Sensational Porsche exhibition opens in North Carolina

By James Elliott

| 25 Oct 2013

The finest ever collection of Porsches displayed in a US art museum has gone on show at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Some 22 iconic Stuttgart cars make up the Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed exhibition, which will run until January.

The collection has been curated by Ken Gross and covers the 1930s to the present day, kicking off with the Ferdinand Porsche-designed 1938 Type 64 Berlin-Rom racer.

Porsche Type 804 Formula One, 1962, The Porsche Collection of Ranson W. Webster, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Focusing on the company's design excellence and especially aerodynamics, several racers are featured including Dan Gurney's French Grand Prix-winning 804 (above) and a 917K.

Porsche Type 356C Cabriolet, 1965, Collection of the Joplin Family, Courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, Ohio, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Other highlights include a 1949 Gmünd coupé, Steve McQueen's Speedster, and Janis Joplin's psychedelic 356C.

The museum has also put together a series of videos on the marque featuring the likes of Jay Leno and Derek Bell.

Click here for more information.

More of the exhibits

IROC Porsche Type 911 Carrera RSR, 1974, Courtesy of the William E. (Chip) Connor Collection, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 917K, 1971, The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Porsche Type 901 Prototype, 1963, Courtesy of Don and Diane Meluzio, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 356 Speedster 1600 Super, 1958, Collection of Chad McQueen, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Porsche Type 356 Gmünd Coupe, 1949, Courtesy of the Ingram Collection, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 356B 1600 Carrera GTL Abarth Coupe, 1961, Courtesy of the Ingram Collection, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 550 Prototype, 1953, The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Porsche Type 904/6 Prototype, 1965, Private collection of Cameron Healy and Susan Snow, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Porsche Type 908K Prototype, 1968, Private collection of Cameron Healy and Susan Snow, Photograph © 2013 Peter Harholdt

Porsche Type 917 16-cylinder Spyder Prototype, 1969, Courtesy of the Porsche Museum, Photograph © 2013 Porsche Museum

Porsche Type 935 “Baby,” 1977, Courtesy of the Porsche Museum, Photograph © 2013 Porsche Museum

Porsche Type 959, 1988, Courtesy of the Ralph Lauren Automobile Collection, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 962C, 1990, Courtesy of the William E. (Chip) Connor Collection, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Porsche Type 718 RS60, 1960, Bowman Motors, Photograph © 2013 Michael Furman

Main image: Porsche Type 64 Berlin-Rom Racer, 1938, Collection of the Automuseum Prototyp, Hamburg, Germany, Photograph © 2013 Photographers Hamburg

James Elliott

James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car