Origin as a Foundation
From lava fields and glaciers to thundering waterfalls and silent fjords, Iceland is a land of extremes shaped by generations who have come to understand that the future is based on respect for origin. Here, the Porsche Heritage Experience has found the perfect stage for its mission, which is to experience the past and shape the future. Accompanied by Icelander Rúrik Gíslason, Christophorus delves into Icelandic traditions and explores the Porsche cosmos in various generations of the 911 Targa – in celebration of its 60th anniversary.
Fagradalsfjall …
… is one of around 30 active volcanoes in Iceland that provide the ideal conditions for geothermal energy generation. In all, there are roughly 130 volcanoes on the island.
A landscape rich in contrasts:
Along with the black beaches, the breathtaking Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in southeastern Iceland is one of the country’s many extraordinary natural attractions.
There’s a scent of volcanic rock and damp moss in the air, a wild fragrance that no laboratory around the world could ever produce. A purple strip of bluebonnets lines the edge of the road, resembling the brush strokes of an impressionist. The Porsche Heritage Experience converges on this island of fire and frost with six models of the 911 Targa. In tow – in celebration of its anniversary – are a soft-window model (original 911), the G-Series, generations 964, 993, and 996, and the current 911 Targa 4 GTS (992). The event was initiated by the Porsche Heritage and Museum team. It’s a parade that brings together the past, the present, and a promise.
Full of anticipation:
Rúrik Gíslason sitting in the 911 Targa from 1968, ready to experience tradition in his home country behind the wheel of a Porsche.Rúrik Gíslason has taken the lead in a 911 Targa from 1993 and, by the end of the trip, will have had the opportunity to drive every model – all of them cultural ambassadors on wheels from Zuffenhausen – through his home country of Iceland. He sits silently behind the wheel, as if he can hear the echo of his childhood in the purr of the engine. The tattoo on his right wrist peeks out from the sleeve: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This motto, also known as the Golden Rule, comes from the New Testament. Gíslason says that the silent vow reminds him every day to act responsibly, be punctual, and not to speak ill of others.
Later on, during the first stop, he says that his mother, who passed away five years ago, was once his most important fellow traveler. Her photo is the background on his smartphone. Your best advice? “Be happy,” he says. “Too many people focus on the negative, but she always saw the positive.” A life philosophy that not only applies to Gíslason, but also most Icelanders. The United Nations World Happiness Report regularly lists the island state in its Top 5 happiest countries worldwide. During the Heritage Experience, we’re eager to learn more about this country and its people, who, despite all the adversity, have learned to see the positive and create so much happiness out of origin and tradition.
Nearly 400,000 people live on Europe’s second-largest island, which, with a total area of over 100,000 square kilometers, is roughly the size of Portugal. A people – a community – that values literary tradition and a sense of security on the island of fire and ice.
Near to the capital city of Reykjavík, we visit Skyrland, the production facility of the world-renowned quark alternative. In a bright wooden structure, a demonstration reveals how ancient cultures are used to transform pasteurized milk into the high-protein skyr we’re familiar with. But the makers on-site explain that skyr is so much more than just that. It’s also a symbol of Icelandic resilience that has nourished families over the long winters since Vikings settled on the island in the ninth century. It’s a part of their identity and their cultural heritage. “I grew up with skyr. Wherever I happen to be in the world, skyr always makes me feel at home,” says 37-year-old Gíslason, who since the end of his professional soccer career has been an actor and entrepreneur.
The cultural heritage of skyr:
At the factory, participants learn that skyr is more than just a dairy product. For the native Icelanders, it’s a cultural heritage.
Geothermal energy and the art of gardening
Nestled between lava fields just an hour’s drive away, the Friðheimar greenhouse farm grows tomatoes, bell peppers, and basil, which flourish under glass roofs high overhead despite the subpolar climate – heated with Icelandic geothermal energy. “The idea of founding a tomato farm in the raw climate of Iceland is quite bold. This is a family business like Porsche and offers proof of just how far you can go with courage and real teamwork,” explains Gíslason. The farm was established in 1995 and managed by just one employee at that time. Today there’s full-time staff of more than 70. As we enjoy piquant tomato soup, chutneys, and homemade basil pesto, our guide tells us about his first Porsche, which he bought at the age of 18, when he was a professional soccer player in Denmark. “Even though I was only home three to four weeks a year, I really wanted to be able to drive a Cayenne whenever I came back for a visit,” he recalls. For him, this car was a symbol of success, transformation, and versatility. It was a source of pride on wheels that took on a deeper meaning in Iceland’s landscape than anywhere else.
A hidden paradise:
The Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon is nestled at the very foot of the impressive Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Iceland offers a tapestry of raw beauty off the beaten path.
Tomato paradise:
Using what’s there, the Icelanders have built an oasis with geothermal heating on thin volcanic ground.
