You're headed for the desert, but don't want to sacrifice style. Or art, for that matter. Also: you want help on hand in case of mishap. Multi-disciplinary artist Daniel Arsham in collaboration with clothing label Stone Island has the solution: this unique Safari Porsche 911 complete with matching Unimog support vehicle. Together they have all you need to reach the next oasis in time for cocktails.
The basis is a 1986 911 Turbo, familiar "whale tail" rear spoiler present and correct. The 911's been customised, to the design of Arsham, by veteran endurance racer Leh Keen, a specialist in the marque, using as many 1970s and 1980s parts as possible. The 911, after all, has a distinguished rallying record. This Safari 911 needs to be tougher still and so, joining the bank of spotlights at the front and the new bumpers front and rear, is a bespoke protective plate running the length of the 911's underside.
The Safari 911 is ready the toughest of challenges. Tyres are to rally specification and suspension has been upgraded. But just in case things go wrong, there's a matching Unimog U404, designed for almost anything anyone can imagine, ready and waiting to fix all and everything. As you'd expect, the cover to the Unimog's rear is in an archival Stone Island fabric. Style even extends, here, to the breakdown truck.
Interiors of both Safari 911 and support Unimog are similarly bespoke. Seat fabrics on both vehicles have been rethought for both toughness and support on rougher-than-rough surfaces. The 911's supple leather has been replaced by a bespoke moleskin, chosen for its trademark softness and durability, then treated not only for extra grip but for a "dusted" effect. Logos combine those of Stone Island and Arsham Studios.
For the complete look, a limited edition range of overalls has been crafted, also in cosy cotton moleskin, with a similar lost-in-the-desert styling as the seats. The idea is that this remarkable 911 Safari, its tough-as-nails Unimog support, their matching interiors and overall-clad occupants form one complete artwork. Best exhibited in the finest gallery of all: your local arid desert.
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