It’s been called the “insider’s Porsche show,” and the 2022 Luft 8 did not disappoint.
The Luft 8 celebration of everything Porsche took place at the Port of Los Angeles. On display: Your favorite Porsche models in just about every variant possible – some modified and some appearing very futuristic – along with those with rare colors, various engine combinations, prototypes, and race versions.
It all happened at the Luftgekühlt 8, or Luft 8 as it is known.
Luftgekühlt 8 was started by Porsche racer Patrick Long and art director Howie Idelson in 2014. The first event was a small Porsche gathering at a motorcycle shop in Venice, California.
Since then, Luftgekühlt – “air-cooled” in German – has multiplied in size and notoriety.
This year, many of the cars were inside the air-cooled facility, but there was also an all-Porsche parking lot where many fine models were on display.
Photographers of all ages were on hand to capture the dazzling array of Porsche sports cars on their cameras and cell phones.
And there were plenty of famous and unusual Porsches to take in.
Take, for instance, the Pikes Peak special, a lightweight buggy, powered by a twin-turbocharged flat-six.
This 10th edition of the famous celebration of Porsche’s air-cooled past embraced
car culture and Porsche lovers alike.
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From low riders to hot rods to sports cars, the Southern California region has something for everyone, and parking lots are filled every weekend with car shows of purists and creatives alike showcasing their cars while also taking in others’ treasured vehicles.
With its origins rooted in LA, Sunday’s meeting at CRAFTED at the Port of Long Beach was something of a homecoming for Luft 8.
Set in and around a pair of 1940s-era warehouses formerly used as a holding point for shipping companies, the 10th edition featured pristine examples of historic racing cars and museum-quality machines among more humble offerings driven in by local owners.
While some of the focus was on the 50th anniversary of the Carrera RS 2.7, crowds at the sell-out event mingled among other highlights including a 1956 550A Spyder, a 934/5 crafted by Canepa, a few custom creations from California-based designers and builders, and a handful of endurance race winners covering Le Mans, Sebring, and Daytona.
Hundreds more models, spanning Porsche’s 74-year history, were parked in interesting arrangements that not only displayed the brand’s lineage but also ensured a car photographer’s paradise.
“My background is film and photography so our goal is always to create a highly visual event and the cars that were submitted this year for sure allowed us to do that,” said Jeff Zwart, filmmaker, Porsche collector, and Pikes Peak record holder. “This is also Jeff’s playground. He lives in nearby Aspen, Colorado.”
“Patrick Long has such a vision for these events and I always feel like I have to up my game to support that with visuals that allow the show to live well beyond the first-person experience,” Zwart added.
Elsewhere, a naked 356 chassis formed part of a display by Porsche Classic, which showcased its parts and services for owners looking to restore their cars. The new book by Type7, Type7 Volume 3, also made its US debut, with editor-in-chief Ted Gushue signing copies. And dozens of food trucks – a staple of LA – kept the tens of thousands who attended well-nourished, with a menu as colorful and eclectic as the cars on show.
After the 2020 Luft 8 event was canceled due to the pandemic, and 2021 was limited in size, Luftgekühlt 8 proved that there is an appetite for more than good food in California – and that Porsche people know how to party.
“These events are lots of work for our incredible team but when all the cars have landed and the crowd rolls in, it’s so satisfying to see how much people just enjoy wandering around with great music and cars to inspire the air-cooled story,” said Zwart.
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