Author Thorsten Elbrigmann Photography Lars Gehrlein, Markus Bolsinger, Patrick Gosling, Anatol Kotte, Frederik Dulay-Winkler
Open doors Some Porsche garages smell of bare concrete, some of sandstone, some of wood. Added to that is the scent of mountains or perhaps a city – always paired with a hint of warm engine oil and a little bit of unburnt fuel/air mixture. You hear the metallic clunk of a Porsche 911 door latch and breathe in the fragrance of the interior borne on the draft of air as it opens. It doesn’t matter whether it’s leather or fabric, whether it was built in 1966 or 2003, somehow the scent of a Porsche is immediately recognizable. Porsche Garages – for us, a sensory journey around the world. The images are the most obvious witness to our visits, the texts full of messages from abroad. Is it any surprise that the common thread in every story is a love of Porsche? Yet every single one of these stories is a sensation in its own right. A camera car from cult movie Le Mans in a terraced garage behind a townhouse. A Porsche collection beneath aristocratic chandeliers. These are places that surprise, create contradictions, fascinate. Sometimes even more than the cars. But never more than the people we met and who threw their garage doors wide open for us. Celebrities and car guys with very special professional backgrounds. Musician, racing driver, designer, analyst, police officer and fire fighter. Their path to Porsche, their view of things, of collecting, broadens horizons and builds bridges across continents and borders. These people deserve our grateful thanks, because they allowed us into their lives, their passion, and into often very private spaces. Open door, open ear, open book.
Author Thorsten Elbrigmann Photography Lars Gehrlein, Markus Bolsinger, Patrick Gosling, Anatol Kotte, Frederik Dulay-Winkler
Open doors Some Porsche garages smell of bare concrete, some of sandstone, some of wood. Added to that is the scent of mountains or perhaps a city – always paired with a hint of warm engine oil and a little bit of unburnt fuel/air mixture. You hear the metallic clunk of a Porsche 911 door latch and breathe in the fragrance of the interior borne on the draft of air as it opens. It doesn’t matter whether it’s leather or fabric, whether it was built in 1966 or 2003, somehow the scent of a Porsche is immediately recognizable. Porsche Garages – for us, a sensory journey around the world. The images are the most obvious witness to our visits, the texts full of messages from abroad. Is it any surprise that the common thread in every story is a love of Porsche? Yet every single one of these stories is a sensation in its own right. A camera car from cult movie Le Mans in a terraced garage behind a townhouse. A Porsche collection beneath aristocratic chandeliers. These are places that surprise, create contradictions, fascinate. Sometimes even more than the cars. But never more than the people we met and who threw their garage doors wide open for us. Celebrities and car guys with very special professional backgrounds. Musician, racing driver, designer, analyst, police officer and fire fighter. Their path to Porsche, their view of things, of collecting, broadens horizons and builds bridges across continents and borders. These people deserve our grateful thanks, because they allowed us into their lives, their passion, and into often very private spaces. Open door, open ear, open book.
95
A man with a plan
name Christian Geistdörfer habitat Right of Walter status World champion model 911
95
A man with a plan
name Christian Geistdörfer habitat Right of Walter status World champion model 911
A car of timeless beauty such as a Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 fits perfectly into every scene – on a helicopter landing pad or on the road. A brief trip back through time with Christian Geistdörfer. Author Christina Rahmes Photography Tim Adler
R Right in, 50 left, caution, 300 straight full, 100 right, 200 straight right full. If Christian Geistdörfer had his legendary prayer book in his hand right now and was sitting on the codriver’s seat navigating the final yards up to Michelsburg, this is roughly what it would sound like. Today, however, he is driving himself, at the wheel of his Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, model year 1987, one of the first G models with the smooth G50 transmission. It’s one of just 238 in rock green metallic, 231 hp, with a sunroof and no air conditioning. “I never specifically looked for this color, but I really liked the combination with the olive-green interior. “The Porsche was exported to Rome just two months after its delivery in Germany, and registered to a hotelier there,” explains Christian, pointing to the number plate, which still starts with “Roma”. “Once a car has been registered in Italy, it’s allowed to keep the number plate. Not only does it look good, it’s also great for the history.” Apropos history: Between 1980 and 1984, the man who is possibly the best codriver of all time won the Monte Carlo Rally with Walter Röhrl four times in four different cars; on a mixture snow, gravel and asphalt. Due not only to Röhrl’s inimitable ideal line but also to their meticulous preparation, the pair repeatedly defeated more powerful competitors. They were a well-rehearsed team and trusted each other with their lives. The first Monte Carlo victory in 1980 was, for both men, one of the best experiences of their careers. 40 years on, you might well imagine that things have quietened down in Christian’s life. Three years ago, he published his biography “By Walter’s Side”. He no
longer has to prove anything to anyone. The native of Munich seems more pensive. Gone are the wild parties, where dishes were broken and chairs flung around. He became a grandfather for the first time just a short while ago. His carefree smile remains, whether he’s behind the wheel, enjoying the raucous sound generated by more than 4000 revs – or greeting his buddy Carlo Marcati. On the last few yards up to Michelsburg, the sound of the G model flattens out somewhat as we slow down to walking pace. There’s too much gravel on the road to this historical building, which dates back to 995 A.D. The entire complex was completed in 1091. Born and raised in Bruneck in the Italian province of South Tyrol, Carlo had long dreamed of living in this castle. In 1990, he took the plunge, bought the abandoned ruin in the west of Puster Valley and embarked on a 20-year reconstruction in adherence with strict landmark conservation regulations. The property manager and former beverage wholesaler lives up there on 20,000 square feet with his cat Luna and a pair of falcons. Christian and Carlo met 43 years ago at the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel. Christian spent seven years coordinating the sponsorship activities of the Warsteiner brewery, which took him into Formula 1 a long time ago. There and subsequently in the DTM, the two men often worked together. In the winter season, they meet every year in Kitzbühel. Once, Christian fell so badly while skiing that he slid down the slope unconscious for 500 feet, demolishing his back in the process and badly burning his face in the snow. The only lasting visual reminder of his lucky misfortune is a large scar on his History preserved. Christian Geistdörfer was allowed to keep the ROMA plate when he bought his Porsche 911.
