The sound of the engines at Porsche’s race track in Leipzig is music to his ears, and a grin spreads across his face at the sight of the numerous Porsche vehicles. For Magnus Walker this is a true love affair – a love that started in his childhood. In Los Angeles, he has made his personal dream come true. The 50-year-old is the proud owner of a large collection of the cult model 911. From the engine compartment to the rear wing, the Porsche enthusiast knows his vehicles inside and out. Each once represents a mood, a chapter in his life.
Now the fashion designer, investor, collector and hobbyist is visiting the Porsche factory in Leipzig for the first time. His first stop: the pit lane.
Then to the production area – here, Walker takes a look behind the scenes at Porsche. In Leipzig, the sports car manufacturer produces the Macan and Panamera model lines, 650 vehicles leave the plant every day. Work is completed in three-shift operation. “It is impressive to see that even in a high-tech series production environment every detail is considered and customer wishes can be implemented directly, like in a workshop,” Walker enthuses.
The final stop in the assembly hall is the “marriage”. This is the automatic assembly of the body and underbody. “This process step reminds me of a poster from my childhood. It showed a dismantled 911 930 Turbo. I loved it,” he recalls.
Magnus Walker describes his moving journey from a working-class child from Sheffield to an “Urban Outlaw” in his autobiography “Dirt Don’t Slow You Down”, which he presents in the customer centre at Porsche Leipzig during his tour of Germany. 250 vintage car enthusiasts are waiting for him.
At the end, each visitor had the opportunity to test the Porsche Leipzig race track in their own vehicle. Over a length of 3.7 kilometres, the FIA-certified track includes replicas of eleven famous features from the world of motor racing – including the “corkscrew”, a legendary section of the Laguna Seca race track, Monza’s famous “parabolica” and the “carousel”, the steep curve on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Back in the pit lane, Magnus Walker inspects each vehicle closely. He is accompanied by Sebastian Wilfert, an instructor at Porsche in Leipzig. The two quickly become absorbed in conversation. About what? Technical data, motor sport experiences and Porsche. What else could it be.
Consumption data
Model Range Panamera: Fuel consumption combined 9.5 – 7.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 217 – 171 g/km
Model Range Macan: Fuel consumption combined 9.7 – 7.2 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 224 – 167 g/km
911 GT2 RS: Fuel consumption combined 11.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 269 g/km
