Air-Cooled Nirvana at Luftgekühlt 11

The East Coast of the United States just got its first taste of Luftgekühlt, and Porsche fans turned out in force. Around 400 air-cooled machines and nearly 10,000 visitors descended on the historic American Tobacco Campus in Durham, North Carolina, transforming the town into Stuttgart-on-Sea for a day.

Co-founded by former Porsche factory racer Patrick Long, Luftgekühlt has grown from a laid-back California meet-up into the global celebration of air-cooled culture – a car show, art gallery and storytelling festival. This year marked 30 years of the 993 in the US, with everything from stripped racing cars to pristine road-going Carreras and Turbos lined up to honour the last of the air-cooled 911s.

Racing legends Bobby Rahal and Tommy Kendall joined the party, trading stories and standing beside their old track weapons – Kendall’s Le Mans GT2 and Rahal’s restored 904 Carrera GTS. Brumos Racing heroes were also out in force, with their Daytona-winning 911 RSR and Holbert-prepped 962 adding proper East Coast pedigree.

What sets Luftgekühlt apart isn’t just the metal, it’s the storytelling. From icons like the 130 RS to a 912 rescued from rust, every car gets treated like a hero. As creative director Jeff Zwart puts it: “The venue is our canvas, the cars are the paintbrushes.”

Photos © Porsche