SUVs and Increased Pedestrian Deaths in the U.S. since 2009

The pedestrian death crisis in America is getting worse.

The Governors Highway Safety Association projects, in a new report being released publicly on Thursday, that 6,590 people died on or along U.S. roadways in 2019. 

That would be the highest yearly total since 1988, the same year George H.W. Bush beat Michael Dukakis to claim the presidency and "Young Guns" was in theaters.

It would also be about 307, or almost 5%, more than the 6,283 pedestrians who died in 2018. If the preliminary 2019 data holds, 57,897 pedestrians have died from 2009-2019, a total approaching the number of names (more than 58,000) on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The crisis represents a reversal of a trend of declining deaths even as safety for vehicle occupants has improved. Pedestrians deaths represent an increasing percentage of total crash deaths, from 12% in 2009 to 17% in 2018, according to the association's report.

“Each year, thousands of additional people are dying in pedestrian crashes compared to a decade ago,” report author Richard Retting said in a news release. “Following 30 years of declining pedestrian fatalities, there has been a complete reversal of progress. Pedestrians are at an inherent disadvantage in collisions, and we must continue to take a broad approach to pedestrian safety.” The report, which is based on preliminary data from the 50 states and Washington, D.C., reinforces the findings of the 2018 Detroit Free Press/USA TODAY investigation, "Death on foot: America's love of SUVs is killing pedestrians," which found that a significant factor in the increasing number of deaths is the consumer shift from passenger cars to trucks and SUVs.

Larger, blunter vehicles are simply more likely to kill pedestrians in a crash.

The Free Press/USA TODAY investigation found that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had made the connection at least as early as 2015. NHTSA reported on page 90 of a 195-page report that a dozen studies found that "pedestrians are two to three times 'more likely to suffer a fatality when struck by an SUV or pickup than when struck by a passenger car.'"

One study, which NHTSA cited, found that children aged 5-9 face a fatality risk four times greater in a pedestrian crash involving an SUV or pickup.

As in previous reports, other factors are cited as well:

• More pedestrians are dying at night
• Warmer temperatures are prompting more nighttime outdoor activity
• Alcohol continues to be an issue for drivers and pedestrians
• Distraction, such as from the use of smartphones, remains a problem, although distraction data is considered incomplete

The report, citing data from the first half of 2019, noted that 30 states had increases in pedestrian fatalities while 20 and Washington, D.C., had declines, and New Mexico had the highest rate of pedestrian deaths per resident population, while Vermont had the lowest. Michigan saw a 5% increase in pedestrian fatalities during the first half of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.

Among the solutions that could help reduce pedestrian fatalities include better enforcement of driving violations, such as speeding and distracted driving; improvements in pedestrian infrastructure, such as more mid-block crossings; and wider use of and improvements in automotive safety technology, such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and vehicle designs that limit the potential for injuries to pedestrians.

“In the past 10 years, the number of pedestrian fatalities on our nation’s roadways has increased by more than 50%,” Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, said in the release. “This alarming trend signifies that we need to consider all the factors involved in this rise, identify the high-risk areas, allocate resources where they’re needed most, and continue to work with local law enforcement partners to address the chronic driver violations that contribute to pedestrian crashes.” 

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com or (313) 223-4272. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.

Coronavirus Outbreak: COVID-19 and the 2020 Global Auto Sales Forecast

From World Economic Forum, 2/26/2020:

• Coronavirus, which began in Wuhan, China, has shut down factories.
• Car sales in China fell 92% in the first half of February.
• The impacts are being felt around the world, as shortages affect production. 

As Chinese companies attempt to restart their operations after the recent nationwide shutdown to try to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it’s clear that the mounting economic effects of the outbreak are leaving their toll on the country’s automotive sector.

Chinese car production stalled 

China is the world’s biggest car market, and Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak, is known as a “motor city” for being home to auto plants including General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Peugeot Group and Renault. For Honda alone, Wuhan accounts for about 50% of total production in China. In 2019, Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital, was the fourth-largest car producer in China, with about 10% of the country’s car-making capacity and produced 2.24 million vehicles.

As the coronavirus spread, many auto companies across the country closed their doors as part of the recent nationwide shutdown. In addition to the auto companies based in Hubei, for example, Tesla’s new factory in Shanghai shut down, postponing the production date of its Model 3, and Volkswagen postponed production at all of its Chinese plants that it runs in partnership with SAIC. 

