Lufthansa Pride Campaign 2023
Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design
Hardly any other car brand enjoys such iconic status as Porsche. The name stands for sporty elegance, technical innovation, and a distinctive design language. The Porsche 911, in particular, is considered the epitome of the sports car – an icon that has fascinated for over 60 years and continues to evolve. In a studio exhibition, the Red Dot Design Museum is showing two current models of the Porsche 911, which from a technical point of view could hardly be more different, but in terms of design go back to a prototype: a 911 GT3 RS and a 911 Dakar.
But what makes a Porsche, especially a 911, so special? Which design principles have been preserved over the decades and which pioneering decisions have shaped the brand? In an interview with Jova Zec, Vice President of Red Dot, we take a look at the design language, history and unmistakable features of the legendary Porsche 911.
Porsche: the quintessential sports car
Red Dot: Jova, what is it that makes a Porsche so fascinating?
If I had to boil it down to a single point, it would be the fact that Porsche, especially the Porsche 911, is the quintessential sports car. Porsche is the benchmark when it comes to sports cars.
Is that why you personally are so fascinated by Porsche?
Every Porsche model carries motorsport DNA, even the big, chunky SUVs. I find that fascinating. The Cayenne, for example, proved its racing credentials right from the start, when it entered and won the Transsyberia Rally. Almost every Porsche model has a motorsport history or benefits from technology that comes directly from racing – a tradition that is deeply rooted in the company’s history.
Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche himself laid the foundation for this philosophy: after searching in vain for a sports car that met his expectations, he decided to build it himself. This commitment to building the best sports car possible still characterises Porsche today. The close connection to motorsport is not only a technical legacy, but also an essential part of the fascination that defines the brand.
How does Porsche’s racing history influence the everyday driving experience?
One special detail, for example, is the ignition lock positioned on the left. The legend behind this goes back to the “Le Mans start”, an important part of Porsche’s motorsport history. Drivers had to sprint to the track from the opposite side, get into the car and drive off. Porsche drivers could shift gears with their right hand while starting the engine with their left – a time advantage that often gave Porsche the better race start.
Between tradition and innovation
Motorsport has not only influenced individual design elements, such as the left-hand ignition lock, but has also been a major driver of technological progress at Porsche. How has Porsche used this innovative strength to establish itself as a pioneer in the automotive world – be it in terms of design, technology or brand management?
What makes Porsche special is that the brand has always been closely associated with motorsport. Motorsport is a constant competition – and competition drives innovation. If you stay ahead through better engineering technology, you not only keep your finger on the pulse, you also drive development forward.
One example of this is the dual-clutch transmission (PDK), which Porsche developed in collaboration with Audi. In the past, automatic transmissions were rarely accepted in sports cars because they shifted more slowly, consumed more fuel and reduced performance. But as early as the 1980s, Porsche began developing a dual-clutch transmission that was so efficient, fast and precise that it revolutionised the market. Today, almost all sports car manufacturers use this technology – a real breakthrough in which Porsche played a major role.
Another example of Porsche’s innovative strength is the all-wheel drive system, which was developed in the 1980s. We currently have the 911 Dakar on display at the Red Dot Design Museum. This is a car with an outstanding all-wheel drive system. The roots of this technology go back to the Paris-Dakar Rally. At that time, Porsche used an all-wheel-drive concept in the 911 for the first time – in a specially converted racing car (known internally as the Type 953). This model was raised and was the first 911 with all-wheel drive. And this is precisely where Porsche’s strength lies: if a vehicle with this system can cross a desert, then it is also ideally equipped for everyday use. So if you drive through the snow to get your bread rolls in the morning, you don’t have to worry, because the all-wheel drive system is motorsport approved.
A special exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen is dedicated to the design development of the Porsche 911 – a model that has changed over decades but has nevertheless remained unmistakable. How does Porsche manage to strike this balance between tradition and innovation?
Designing a Porsche is one of the most challenging tasks in the design world: creating something timeless that still looks innovative without losing its character. In other words, the 911 must remain recognisable at first glance while also evolving.
Characteristic design features of the Porsche 911
What makes the design of a Porsche 911 so unique and unmistakable – how can you recognise it at first glance?
