Well-coiffed gents, stylishly clad women, and tiny lobster rolls set the scene at last week’s meticulously appointed grand opening of Porsche Centre Oakville. Among the crowd, however, one individual acted as a counter-balance to the evening's affairs. He responded to sartorial elegance with boots and plaid, to hairsprayed manes with dreadlocks, and to fragrant aftershave with facial hair far exceeding all rabbinical standards. In person he truly defines the term "Urban Outlaw", but I'll refer to him as Magnus Walker.
During the early part of the evening I had the chance to sit down with Magnus and discuss all things Porsche while in the presence of the 1971 #277 911. There were a few specific things I wanted to learn about his recent rise to online fame but to my surprise I came to an interesting conclusion about what a character like Magnus Walker represents within the bigger picture.
Does Magnus Have A Master Plan?
Uttering the words 'master plan' in a room full of very powerful German figures could have created an uncomfortable aura but I had to know if there was one behind Urban Outlaw. Walker explains that before his viral success he was essentially leading the same life that the Porsche community has now witnessed. At his warehouse in Los Angeles he had been working on early generation 911's when he was approached by Tamir Mascovici, Toronto resident and filmmaker, who wanted to create an edgy and short documentary for his reel. After a brief email conversation Tamir flew down to LA, purely on a leap of faith, and began shooting. We all know what happened after the release and Magnus stresses that even to this day he has not solicited a single request to any publication [We can attest to the fact that we've always been the one to approach Magnus]. To answer my first question, there was no master plan, and quite clearly, there still isn't. I was beginning to discover the type of person Magnus Walker is.
Is Overexposure A Concern?
His answers begin to bleed into the other questions I had prepared for the interview. I ask whether he is concerned about overexposure as it seems the outlaw image works best with a smaller following. Magnus declares that he simply does not give it a lot of thought.
"I used to get people coming up to me all the time saying 'Aren't you Rob Zombie?', now people come up to me and go 'Aren't you that Porsche guy?'"
He has, in fact, always been that atypical Porsche collector and not someone concerned about things like image, brand, niche marketing, or any other corporate lingo. It really is all about the cars. Passion is a term that should be reserved for people like Walker, and perhaps anyone else who has owned 40 911's over a 23 year period.
Glancing above Magnus's vintage baseball cap I notice a caterer setting up champagne glasses for the coming festivities. We get into a discussion about the connection between artists and cars as our voices become slightly drowned out by sound technicians obsessively searching for the perfect volume for the evening. This is when an idea dawns upon me. I sit speaking with a dreaded, bearded artist, in a rather contrived environment, about how rules and regulations have somewhat sapped the artistic vision in the car market. We continue, reflecting on early Turbos and conclude that technological regulations have robbed newer Turbos of their former coolness. That cool factor is attributable to the challenge of the drive says Walker, explaining how driving is an end in itself, a raw connection between man and machine. It strikes me that events like this do little to exemplify the philosophies, ideals, and principles of such a character.
The latter portion of the evening does little to change the above notion. We hear from executives who shower us with corporate bravado, speaking of plans for market dominance, diminishing trade barriers, and proliferation of green technology. While this is supremely important from a business perspective it isn't of much interest to our inner drivers, and it certainly does not involve any of the aforementioned coolness. I recall points made by Magnus about the open road, freedom, and the challenge of driving and note that such points are glaringly absent in this presentation. It strikes me that at times companies and customers alike can forget that driving is the very factor that unites us. Walker starkly contrasts the words of the presentations, operating purely out of love for the brand. Business jargon, while necessary in the boardroom, is the antithesis of what we love about Porsche and the joy of driving.
He's Good For Us As Enthusiasts And For The Brand
Magnus Walker's words speak volumes about the foundation upon which our enthusiasm is built. He is a reminder of why we love Porsche to begin with and for these reasons I was truly grateful to have had this opportunity. While grand opening events like this provide a chance to hear from the leaders of the industry, they require a character like Walker as a contrasting figure. It is through personalities like him that we can truly connect with that inner automotive affection that drives us. I do, however, appreciate the lobster rolls.
Michael Stone is an automotive-obsessed writer based in Toronto. Check out more of his writing at www.mistastone.com and follow him on Facebook.com/themistastone
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