Anyone who attended this year’s South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) and visited Porsche’s display might have seen an odd-looking pastel 1978 Porsche 928. The funky coupe is the creation of contemporary designer Daniel Arsham, with the purple car’s interior paying homage to the early 2000s.
Beyond the Porsche’s pastel exterior are other visual upgrades. The front and rear fascias underwent a major makeover, getting redesigned by vehicle and concept artist Khyzyl Saleem. The new front bumper features a sizeable oblong grille opening that Saleem paired with round lighting units, a motif seen on other parts of the car.
Gallery: Porsche 928 “Nebula” Art Car
The 928’s rear features the same round lighting units for the taillights and indicators. They frame an illuminated cutout that reads “nebula” in a bubbly script. The 928 features large, rounded rear fenders that expose the rear wheels, with a large wing completing the rear-end’s upgrades.
Inside, the car’s Y2K aesthetic continues with a clash of colors. Purple leather and Ultrasuede adorn the interior, with various shades covering the seats, center console, door cards, and dashboard. White is used as a contrasting color used on the aluminum steering wheel, ByBorre shift knob, and speaker grilles, which bring the lighting units’ bubbly styling into the cabin.
It might seem strange to see Porsche at the music and film festival in Austin, but the event has grown to attract tech companies, influencers, automakers, and other industries hoping to look hip. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric van appeared in the US at the event in 2022, which was also Porsche’s first year attending it.
This year, the automaker set up its “Porsche X – Collaborations Unseen” exhibit highlighting the company’s art cars and other creations. In addition to the 928, Porsche also brought Mirage, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 from the upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts movie. Others included the Porsche Vision 357, Chris Labrooy’s 996 Swan Car, and the Porsche Vision Gran Turismo exhibition car. The automaker also hosted several panels, including one with Paramount Pictures.
