Porsche and Pixar bring Sally Carrera to life marking 20 years since the Cars film
Porsche has been working to create a unique car for a charitable auction with proceeds from supporting life-changing programs for girls and young women through Girls Inc. as well as UNHCR to provide aid to children and their families affected by the conflict in Ukraine.Can you believe it has been 20 years since the Pixar Animation film Cars hit cinemas and the world was introduced to Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera? To mark the 20th anniversary of Sally, the 2002 911 Carrera who stars in the film franchise, a small team from Pixar led by Cars Production Designer, Bob Pauley, and Creative Director, Jay Ward, Style Porsche in Weissach and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Stuttgart have been working together on a special project to commemorate this milestone. As the project progressed, so did its purpose.
“We wanted to help, somehow, and as a team we realised we could perhaps harness what we were working on to raise money. The whole project began with the premise that Sally’s character was devoted to helping others and it seems right that this should continue 20 years on”, explained Jay Ward, Creative Director of Franchise at Pixar Animation Studios.
So, what are the team working on? For the first time ever, they are going to build a brand new, street-legal Porsche 911 inspired by the special character they created for animation purposes. Only one will ever be made and the real-life Sally Carrera will be auctioned off with all proceeds specifically aimed to help children, supporting education programs for young girls in the U.S. through Girls Inc. and refugee families fleeing Ukraine.
“The majority of those forced to flee Ukraine are women and children, among them unaccompanied children and those separated from their parents,” said Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR. “But there is reason to hope with the critical support of companies like Porsche and Pixar Animation Studios who have generously stepped up to help ensure their safety and protection in months to come.”
This initiative is in addition to existing donations made by the German carmaker of a million euros donated last week to provide emergency aid to people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
For those who haven’t seen the film (do yourself a favour and stream it now on Disney+!), in the world of Disney and Pixar’s Cars, Sally Carrera is a beautiful 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera from California who grew tired of life in the fast lane and made a new start in the small town of Radiator Springs. She is the town's attorney and the car most dedicated to helping get Radiator Springs "back on the map.” She strived, always, to make a difference and to help.
Work on the car is already underway and while it will be built for the road and inspired by the car from the movie, it will not be a direct copy of Sally. It will then be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s later in the year. In addition, Porsche Design has committed to creating a one-off timepiece to accompany the 911 when it’s auctioned, reflecting the unique styling of the car and featuring many bespoke parts to create a special and unique addition to the project.
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