Every Porsche is instantly recognisable by its unique silhouette. The coupés in particular have a distinctive window shape: a horizontal lower line that rises steeply at the front like an aeroplane wing and falls gently towards the rear. The 911 is characterised by the so-called “fly line” – a flowing line that extends from the front over the roof to the rear. Soft, aerodynamic shapes without hard edges characterise Porsche’s design language and give the vehicles their unmistakable character. Modern details such as the continuous light strip on the rear lights or the four-point light signature of the headlights also contribute to the iconic look. The characteristic “beetle eyes” headlights have remained an important design element over the years, with a single exception:
in the 996 from the late nineties, the indicator and headlights were combined into the so-called “fried egg headlights”, which were not well received. Porsche therefore returned to the classic look with the successor 997. Porsche also stays true to its design in the interior: the classic sports seats have been a consistent element for decades. Although their design has been modernised, the basic shape has been retained.
Another striking feature of many 911 models is the rear spoiler. How did it evolve?
Originally, the 911 had a gently sloping rear reminiscent of an aeroplane wing. But as speeds increased, the car became unstable. That’s why Porsche introduced the first fixed spoiler in the 1970s: the legendary “ducktail” on the 911 Carrera RS 2.7. It provided more driving stability and a higher top speed. In the past, the most striking feature of the turbo models was the “whale tail” spoiler, also known as the “beer table” in Germany. The name comes from the fact that you could theoretically place forty bottles of beer on these wide spoilers. This spoiler was specially developed to make room for the intercooler, since the engine compartment of the early 911 models was so compact. With the development of water-cooled engines and the larger body of the 996 model onwards, this spoiler was no longer necessary. Instead, newer models were given extendable spoilers. These improve aerodynamics, preserve the iconic 911 silhouette and make the design appear sleeker. The enormous rear spoiler is also an immediately striking feature of the GT3 RS, which is currently on display in our Red Dot Design Museum. Interestingly, the RS has also retained a small “ducktail”.
Even a timeless design is constantly evolving. Which subtle design adaptations of the 911 are perhaps less obvious, but have nevertheless significantly shaped its appearance over the decades?
Although the 911 has remained visually true to itself, there have been some striking changes. For example, the so-called “gun barrels”, the distinctive headlight housings of the early models, were flattened over time and are now more discreet. The rear light design has also evolved: Early on, Porsche hinted at a continuous rear light bar early on by placing a red glass between the rear lights. It was only with designer Michael Mauer that this element was fully illuminated, which has now become a trademark of modern Porsche models.
Two extremes of an icon: the 911 GT3 RS and the 911 Dakar
Modern Porsche models include the 911 GT3 RS and the 911 Dakar, which are on display in the museum.They show just how versatile the 911 can be. What challenges arise in the development of such extremely specialised models?
The 911 has a long history, and its iconic appearance is central to its identity. One of the biggest challenges is to retain these character traits while at the same time integrating them functionally into completely different vehicle concepts.
At first glance, it might seem that it would make more sense for an uncompromising circuit racing car like the GT3 RS or an off-road model like the 911 Dakar to develop completely independent vehicles – specially designed for their respective disciplines. But Porsche deliberately chose not to do this and instead based both models on the 911. This means that despite their very different applications, they retain the iconic 911 silhouette and its basic architecture.
A good example of this is the 911 Dakar: although it has the typical 911 sports car body shape, it has been adapted to achieve off-road capabilities that are otherwise only found in true off-roaders. For example, it has a ramp angle comparable to that of a Mercedes G-Class – an impressive feat of engineering considering it is still a sports car.
The rear-engine architecture also presents special challenges. It was developed at a time when aerodynamic elements such as a diffuser did not play a role. In modern motorsport, however, they are essential for generating downforce. With little room at the rear of the 911 for a classic diffuser, Porsche had to find alternative solutions – including the iconic large rear wings. Particularly in racing, where the 911 competes with Lamborghini and Ferrari supercars, it is remarkable that the 911 remains on an equal footing despite this unique architecture. Ultimately, it is precisely this balance of tradition, design and engineering that makes every version of the 911 an icon, whether as a high-performance racing car or an off-road rally vehicle.
The 911 as a milestone
In the past, the versatility that is so well received today presented Porsche with major challenges...
