When the creators of Gran Turismo invited automakers
to design their own virtual concepts, the automakers flocked. How better, to convey what their brands stood for and connect with a new generation of
potential customers than to design a concept you'd never actually have to
build?
One automaker that resolutely resisted getting in on
the action was Porsche, what with its archaic licensing practices and all, but
that didn't stop some independent designers from envisioning their own.
We saw the rather stunning 908-94 concept this past
summer, and now another designer has thrown his racing-striped hat into the
ring. His name is Alexander Imnadze, and he's worked for Bertone, Alfa Romeo,
and Ford, among others. We've featured his designs on these pages several times
before, including a rather stunning Bugatti GT proposal and a sleek Maserati
Bora revival, but this could be his best work yet.
Dubbed the Porsche GT Vision 906/917, it pays homage
to Le Mans racers from Weissach's history, but in an entirely modern (if not
futuristic) form. The design, in short, doesn't just envision what a Porsche
concept for Gran Turismo could look like, but imagines a successor to the
victorious 919 Hybrid that won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World
Endurance Championship the past two years running.
