Photos by Vijay Sankar
Air|Water was introduced as a follow up event on the day after Luftgekühlt 9 in Mare Island, and it was a resounding success amongst the enthusiasts in attendance. Every car on display was positioned with artistic obsession, like we witnessed at Luft 9 just a day ago, this time with a juxtapositions of both air- and water-cooled Porsches of note. Air|Water became a standalone event in 2024, and on display were an endless arrays of colors and shapes from the Porsche catalog, ranging from historic cars to the latest and greatest from Stuttgart. There were significant recent model showcases, in the style of The Quail during Car Week.
Air|Water celebrated a tremendous success in its second outing with artistically curated cars attracting more than 11000 enthusiasts, who immersed themselves in the celebration of 75 years of everything Porsche. There was no shortage of discoverable experiences and aching feet. From the galleries created in the six main exhibition halls, to the off-road and rallye machines in the Action Sports Arena, the Broad Arrow Live Auction in The Hangar, and a sold-out exhibit hall featuring companies catering to the Porsche enthusiast, there was something for everybody at Air|Water. Also featured were 33 white Porsches in the Pacific Amphitheatre, custom restored builders in Park Plaza, and a barn full of vintage finds. The display cars even stretched across several expansive lots as Air|Water provided an unforgettable day for Porsche fans.
In addition to spectacles such as a Porsche-powered Formula 1 car, Le Mans winners, and Pikes Peak entrants, visitors were able to meet VIPs including the show organizers and decorated racers Patrick Long and Jeff Zwart, plus Porsche Factory racers Jörg Bergmeister and Alwin Springer.
The weekend was sold out on Sunday, and the Orange County Fairground was buzzing with the presence of fans, notable figures from Porsche’s racing history, and artists of various formats. Here are a few images in a bid to do justice to the selection of experiences from the event.
