Luftgekühlt 9 - Air | Water
Gunther Werks

Luftgekühlt 9 and Air | Water unfolded over April 29–30, 2023, at Mare Island, the historic naval base in Vallejo, just north of San Francisco. The location holds a particular significance for me, as my grandfather worked in this shipyard during World War II. The setting's brick, cranes, and dry docks framed a rare cross-section of Porsche history: more than 1,000 cars and 12,000 guests across the weekend. Saturday centered on the air-cooled 911 legacy—especially the G-model in its 60th year—while Sunday expanded into Air | Water, connecting eras and build styles in one narrative space. The curation was cinematic, turning an industrial shipyard into a gallery where patina, provenance, and personality shared the same passion.

These photos capture Gunther Werks’ 993 reimaginings up close. In Mare Island’s brick and steel, sculpted carbon, widened hips, and jewel-like details read as both respectful and radical—air-cooled heritage rewritten with modern intent. I lingered on the stance, tight panel gaps, billet hardware, and purposeful cabins; every surface favored engineering over nostalgia. It was my first time seeing them in person, and I met the Gunther Werks team here—the moment my own 993 Tornado journey began, sparked by the precision, theater, and analog soul that defined these builds.

Luftgekühlt originated in 2014, when racer Patrick Long and creative director Howie Idelson hosted a small gathering of air-cooled Porsches in the parking lot at Deus Ex Machina in Venice, California. The name means "air-cooled", but the idea was bigger: curate cars like art, stage them in character-rich spaces, and invite a community to mingle stories with machinery. From that intimate start, the event scaled into a roving exhibition with hyper-considered placement, distinctive branding, and an inclusive spirit that welcomes purists and outliers alike. It is really something special, everyone across the spectrum coming together to celebrate a shared love for Porsche's heritage, old and new.