Celebrate 70 Years Of Porsche History With "The Porsche Effect" At Petersen Automotive Museum

1939 Type 64 - 1939 Porsche Type 64 60K10 - The Porsche Type 64 60K10 is the progenitor of all Porsches and the foundation of the Porsche aesthetic. It was built to compete in the 1939 Berlin-Rome endurance race, which was canceled due to the outbreak of war. A mere three identical cars were built, each of which used a Volkswagen platform and a streamlined aluminum body designed by Erwin Komenda and crafted by Reutter. This car was reconstructed of major components from the second Type 64, which had been dismantled after World War II. Collection of Automuseum Prototype, Hamburg - Engine: 1.1-Liter Flat-4 - Horsepower: 40  - Top Speed: 90 Mph - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Celebrate 70 Years Of Porsche History With "The Porsche Effect" At Petersen Automotive Museum

Opening Saturday, February 3rd, 2018, “The Porsche Effect” in the Mullin Grand Salon will feature the German brand’s most historically significant street and racecars along with artifacts and historical documents, accompanied by an all-new Porsche Vault Tour showcasing some of the marque’s rarest vehicles.

Celebrating the worldwide impact of Porsche’s legendary machines, the Petersen Automotive Museum will present “The Porsche Effect” to the public on February 3rd. The new exhibit—organized in partnership with Porsche Cars North America and staged in the Mullin Grand Salon—will represent the most comprehensive Porsche display outside of Stuttgart. Museum guests will have a chance to see 50 of the brand’s most iconic cars both in the exhibition and in an all-new Porsche-dedicated vault tour in the museum’s underground treasury.

As one enters the main foyer of the Petersen Automotive Museum to attend "The Porsche Effect", one is greeted with side-by-side Porsche GT1-98s with the street version (here) on the left and race version on the right. The first ever presentation where both of these cars appear at the same venue let alone are this close together. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

In the Vault, the bright orange Jägermeister Porsche 962C -117. The car left the Porsche Wessach factory in 1985. Brun Motorsport—a Swiss racing team that competed as a Porsche privateer team—purchased it as a chassis to replace another Porsche 962 that had been damaged. Once chassis number 962C-117 was assembled and put into service, Brun Motorsports raced the car in the World Sports Prototype Championship from 1986 to 1989. The car finished second in its class at Le Mans, and later was victorious at Spain’s Circuito Permanente de Jerez. It was also famous for an overall win as number 17 at Belgium’s 1000-km Spa-Francorchamps in 1986. After the 1989 racing season—and a very respectable career of 36 races that earned 23 top-ten finishes—the car was retired.Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

For seven decades, the Stuttgart based automaker has been overwhelmingly successful on racetracks and in dealership showrooms around the world, thanks to a combination of innovative engineering, an evolutionary design and the resulting dynamic brand that has inspired diehard fans for generations. “The Porsche Effect” features a collection of cars, historical documents and artifacts that will showcase the vehicles as kinetic art and illustrate the evolution of the brand itself—from early in the company’s engineering house beginnings through its modern-day road and race cars.

“Over a year in the making, ‘The Porsche Effect’ will capture the innovative and iconic spirit of Porsche, showcasing the marque’s many contributions to automotive engineering and the motorsports world,” said Peter Mullin, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Petersen. “We are thrilled to share this incredible history with the public in an experience that both passionate enthusiasts and casual fans will surely appreciate and enjoy.”

Porsche Design Lounge and Stereo Display entertainment during the CRT television era. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Penthouse for your Porsche: This luxe Miami high-rise comes with a car elevator so you can drive right into your living room. A new skyscraper in the Miami skyline is a Porsche lover's nirvana. It's called the Porsche Design Tower and every inch of this Sunny Isles Beach high-rise is inspired by the sleek German sports car. It's even been described as a Porsche piston rising from the shoreline [ht: CNBC - video vignette HERE]. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

From ‘The Porsche Effect’ poster display. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

The showcase also features explorations into Porsche Design, Identification, and Culture ... complete with audio/visual presentations for one to immerse themselves in.  Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

"Within my responsibility I have at Porsche, none is greater than the commitment of looking after our great brand,” said Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “With that, of course, comes the compulsion to support and honor our rich heritage. When the Petersen Museum first suggested we work together on what has become “The Porsche Effect,” I immediately saw the mutual benefits to both.  We are looking forward to sharing the story of Porsche through rare and seldom seen artifacts and display elements, in addition to some of the most iconic cars or all time.”

