The art car bears the name “968 L'ART“ and epitomises Kar's ambition to transfer the perception of art to the automotive world. Fittingly, the vehicle will make its debut during Paris Fashion Week and will be on display as part of an art installation in the Marais district of the French capital from 30 September to 3 October 2021.
Unique exterior and interior design
The 968 L'ART was created with loving attention to detail over a period of 18 months, inside a Paris workshop. It is no coincidence that the basis of the art car is the Porsche 968, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Moreover, the styling of the car which is suitable for everyday use fits in perfectly with that of the streetwear label. The art car’s design is based on the retro look of the early 1990s, but with an updated and modern flair.
The roof of the fully functional vehicle has been removed, turning it into a roadster. Kar and his team developed a shade of green especially for the project. Another highlight is the rear, which is inspired by that of the classic Porsche Speedster. The taillights have been completely redesigned and feature ‘KAR’ lettering, which has also been used on L'Art sunglasses.
Porsche partners TAG Heuer, Recaro and Bose added products of their own design to the interior. These include a one-off TAG Heuer stopwatch in the dashboard, created especially for the art car. The RECARO bucket seats were also customised by the project partners and are covered with a bespoke leather from ECCO Leather EL3. Bose contributed a custom-designed audio system integrated into the interior of the 968 L’ART including innovative speaker placements and elegant grille designs.
L'Art De L'Automobile – the fusion of two worlds
Arthur Kar discovered his passion for sports cars – and especially Porsche sports cars – at an early age. Born in Beirut and raised in Paris, he spent a lot of his childhood in his father's car workshop. At the age of 16, he began working as a mechatronics technician in a French Porsche Centre and soon focused on iconic sports cars. In order to fulfil his dream of owning his own Porsche, Kar took the plunge and started his own business, selling vehicles he had reconditioned to customers all over the world. This enabled him to buy a Carrera GT when he was still young. In 2017, he founded the L'Art De L'Automobile fashion label, combining his passion for athletic streetwear fashion with the one for sports cars.
“The love of Porsche unites many people around the globe and for us, too, it is still a special feeling when we can help someone like Arthur Kar make an extraordinary dream come true. I hope that the result of our collaboration will inspire many fans around the world.” Robert Ader, Vice President Marketing at Porsche AG
To celebrate the 968 L'ART, the label is teaming up with Porsche to launch two different capsule fashion collections. One is produced by L’Art De L’Automobile with their unique shapes. It will be sold at the exhibition during Paris Fashion Week in the Marais district (35/37 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75003 Paris), in high-end fashion stores and online. One highlight here is an exclusive Air Freshener created in collaboration with the cosmetics brand Byredo. The collection is available from 30 September 2021. The second capsule fashion collection consists of six pieces and is produced by Porsche. It can be purchased in selected Porsche Centres as well as online from mid-October 2021.
Porsche has been creating art cars in collaboration with partners from the lifestyle and art worlds for several years now. The creative freedom of these artists is comparatively great. At the same time, Porsche ensures that its partners share the company’s values and are an authentic match for the brand. Recent examples include Taycan art cars in Switzerland and Singapore and the Porsche 911 by South African artist Nelson Makamo.