For a long time, Porsche had the problem, or rather the challenge, that the 911 was so deeply rooted in people’s minds as an iconic model that everything else was immediately questioned. For many, Porsche was synonymous with the 911: a six-cylinder boxer engine at the rear, rear-wheel drive, the typical silhouette – and, of course, the ignition key on the left. Any deviation from this recipe was immediately criticised. Models that did not meet these criteria were quickly and disparagingly dubbed the so-called “Maurer-Porsche” (bricklayer’s Porsche) or the “Hausfrauen-Porsche” (housewife’s Porsche), which was of course completely unfounded.
An example of this is the Porsche 924, which was introduced in the 1970s. It broke with tradition, had no boxer engine and was based on a concept originally developed for VW and Audi. Nevertheless, Porsche further developed it into a true sports car, which, with the 944, moved even closer to motorsport. Interestingly, the 944 was even superior to the 911 in terms of handling – but many purists at the time didn’t want to hear that. This highlighted a fundamental problem: Porsche was able to build technically excellent cars, but if the design didn’t bridge the gap to the brand’s DNA, it was rejected.
Michael Mauer solved precisely this problem. By carefully introducing new design details to the 911, he was able to transfer them to other models. This allowed Porsche to further develop its design language without losing its core brand values. This is particularly evident in the Taycan, a model which, apart from the characteristic window graphics, has hardly any classic Porsche elements, yet is unmistakably a Porsche. In my opinion, this achievement makes Mauer one of the brand’s most important designers.
So there have been many design challenges that have shaped Porsche’s design history. To what extent did the 911 pave the way for the development of the Porsche brand?
The introduction of the 911 was one of the most important decisions in Porsche’s history. Before the 911 – or as it was then presented as the 901 – was developed, Porsche had no clear design line. The first vehicle, the 356, was heavily based on the VW Beetle both visually and technically. The first generation, the 356 A, used the same engine and even sounded like a Beetle. This made it difficult to establish an independent brand image.
Porsche was still a relatively new contender in motorsport when they began developing supercars and prototype racing cars that differed significantly from their road vehicles. But with the 911, Porsche launched a car that had an iconic shape and also played an important role in racing. In doing so, Porsche created a link between motorsport and road design that continues to this day.
Sustainability and the future
Let’s move from the past to the present: What role does sustainability play in modern Porsche design?
Sustainability plays a very important role at Porsche today – but it depends on how you define the term. For me, design is a particularly exciting aspect. Of course, you can rely more and more on recycled materials, which Porsche is already doing in motorsport. For example, the brand’s own Porsche Cup is working on replacing carbon with recycled carbon. Porsche is also working with Michelin to develop tyres that contain a higher proportion of recycled rubber.
But sustainability is not just about using greener materials – it is also about how efficiently a vehicle uses energy. And this is where hybrid technology plays an important role. Back in 2013, Porsche demonstrated with the 918 Spyder that hybrid drives can do much more than just save fuel. At that time, hybrid systems were still considered boring because they primarily stood for efficiency rather than performance. Porsche proved the opposite: the 918 Spyder immediately set a lap record on the Nordschleife and demonstrated the potential of a high-performance hybrid drive.
This technology was further developed in motorsport – for example, with the 919 Hybrid, which won the 24 hours of Le Mans three times in a row. This would not have been possible without hybrid technology, especially with a comparatively small engine. The 919 only had a four-cylinder engine, which is also a nice dig at all those who say that a real Porsche has to have a six-cylinder boxer engine.
Another important point is durability. According to the company, around two-thirds of all Porsche models ever built are still on the road. Of course, many of these are still combustion engines, but when you consider that a car from the 1960s is still being driven today, for me that is sustainability in action – especially when you consider that many other cars end up in the scrapyard after 20 years.
One final question: the two Porsche models in the exhibition have not been awarded in the Red Dot Design Award. Why are they still featured in the exhibition?
As my father, Professor Dr. Peter Zec, once said, the Porsche 911 has its rightful place in the “Olympus of Design” – and always will. From a design perspective, these vehicles are truly exceptional, and it would be a missed opportunity not to showcase them. What is particularly fascinating is the incredible technical contrast between them – and at the same time, the way in which design harmoniously bridges these differences. To me, this represents an outstanding design achievement that deserves recognition and is precisely why these models are featured in the exhibition.
Porsche 911: Unmistakably recognisable – Studio exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen
Until 30 March 2025, both Porsche models can be seen in the special exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen. The studio exhibition highlights similarities and differences and guides visitors through the design development of the 911 models.