96 Geistdörfer
Porsche Home 97
A car of timeless beauty such as a Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 fits perfectly into every scene – on a helicopter landing pad or on the road. A brief trip back through time with Christian Geistdörfer. Author Christina Rahmes Photography Tim Adler
R Right in, 50 left, caution, 300 straight full, 100 right, 200 straight right full. If Christian Geistdörfer had his legendary prayer book in his hand right now and was sitting on the codriver’s seat navigating the final yards up to Michelsburg, this is roughly what it would sound like. Today, however, he is driving himself, at the wheel of his Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, model year 1987, one of the first G models with the smooth G50 transmission. It’s one of just 238 in rock green metallic, 231 hp, with a sunroof and no air conditioning. “I never specifically looked for this color, but I really liked the combination with the olive-green interior. “The Porsche was exported to Rome just two months after its delivery in Germany, and registered to a hotelier there,” explains Christian, pointing to the number plate, which still starts with “Roma”. “Once a car has been registered in Italy, it’s allowed to keep the number plate. Not only does it look good, it’s also great for the history.” Apropos history: Between 1980 and 1984, the man who is possibly the best codriver of all time won the Monte Carlo Rally with Walter Röhrl four times in four different cars; on a mixture snow, gravel and asphalt. Due not only to Röhrl’s inimitable ideal line but also to their meticulous preparation, the pair repeatedly defeated more powerful competitors. They were a well-rehearsed team and trusted each other with their lives. The first Monte Carlo victory in 1980 was, for both men, one of the best experiences of their careers. 40 years on, you might well imagine that things have quietened down in Christian’s life. Three years ago, he published his biography “By Walter’s Side”. He no
longer has to prove anything to anyone. The native of Munich seems more pensive. Gone are the wild parties, where dishes were broken and chairs flung around. He became a grandfather for the first time just a short while ago. His carefree smile remains, whether he’s behind the wheel, enjoying the raucous sound generated by more than 4000 revs – or greeting his buddy Carlo Marcati. On the last few yards up to Michelsburg, the sound of the G model flattens out somewhat as we slow down to walking pace. There’s too much gravel on the road to this historical building, which dates back to 995 A.D. The entire complex was completed in 1091. Born and raised in Bruneck in the Italian province of South Tyrol, Carlo had long dreamed of living in this castle. In 1990, he took the plunge, bought the abandoned ruin in the west of Puster Valley and embarked on a 20-year reconstruction in adherence with strict landmark conservation regulations. The property manager and former beverage wholesaler lives up there on 20,000 square feet with his cat Luna and a pair of falcons. Christian and Carlo met 43 years ago at the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel. Christian spent seven years coordinating the sponsorship activities of the Warsteiner brewery, which took him into Formula 1 a long time ago. There and subsequently in the DTM, the two men often worked together. In the winter season, they meet every year in Kitzbühel. Once, Christian fell so badly while skiing that he slid down the slope unconscious for 500 feet, demolishing his back in the process and badly burning his face in the snow. The only lasting visual reminder of his lucky misfortune is a large scar on his History preserved. Christian Geistdörfer was allowed to keep the ROMA plate when he bought his Porsche 911.
96 Geistdörfer
Porsche Home 97
100 Geistdörfer
Porsche Home 101
100 Geistdörfer
Porsche Home 101
speed dating Magnus Walker August Deutsch Jay Leno Michael Mauer Thomas Englert Herbert von Karajan
speed dating Magnus Walker August Deutsch Jay Leno Michael Mauer Thomas Englert Herbert von Karajan