Some of the vehicles on display include the 1939 Berlin-Rome Type 64 race car, a 906 race car, the 919 endurance racer, the Petersen Collection’s 901 and Continental, a rare model “X83” Turbo S Flachbau 964, a rally-spec Type 953 911, the world-beating Gulf 917K, the Jägermeister 962, the legendary Porsche 935 K3 Le Mans winner belonging to Petersen vice-chairman Bruce Meyer and more. On exclusive loan from The Porsche Museum will be the 928 H50 study, a rare four-door prototype of the 928.

The back sweep wall showcase that features some of the most winning and iconic racecars produced by Porsche combined with music and moving graphic display that highlights the accomplishments of each of the platforms displayed. Breaking up the string of cars are engines as they evolve through the ages. Image Credit Edmund Jenks (2018)

VIP ticket holders may receive access to the museum’s exclusive Penthouse Lounge. VIPs may also be offered a limited-run poster, copies of limited-edition Porsche literature, and a tour of the Porsche vault.

The exhibit will run through January 27, 2019. Those interested in attending - purchase tax-deductible general admission and VIP tickets on www.petersentickets.org. For more information on “The Porsche Effect” or about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit www.Petersen.org.

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The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $13 for seniors and students with ID, $8 for children ages 3 to 12. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under three are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Petersen Automobile Museum, The Porsche Effect, Dave Engelman, Bruce Meyer, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, Porsche Cars North America, Inc., The Vault, Porsche Design, culture, The EDJE

Is Fisker Automotive Another Solyndra Style Waste Of Money?

ABC News focuses on the one Fisker assembly line already running in Finland. Some of those federal energy dollars were used on design plans. ABC interviewed Fisker head, Henrik Fisker who assured reporter Brian Ross the federal money was not being used to pay workers at the plant. Image Credit: Fisker Automotive, Inc.

Is Fisker Automotive Another Solyndra Style Waste Of Money?

We, at The EDJE, have a neighbor whose family was happy to tell me, about six months ago, that they had private investments in Fisker Automotive, Inc.

News broke this week stating that Obama's Department of Energy was acting as a venture capitalist by issuing a 500 million dollar plus loan to a car manufacturing company on the heels of the bankruptcy announcement of Solyndra, a solar cell manufacturer where the Obama Administration thought it was a good risk to place taxpayer money at risk in a company that they knew would go bankrupt.

The Fisker Karma, front view. Image Credit: Fisker Automotive, Inc.

This excerpted and edited from Newsworks -

Tactics of Delaware carmaker Fisker questioned by ABC News
By John Mussoni - October 21, 2011

ABC News partnered with the Center for Public Integrity to do a series of reports that aired on various broadcasts over Thursday and Friday. It pointed to over $500 million in U.S. Energy Department loans for Fisker to build new-age fuel efficient cars.

The failed new energy company, Solyndra, is also casting a shadow over Fisker Automotive and other new technology companies. The ABC News report raised questions about how federal dollars are being spent in getting the Fisker assembly line up to speed in the old Boxwood Road GM plant in Delaware.

The report points to a General Accounting Office report saying there is not enough oversight on how the money is being spent. The GAO report also states there aren’t enough trained engineers who can analyze whether companies like Fisker and its chief competitor, Tesla Motors, are spending money appropriately.

ABC News focuses on the one Fisker assembly line already running in Finland. Some of those federal energy dollars were used on design plans. ABC interviewed Fisker head, Henrik Fisker who assured reporter Brian Ross the federal money was not being used to pay workers at the plant.

There is a tone of skepticism in both reports about whether there could be another company that fails despites federal backing.
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Delaware has money tied to Fisker as well.

