Stuttgart\/Los Angeles.<\/b>\u00a0Designers from Porsche AG and Lucasfilm Ltd. have joined forces to develop a fantasy starship that brings together the design DNA of the two brands. Over a period of two months, the project team worked together at their respective design studios in Weissach and San Francisco to create initial ideas and drafts before finally coming up with a concrete concept. The fantasy starship, named Tri- Wing S-91x Pegasus Starfighter, will be presented as a detailed model measuring 1.5 metres (5 feet) in length at the December film premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe design of the spaceship is harmoniously integrated into the Star Wars film world while at the same time demonstrating clear analogies with the characteristic Porsche styling and proportions,\u201d says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche at Porsche AG. \u201cThe basic shape of the cabin, which tapers towards the rear, and a highly distinctive topography from the cockpit flyline to the turbines establish visual parallels with the iconic design of the 911 and the Taycan. The very compact layout conveys dynamism and agility, lending emphasis to the Porsche design features mentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis collaboration is an amazing opportunity to merge the design aesthetics of Porsche and Star Wars. I found it to be creatively challenging and extremely inspiring,\u201d says Doug Chiang, Vice President and Executive Creative Director for Lucasfilm. \u201cIt is thrilling to infuse Star Wars with Porsche styling to create an iconic new spaceship that could exist both on Earth or in the cinematic universe.\u201d<\/p>\n
While legal requirements impose certain restrictions on creativity in the classic design process for a series-production vehicle, this project opens up a whole new dimension of freedom. At the same time, the Style Porsche team faced fresh challenges, since creating a purely virtual design is demanding, too. On the screen, the starship is only seen in two dimensions, while classic series-production vehicles appear physically in three dimensions. In addition, starships usually only appear dynamically in the film and are only visible for a brief moment \u2013 so the design has to create an impression and be recognisable within a matter of seconds.<\/p>\n
A glance at the details reveals a number of features familiar from the Porsche design style. The front is reminiscent of the so-called \u201cair curtains\u201d (air inlets) that go together with the headlights to create a single formal entity in the Taycan. In addition to the four-point daytime running light typical of Porsche, the so-called \u201cblasters\u201d \u2013 long gun barrels at the front \u2013 are located at the tip. The rear grid with the louvres and integrated third brake light was inspired by the current 911 generation, and the rear section of the starship bears the brand\u2019s hallmark light bar. Porsche design criteria have been applied to the interior, too: the instruments in the cockpit are clearly aligned with the driver’s axis, while the low seating position is reminiscent of the sporty ergonomics in the Porsche 918 Spyder. All in all, the design follows a basic principle that is characteristic of the brand: all the elements on the exterior have a clear function, and purely visual features have largely been dispensed with.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur collaborative project with Star Wars goes perfectly with the launch of the Taycan. The design teams have brought the differing worlds of Porsche and Star Wars together to make a very special gift for the fans of the two brands,\u201d says Kjell Gruner, Head of Marketing at Porsche. Porsche will also be showcasing the all-new Taycan at the premiere event in Los Angeles. A special behind the scenes look at how the finished starship came to be is now available online at\u00a0www.TheDesignerAlliance.com<\/a>\u00a0which was produced in partnership with WIRED Brand Lab.<\/p>\n