Orlando Bloom's first big automotive splurge was a classic Porsche—a black 911S from 1973. The actor had paid his dues, attending art and drama school in London, going out for auditions, and tooling around town in a forest-green Volkswagen Golf GT he'd bought for 160 pounds sterling. But by his mid-20s, he'd found success with major roles in the original Lord of the Rings film trilogy and decided he wanted to reward himself. Also, the VW had run into some trouble—or, more pointedly, trouble had run into it."It was parked, and I came out to it, and somebody had just driven down the whole side of it," he tells Robb Report while meeting with us in a private room at the exclusive Zero Bond club in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood. When he got behind the wheel of the vintage 911, the Porsche philosophy immediately spoke to him; the belief that driving a great car is "an experience and a moment of meditation," he says. "It's a sort of feeling that you get, of clarity. And that's all from the passion of the people behind it."More from Robb ReportThis Gorgeous Custom Porsche 944 Shooting Brake Can Soon Be YoursPorsche Might Be Working on a New Flat-Eight-Powered SupercarPorsche and Hedley Studios Just Unveiled a Pint-Sized Version of the Legendary 550A rendering of the proposed Porsche Design Concours in West Palm Beach, Fla.So, when the opportunity arose for him to build his own dream car—an Underberg green over Cohiba brown 911 GT3 Touring—at Porsche's Sonderwunsch customization workshop in Stuttgart, a conversation opened about how to deepen his relationship with the brand. This resulted, two years back, in him becoming an ambassador with Porsche Design, the marque's wholly owned consultancy, responsible for all manner of products, including iconic watches, luggage, sunglasses, and now, luxury apartments you can drive your car directly into.Porsche Design's most recent commercial project, the Porsche Design Concours, expands on this notion of automotive storage. A collaboration with the Newgard Development Group, it plans for a nationwide series of self-contained units in which owners can house, display, and commune with their vehicles, and find community with other like-minded automotive aficionados.The locations will each include a restaurant and a spa, as well as opportunities for owners to participate in curated driving experiences."It redefines the concept of a traditional garage," says Volker Strotmeier, a member of the Porsche Lifestyle Executive Board. "Creating a design-led destination where exceptional cars, world class architecture, and extraordinary experiences converge to create a truly special community for car collectors."The buildings, which will each house 22 units, will be oriented around the social dimension of automotive ownership, according to Harvey Hernandez, Newgard's founder and C.E.O. To this end, the locations will each include a restaurant and a spa, as well as opportunities for owners to engage with curated driving experiences, community events, and racing simulators. Unlike other such sites, including the Thermal Club in southern California and the Concours Club in south Florida, the properties will not include a private racetrack.From left: Harvey Hernandez, Newgard's founder and C.E.O., Orlando Bloom, and Volker Strotmeier, member of the Porsche Lifestyle Executive Board.The first two locations are planned for Dallas, Tex., and West Palm Beach, Fla. And while they will each incorporate strong alignment with the Porsche Design philosophy, Porsche ownership is not a prerequisite for buying in. "Great collections are rarely defined by a single marque," says Hernandez. "We want each studio to reflect the personality and passions of its owner."Though Bloom says that other desirable cars have, regrettably, come and gone from his collection—including a 1971 Aston Martin DBS V8 and a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type—he still has the 1973 Porsche 911S, the Touring, and a few other special cars. And while he fantasizes about adding a 911 ST, which he calls, "the last of the action heroes," to his stable, he's unlikely to buy into a condo for his cars.The buildings, which will each house 22 units, will be oriented around the social dimension of automotive ownership, according to Harvey Hernandez, Newgard's founder and C.E.O."There is value in having great storage. But I think as time goes on, I realize that luxury isn't necessarily more. Luxury is less of better. So, I try to keep my cars around me. I have four, so wherever possible, I try to use them and make the most out of them," Bloom says. After all, he concludes, our anatomy severely limits how many vehicles we can enjoy at one time. "You've only got one ass!"Click here for more photos of Orlando Bloom and the Porsche Design Concours.Actor Orlando Bloom poses at the debut of the Porsche Design Concours announcement.Best of Robb ReportThe 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine BeastThe World's Best Superyacht ShipyardsThe ABCs of Chartering a YachtSign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Click here to read the full article.
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