For the first time in forever, fashion house Louis Vuitton is releasing a co-branded object. In fact, not one, but two of them, and not just any other objects, but two Porsche cars modified by specialist Singer – it, too, at its first partnership of this caliber.
The reason behind the collab is not entirely clear, but I couldn’t care less. I’m just glad it happened, because these two Porsches are, without a doubt, among the most exquisite automotive creations to have been presented this year.
Both cars are, at their core, Porsche 911s, one of them modified by Singer’s Classic program, and the other by the Classic Turbo. Louis Vuitton’s influence is more than visible – just look at the photos in the attached gallery, and you can almost feel it – in each of them, in the colors, materials, and even the vibe of the sports cars.
For the record, the two companies seem so excited by these cars that they published one of the longest press releases I’ve seen in my career, at over 4,000 words long. In all fairness, it was quite a delight to read (if you’re curious about that, you can find it in full in the dedicated section below this text), as it transported me, on several occasions, back to quieter and more beautiful times.
Photo: Singer
It can get a bit tiresome after a while, though, and I also know reading about a car is not as exciting as actually seeing it in all its glory, so this text won’t be that long. But there are a number of things you need to know before going through the gallery, so here they are.
Louis Vuitton Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer ClassicThe coupe example of the pair is based on the Type 964 coupe chassis, and is animated by a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated, air-cooled flat-six engine tied to a six-speed manual transmission. The chassis carries a carbon fiber body equipped with a speed-activated rear wing, useful when driving requires a bit more downforce to keep the vehicle planted on the road.
It is on and inside this bodywork that the Louis Vuitton touch makes its presence felt, starting with the exclusive livery that copies the fashion house’s main colors: saffron, cobalt blue and yellow. This car, we’re told, was created with and for Louis Vuitton, and that shows.
Most of the bodywork is painted in saffron, while the cobalt blue was placed as the perfect accent in areas of impact, including, believe it or not, on the tires. That’s right, not only parts of the wheels, but the tires as well.
Photo: Singer
The same color play extends to the interior, where the entire cabin is dressed in brown leather with a natural hue, blue is placed on the dashboard, and Louis Vuitton monogram flower designs adorn the eyelets on the seats. All of that is offset by rhodium-plated elements, including the adjustment knobs, control switches, locks, pull-tabs, and air vents.
As with any car that’s the result of a collaboration between a tuner and a fashion house, the Porsche is highly accessorized. Up on the roof, the two placed a roof rack that can be used to transport a Louis Vuitton trunk, or a surfboard, or even a pair of skis. For good measure, the fashion house also imagined a helmet for the driver to wear, and a surfboard, as you never know when you could use one.
Louis Vuitton Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer Classic TurboAlso built on a Type 964 chassis, but this time a cabriolet, this 911 gets its power from a 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine with air-to-water intercooling, tied to a six-speed manual transmission and rocking selectable drive modes.
Just like in the case of its sibling, the carbon fiber bodywork wears a special color, this time something called Calcaire Lutétien white, complemented by wood trim. It’s a color – material combo that was selected by Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of Women’s Collections, Nicolas Ghesquière himself, and that shows.
Photo: Singer
This 911 carries all the extras available for the version we discussed above, from the helmet to the leather bags, but its interior stands out first and foremost on account of the wood elements, including a luggage compartment installed behind the seats. This feature, upholstered in leather over a technical wooden shell, is large enough to hold the dedicated Louis Vuitton luggage items, but also the soft top that comes down when the weather is just right.
There is one important element both cars share, and that’s the dashboard clock, a detachable, mechanical timepiece that can be converted into a desk clock. Its design was inspired by the Tambour watch the French house first launched back in 2002.
To make it fit in the overall design of the cars, Singer completely modified the instrument display, redesigning the speedometer, rev counter, and gauges to follow the same lines as the watch.
It’s unclear what the plan is for these two Porsches, or how much they are each worth, but seeing how an everyday Singer Porsche is worth millions, it’s not hard to imagine what kind of game these two have been created to play.