Maintaining tradition
The aim of the Porsche Heritage Experience is to preserve and share traditions, which is why the event has been to destinations like China, Hawaii, and Germany. “We’d like to get acquainted with other cultures, which is the only authentic way for us to see how they preserve their knowledge and traditions and pass them on to future generations,” explains Alexander E. Klein, creative mind and initiator of the program launched in 2019. We also live this philosophy within our company. Porsche Heritage and Museum view the vehicles as brand ambassadors on wheels and as a promise to the future. “We maintain the values that have shaped the company. Porsche’s culture, identity, and tradition live on in every model, in every detail, and in every person who is part of this story,” says Klein. “In this way, Porsche Heritage and Museum quite literally serve as vehicles for bringing the past into the future.”
Journey through time:
At the front, the 911 Targa from 1968, the oldest participant in the Heritage Experience, and behind it the current generation. 57 years of Porsche evolution on an Icelandic excursion.Gíslason climbs into the red 911 Targa Softwindow from 1968 – the oldest of the six sports cars involved in the Porsche Heritage Experience – and releases the thin roof panel with minimal effort. “For me, it’s an honor to drive a Porsche that’s brimming with stories,” he says. “And to do that in a country that itself has so many stories to tell.” A short time later, he’s driving the 911 Carrera 3.0 from 1977 through the highlands. The boxer engine is rumbling, but not loud enough to drown out the screeching of the Arctic terns. “Travel with the weather” is the saying here. “The hot thermal springs have left the road with just the amount of space it needs,” says Gíslason. “I feel a connection with the path and the Targa.” Icelanders sometimes refer to their roads as “leið,” which translates to “path.” When traveling on such a leið, if they meet new people, Icelanders immediately converse with each other in a relaxed, informal way. Yet another tradition that reveals that the word “community” is alive and well in one of the most modern countries in the world.
Gíslason then gets behind the wheel of the new 911 Targa 4 GTS. Fitted with an electrically assisted exhaust gas turbocharger for the first time, the T-Hybrid system combines state-of-the-art drive technology with traditional Targa DNA, making it powerful, efficient, and unmistakable. The pulse of the classic cars transforms into an almost silent dialogue between machine and electronics. Gíslason presses the gas pedal carefully and says, “This interplay between the traditional feel of driving and pioneering technology reveals that nothing has been replaced, just enhanced.” Hot springs churn below the asphalt and, high above the panoramic roof, the wind sweeps the clouds across the horizon as if in time-lapse.
Descendant:
The 911 Targa 4 GTS marks the next stage of Targa evolution at Porsche – with an innovative hybrid system.Continental rift: endurance in transformation
Iceland was formed out of molten lava, and Porsche from visionary ideas. Just as the Icelanders anchor their houses deep in the rock, Porsche anchors its principles: lightweight construction, iconic design, evolution rather than revolution.
Standing between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Gíslason points to the gaping fissure. “The entire continents are pulling away from each other here, and yet the ground is still there.” This area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. The long shadows of the Heritage Experience participants – content creators from all over Europe – extend across the stone amphitheater in which justice was once administered and history written. Amid the rugged ravines, geology melts with an idea at the heart of both Iceland and Porsche: the courage to combine tradition and innovation in powerful harmony. Just like the fissure beneath our feet, which separates, but at the same time reveals a connection.
The power of origin
In Reykjavík, the midnight sun continues to bathe the scenery in light. The engines fall silent, and the roar of the Atlantic fills the still air. Gíslason parks the 911 Targa 4 GTS next to the 1968 Softwindow – past and future, bumper to bumper. At this moment, “Heritage” is no longer just a word, but also a sound: the soft hum of an engine, the gentle roar of the sea, and the echo of a voice: “Be happy!”
Forces of nature:
Powerful currents of water plunge 60 meters at the Skógafoss waterfall.There’s a different soundtrack the next morning, as the chorus of engines has been replaced by the roar of the Skógafoss waterfall, which is around 60 meters tall. A narrow path leads behind the waterfall, providing a breathtaking view of the flawlessly choreographed display of nature, the mist glowing bright in the backlight. But for the Icelanders, the water is more than just an extraordinary natural wonder. With more than 70 percent of the country’s electricity needs covered by hydropower, Iceland is a shining example of how to successfully use renewable energies. Next, the group heads for Vík í Mýrdal, to the southernmost town in mainland Iceland. Beyond a wide, sweeping turn in the road, the snow-covered cone of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano suddenly appears on the horizon, awakening memories of the 2010 volcanic eruption, when the released ash grounded flights in many parts of Europe. But Icelanders have also managed to exploit volcanic activity. Considered to be one of the most important sources of energy, geothermal energy is responsible for heating around 90 percent of all households. Since the early 20th century, Icelandic researchers have been developing groundbreaking technologies for exploiting geothermal heat. The country is now a global leader in this field.
Yet another shining example of the motto of our trip: Origin is not only a look back, but also the foundation for the future. The original core principles of the company founder, Ferdinand Porsche, appear to be everywhere: ingenuity, engineering, and holding on to what works. In Iceland, the flowing contours of the Porsche sports cars blend with the curves of nature along the mountain routes, creating harmonious lines that are never too sharp and never haphazard.
And so, in the end, there is certainty: As long as Porsche continues the brand’s DNA in every new model, its origin will remain alive and well.
In the land of ice and fire
Find further impressions of the Targa classic cars in Iceland here.