Largely as a result, car sales in China fell 92% in the first half of February, according to the data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). China’s association of automobile manufacturers recently forecast a 10% decrease in sales for the first half of the year and 5% decline for the full year. If many factories close until mid-March, it could lead to reduction of 1.7 million vehicle production in China, according to IHS Markit. 

With many workers remain quarantined at home and supply lines affected, many factories are struggling to reopen or regain full capacity. Hubei recently announced it would extend the shutdown of non-essential businesses until 11 March. In addition, China’s annual auto show in Beijing, originally scheduled for 21 April, has been postponed, among many other events that have been cancelled or delayed in response to the outbreak.

China’s economy predicted to grow at its slowest rate since the financial crisis.

Image: Image: Reuters

Domino effects felt around the world

The impacts on the auto industry are being felt beyond China’s borders, as shortages of supplies from China stall production around the world. 

For example, Hyundai and Kia recently stopped several assembly lines in Korea and Nissan announced it would suspend its auto production in Japan. General Motors suggested that production outages could affect plants in Michigan and Texas, Jaguar Land Rover warned the virus could create problems at its assembly plants in Britain, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO’s Mike Manley said that production at one of the European plants may be suspended by the end of February.

Auto companies are fighting back 

In response to the virus, many auto companies are looking for solutions to get back to work. 

For example, with customer traffic in traditional dealerships heavily reduced, some carmakers turned to digital solutions. Besides new automotive players like NIO, XPeng, who were born with online-to-offline genes, many traditional automotive brands, including Volkswagen, Nissan, SAIC and BMW, turned to online shopping for cars using tools including virtual reality and live broadcasts to stimulate sales. 

In response to a severe shortage of facial masks, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile (SGMW) announced it would produce masks, which can help prevent the virus infection via respiration. SGMW worked with Guangxi Defu Technology, who is an interior parts supplier, to install mask production in Guangxi Province. There will be 14 new production lines for both medical masks and N95 factial masks with the planned volume of 1.7 million per day. The first batch of 200 thousand masks from SGMW were finished on 9 Feb.

Meanwhile, automakers BYD Co. and GAC Motor Co. also announced it would produce masks and disinfectants at their factories. The planned capacity of BYD production is 5 million masks and 50 thousand bottles of disinfectant per day, with the first batch donated to drivers of public buses, taxis, ride-hailing fleets and volunteers fighting the outbreak.

As businesses resume operations, there may be a surge in growth in the automotive market, but it will take time to go back to normal levels. Still, the coronavirus outbreak will surely accelerate industry consolidation and transformation.

From CNBC, 2/26/2020: 

Coronavirus causes Moody’s to slash global vehicle sales forecast for 2020

Investor Service is slashing its global vehicle sales forecast as the coronavirus outbreak reduces demand and disrupts automotive supply chains. The firm now expects global auto sales to slump 2.5% in 2020 instead of a 0.9% drop previously expected. Moody’s cited the COVID-19 epidemic as well as stricter emissions regulations for the overall decline in vehicle sales from 90.3 million to 88 million.

Ford Motor Company with its Back to the Wall!

(Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co.’s recently appointed chief operating officer sees the struggling automaker operating with the same sense of urgency and crisis that kept the company out of bankruptcy a decade ago.

“Everyone at Ford knows the situation we’re in,” Jim Farley, who becomes COO on March 1, said Wednesday at a Wolfe Research conference in New York. “I can see it on the faces of my colleagues and it takes me back to about 10 years ago. I’ve seen the look before.”

Ford lost $14.8 billion in 2008, the most in its then 105-year history, but was the only automaker in Detroit to avoid the bailouts and bankruptcies that befell General Motors and Chrysler a year later. The tables have turned recently as Ford let its product lineup lapse, posted a string of dismal earnings results and botched the launch of its redesigned Explorer sport utility vehicle. Its stock closed Tuesday at the lowest in more than a decade.

Farley contends Ford functions best when its back is against the wall.

“When I see Ford at its best was in ’08, coronavirus, Thai floods, earthquake in Japan,” Farley said, recounting the current and previous calamities the company has faced. “When there was a threat, the team comes together, decisions get made quickly at the right level. It’s very natural.”

The promotion of Farley, 57, was announced earlier this month along with the early retirement of Joe Hinrichs, the other president of the company.

Immediate Fix

Farley said he is focused on fixing Ford’s problems, accelerating Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett’s $11 billion turnaround plan and growing its business.

