it. Players usually only appear in two types of photos: in action on the court and styled to the nines for fashion magazines. “Eventually that just gets boring,” says Leitmeritz, who has a different vision: “I want to capture the moments that no one else photographs.” There’s always a photo of the winner – but at a Grand Slam tournament, 127 other female players leave with a loss: “I want to reveal the world of tennis behind the scenes – the loser’s tears, her loneliness in her hotel room, moments in the locker room.”
The photo of Kvitová opened the door to this often inaccessible world for her – and as it turns out, there are many female players who are eager to experiment. They wear the clothing of sponsors on the court and that of designers during fashion shoots. “They’ve noticed that I’m more interested in exploring their different personalities,” says Leitmeritz. And that’s why you’ll find Bianca Andreescu in the shower, Barbora Strýcová as Eve with a tennis ball representing an apple, and Angelique Kerber in black and white in a seemingly endless corridor. The photographer manages to capture the essence of these individualists, while remaining true to her retro aesthetic.
Her photos blur the line between life and art. She appreciates scenes like the pantomime tennis game in the park at the end of the 1966 movie Blow Up. “I look for character – even at locations.” Abandoned venues, swimming pools, and tennis courts fascinate her. “You never know what happened there, so you can let your imagination run wild.”
Leitmeritz has actually given the sport that romantic quality she dreamed of as a child. And how does she view herself in this cosmos? As a Porsche fan, she agrees to conduct an experiment and photograph herself exclusively for Christophorus, which will be a challenge: “I don’t like to have my picture taken, but I wanted to see what it was like. Me in the tennis world.” ●
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Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo
9 Segments
World first: Available as special equipment for all 2022 Taycan models, the panoramic roof boasts an impressive innovation: all nine segments can be controlled individually thanks to an electrically switchable liquid-crystal film, with two shading variants ensuring even greater comfort.
Over 42 Cubic Feet
Plenty of room: The Taycan Sport Turismo shares the rearward-sloping roofline and the functional design of the Taycan Cross Turismo. The headroom in the rear is more than 45 millimeters greater than that in the Taycan sports saloon, and the load capacity under the large tailgate is over 42 cubic feet.
590 HP
Happy medium: The performance data of the models with the legendary GTS abbreviation fall between those of the Taycan 4S and the Turbo derivatives. They can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and have a top track speed of 155 mph.
Design History at the Porsche Museum
50 Years of Porsche Design – the anniversary is at the heart of the special exhibition of the same name at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Until July 10, 2022, visitors can explore the history of the company founded by Prof. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. And Porsche is commemorating the special occasion with two exclusive vehicles: a special edition of the Porsche 911 limited to 750 cars worldwide and a restored 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972. Available in the shop at porsche-design.com, the book titled Porsche Design: It’s about time documents the studio’s success story with spectacular images, and features commentary in both German and English.
My Porsche App
All of the services at a glance: the new My Porsche app combines the features of multiple apps – My Porsche Essentials, Connect, and Car Connect as well as Charging – to create a central interface. Further features and content from other apps, such as the Porsche Good to Know app, are already in development. My Porsche is compatible with vehicle models from 2016 and later. In combination with a smartphone, the versatile tool displays key vehicle parameters, serves as a remote control for selected functions, helps with charging processes and contacting dealers, and answers many questions in 25 languages.
Experience the Urban Side of Porsche
The first Porsche Studio in North America will soon be opening its doors in Portland, Oregon. With the urban sales format at prime locations, Porsche is improving its proximity to friends of the brand and reaching new target groups. In addition to tailored vehicle configuration, virtual reality applications, and Porsche Driver’s Selection, the program will also offer test-drives and in-person vehicle pickup. New brand touchpoints have been created with 17 Porsche Studios around the world and more than 20 temporary Porsche NOW sales pop-ups in 23 countries, including in Tainan, Taiwan; and in Hanoi, Vietnam (photo).
IT ’ S ABOUT TIME. BORN IN 1972. REDEFINED IN 2022.
The first Porsche Design product. The world’s first all-black watch. The first chronograph with Porsche DNA that meets the
expectations and quality requirements of Porsche. Designed in 1972 by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the designer of the
legendary Porsche 911 and founder of Porsche Design, and reissued in 2022 in celebration of the 50-year brand anniversary:
the Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition (500 pieces). Innovative technology. Iconic design.