The state of Delaware has a big stake in Fisker’s success. Part of the deal struck in October 2009 was a $9 million grant that would off set utility charges while Fisker started the necessary changes needed to change the assembly process from what was left behind with General Motors to the Fisker assembly line. To date the state has paid $5 million, according to Governor Jack Markell’s office.

The state has also invested another $12.5 million in a loan to Fisker that will be converted to a grant if hiring goals are met. There have been 100 people hired so far in 2011. The goal is over 2,000 workers to be in place by 2013.
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A Fisker spokesman told Fox Business Channel what the company meant to say was that full distribution would not begin until 2013. The spokesman said the company was still on track to begin production a year from now.

The Delaware facility looks about the same as it did when General Motors shut down the plant in July 2009. The water tower still has the GM logo. There are padlocks on the fences where hundreds of workers used to work.
[Reference Here]

Fisker Karma, rear view. Image Credit: Fisker Automotive, Inc.

When I came home, I could not wait to write the following:

"I just found out today in the news that you (and your dad) have nothing on me, in that, I am an investor in the Fisker Automotive, Inc. too! We have great taste.

This is NOT a Solyndra type of deal that the Obama Government made because there is actually a market for well conceived, well designed, limited production run boutique automobiles ... no matter the sales price. The solar panels that were supposed to be produced at the Solyndra could only be made for $6.00 in a $3.00 solar cell market price world.

I hope to see Henrik Fisker again at the LA Auto Show."

As per Fisker - Not a single dollar of the DoE loans has been, or will be, spent outside of America. All expenditures are reviewed by PwC (PriceWaterhouseCoopers) on behalf of the DoE. Image Credit: Fisker Automotive, Inc.

This excerpted and edited from Fisker website -

Fisker Statement re: Misleading News Reports
ID: 567 | 10.21.2011

There have been stories in the media today commenting on the Department of Energy (DoE) loan guarantees Fisker Automotive received. We wanted to give you some more information.
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Not a single dollar of the DoE loans has been, or will be, spent outside of America. All expenditures are reviewed by PwC (PriceWaterhouseCoopers) on behalf of the DoE.

After receiving the DoE loan, Fisker made it a priority to create U.S. jobs which led to the purchase its own assembly plant in Delaware where we plan to establish production of our second, higher volume, line of vehicles (Project Nina).

There are currently over 100 workers reconfiguring the Delaware plant so that Fisker will be ready to begin hiring a skilled hourly workforce to producing its Nina platform vehicles in the U.S. for sale around the world. Many of these Delaware costs are covered by the DoE loans.

For the Karma program, the DoE loan money was used solely in the U.S. to fund design, engineering, and integration work.

Only private equity financing, of which we have raised over $600 million so far, has been used for costs not covered by the DoE loans, of which only a small part is production costs in Finland.

The majority of our private funding has been used to create jobs, including 650 people at Fisker’s headquarters in California, over 100 at the Delaware plant and many more at various suppliers throughout the U.S.

At the inception of the company, Fisker explored the possibility of producing the Karma in the U.S. However, there are no contract manufacturers like Valmet in the U.S., and none of the established domestic automakers were willing to partner with Fisker to provide a manufacturing option in the U.S. that would work for the Karma program. Our assembly arrangement for the Karma was in place before the DoE loans were approved, and has been widely reported on since 2009.

There is no link between Fisker Automotive and any political party. We are politically neutral – our focus is on building luxury electric vehicles.

More than 45% of the components of the Fisker Karma sedan are manufactured by approximately 40 suppliers located in the U.S. Some of our biggest suppliers in the U.S. include A123 Systems (Li-ion battery), General Motors Springhill Engine Plant (gasoline engine), Goodyear (tires) and TRW (regenerative braking system).
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With the help of DoE loans, Fisker has already created hundreds of U.S. jobs, with thousands more in the near future. Ultimately Fisker is a high-tech American car company that we’re confident will be an American success story to be celebrated.
[Reference Here]

So, is Fisker Automotive another Obama/Solyndra style waste of taxpayer money? If the former design director of Aston Martin and the once president and CEO of BMW's DesignworksUSA, Henrik Fisker has his way, we think not.

... notes from The EDJE

[Article first published as Is Fisker Automotive Another Solyndra Style Waste Of Money? at Technorati]