1955 Porsche Continental

WILLOW SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA - 2025

STANDARD
37” x 56” Unframed 52” x 71” Framed Edition of 20
LARGE
56” x 84” Unframed 71” x 99” Framed Edition of 20

The Porsche Continental was conceived by New York marketers who believed that the American market would be more likely to embrace a vehicle with an evocative name, than a mere number designation. 

Although the term implied European sophistication and style, Porsche was forced to re-name the Continental when Ford Motor Company legal representatives informed them that they already owned the name.  As a result, few Porsche Continentals were produced in 1955 before the name was briefly changed to “European” and then reverted to 356. 

I took this picture at Willow Springs racetrack in California on a cold, grey and rainy morning and the conditions complemented the car. There is a rather austere mood to the location; we could have been in Stuttgart on a bleak winter’s day, except I don’t think I could have persuaded Cindy Crawford to make that long a trip. The heavy cloud cover ended up being a useful prop. 

The modest racetrack buildings on the right date back to the 1950s and I was keen they should work themselves into the picture to add weight to the period story.

There are always so many people to thank in projects like this - Cindy herself, her stylists and hair and make-up team and, of course, Sam Bryne of CrossHarbor Capital for partnering with us and giving us great access to his latest investment. ~ David Yarrow