CHRONOGRAPH 1 – 1972 LIMITED EDITION
porsche-design.com/50y
The Whaler
The 42-year-old loves the breathtaking nature and casual lifestyle of the Balearic Islands, which he has chosen to make his home. This is where he keeps his restored Porsche 911 Targa and where he’s working on his The Whale Tail Project, which is a collection of complex sculptures made from scrapped turbo rear wings.
Johans Lamic
Inspiration: Johans Lamic designs his sculptures in the colors of the famous race cars. The pink 1971 Porsche 917/20 served as his muse here.
A captain falls in love with a wing, reinvents himself as an artist, and manages to fascinate Jacky Ickx.
By Eva BOLHOEFER Photos by Ot BOQUÉ, Pol A. FOGUET
Heading for Tampa, Florida, Johans Lamic takes to the skies in August 2019. He flies often and is usually in the cockpit. But this time the commercial airline pilot has a private appointment with the air-cooled car of his dreams, the 1984 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Targa, which he has found online. It’s love at first sight. And then the sound. “Huge emotions!” says the 42-year-old Frenchman. “I could feel the car’s soul instantly and fell head over heels in love with the traditional driving experience.” He laughs at himself, the cheerful sound filling the entire studio. Located in a twisting alley in Palma, the capital of Majorca, his work space almost feels too cramped for a man like him, who stands six and a half feet tall from his skateboard sneakers to his gaucho hat.
He sees to the freight documents in Tampa and has the car restored in Europe, taking it back to the 1960s. Longer hood, different bumper, and the rear wing has to go. The first owner, a dentist in Massachusetts, ordered the Targa with the imposing turbo wing of the 930 model built in 1974. Because the flowing lines are reminiscent of a whale’s tail fin, its nickname is Whale Tail. Lamic instantly realizes that it’s “much too beautiful and much too valuable to simply throw away.” He has the decades-old object repainted and hangs it on the wall as a decoration. Beautiful. But something’s missing. After studying the piece at great length, Lamic has something akin to a revelation: “The rear wing is an aerodynamic component, and air is basically water in a different state, which is how I came up with the idea of a drop design.” Over a period of weeks, he experiments with synthetic resin, fiddling about with the design and stability of the drops. “They followed me into my dreams and robbed me of any sleep,” he says, amused. But he actually discovers a technical solution for the perfect drop, and thus The Whale Tail Project is born. Lamic begins moonlighting as a whaler, spending countless hours surfing the net in search of more of the popular tail fins, talking on the phone, and corresponding with potential sellers.
In his hands, the hard-to-find rear wings are transformed into sculptures in a look reminiscent of Porsche racing teams of days gone by. The Martini Racing design serves as inspiration for the light-blue and orange combination of the Gulf paint job, ultimately an interpretation of the pink 917/20 that competed as Pink Pig in Le Mans in 1971. The colors of the successful Brumos team and Kremer Racing provide additional inspiration. The sixth edition is now here and boasts the colors of the vehicles sponsored by Rothmans, with the first one secured by none other than racing legend Jacky Ickx. Many details of Lamic’s work pay homage to authentic racing technology. To stabilize the sculptures, he builds a structure inside much like a roll cage using pipes with a diameter of 1.26 inches, like those also used in Porsche race cars. Even the size, color, and typeface of the small signs that display the collection names of each piece correspond to those of the original stickers in Porsche engine compartments.
Before long, his sculptures are in demand both at home and abroad, with Lamic exhibiting his works of art at numerous locations in the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Dubai. His goal is to create a total of nine design editions, each limited to eleven pieces.
When he’s not flying or designing art, he enjoys his Stone Grey Targa. “I like the feeling of freedom when the top’s down, the smell of pine in Serra de Tramuntana, Majorca, and cruising the winding roads.” Mastering curves is his forte. Born in Paris, he grew up on the Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe, where he discovers his passion for basketball. After finishing school, he packs his bags and leaves for France to play professionally. At the same time, he studies law for a few semesters before changing direction again and assuming the role of marketing and sales director of an electronics company, with a focus on the region of Southeast France. With his new salary, he can afford to take his first flying lessons, devouring books about aviation and flying theory and training at home with a flight simulation program. He starts his pilot training in his mid twenties, flying in Turkey, Rwanda, and the Congo, and becomes a captain based at London Heathrow. And then there’s his chosen home, Majorca, his flights of fancy to locations all over the world, and his curiosity about the next curve. ●
Johans LAMIC