His first priority is improving Ford’s financial performance by smoothly launching important new models, including the revived Bronco sport-utility vehicle, the electric Mustang Mach-E and a redesigned version of the F-150 pickup, the company’s biggest money maker.

“We need to immediately fix the reliability of our cost performance and especially our launches,” Farley said. “We’re launching very, very expensive products. So the first one is to really fix our execution capability around launches, warranty costs, delivery and revenue. I would say that’s No. 1.”

Ford shares rose 2.7% to $7.42 as of 10:54 a.m. in New York. The stock has dropped about 20% this year.

Farley sees an opportunity to wipe away much of the $5 billion it spends annually on warranty repairs by harnessing data coming from newly connected cars to head off problems. But that will require Ford to hire new tech talent that can create software solutions for the flood of data coming from its cars, which will all have modems by the end of this year.

“It’s a completely new muscle,” Farley said of the data mining that will save the company billions in repairs. “You really have to wire up the company differently.”

(Updates with additional COO comments from fourth paragraph.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Keith Naughton in Southfield, Michigan at knaughton3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Trudell at ctrudell1@bloomberg.net, Chester Dawson

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

What the Color of Your Car Says About You!

Feeling blue may not be so bad after all.

Especially as a car owner.

It's no coincidence that Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn all use blue in their corporate logos. Ford Motor Co. too. It's because shades of blue inspire so many positive emotions, including trust, color experts say.

With news that the Pantone Color Institute has named the "timeless and enduring" PANTONE 19-4052 "Classic Blue" the Color of the Year 2020, Lincoln Motor Co. is spotlighting its range of blue offerings, which made up 10% of company sales in 2019.

Flight Blue is the signature color of the new Lincoln Aviator and Corsair.

“Whether a light, medium or deep blue tone, Lincoln’s palette of blues summon up feelings of respite and refuge," Laurie Pressman, vice president of the color institute, said in the Lincoln release. "Flight Blue is a leading-edge blue-gray shade expressive of a new modernity. Unpretentious, yet at the same time elegant, subtle and calming, Flight Blue conveys a message of timelessness and enduring quality.”

Designers at the Dearborn-based automaker say the various shades of blue represent specific emotions or elements of nature:

• Chroma Crystal: Light, water
• Blue Diamond: Confidence, trust
• Flight Blue: Flying, freedom
• Artisan Blue: Crafted, galaxy

"I would say that people that are buying blue cars are confident and comfortable with showing some style," said Amy Wax, an international color consultant based in Montclair, New Jersey. "I see these people as comfortable with making more of a statement. The color is a little gutsier. Not too risky. It gives you the freedom to do something with strength while, at the same time, it has a classic elegance."

Blue is traditionally associated with tranquility and peacefulness, color experts say. 

"Of all the colors in the spectrum, blues are seen as the coolest, both in temperature and in temperament, inducing feelings of calm and relaxation, projecting a quiet, cool permanence. In most cultures, blues are thought of as a form of protective influence, offering refuge," Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said in a Lincoln news release.Her organization, which is based in Carlstadt, New Jersey, forecasts color trends and advises global companies on color and brand identity.

More: Detroit Symphony creates musical alerts for new Lincoln Aviator SUV

Yellow vs. Red

Color can impact mood, whether it's more relaxed at home or focused at work or energized at the gym, Wax said. "Color has the ability to contribute to our state of mind."

Bright yellow is energizing, she said. Red can raise the heart rate. Gold and burgundy and deep blue with contrasting neutrals, or even metallic accents, can set the right tone for entertaining, she said.

"Dark blue or royal blue have that sense of honesty and reliability," said Amy Wax, a color consultant from Montclair, New Jersey. She is pictured here in 2015. (Photo: Amy Wax)

"I have found at times, when people feel more nervous in terms of the political arena, they're definitely going with colors that are safer," Wax said. "Dark blue or royal blue have that sense of honesty and reliability. That's what people are looking for right now."

More: 2020 Lincoln Corsair SUV's new looks and tech make it real small luxury contender

More: Historian swore he'd never leave Coca-Cola — then Ford called

Blue lightning

Karl Brauer, executive publisher of the Irvine, California-based Kelley Blue Book auto valuation company, said car color is as important as brand, model and wheels.

"Color has a lot to do with the car's personality and the personality of the car's owner that you're transmitting to the world," he said. "It’s been very depressing to watch so many people take the safe route with white, black and some version of silver. Those three colors make up the the overwhelming majority of car colors you see."

Looking out his office window, Brauer said, he saw white and black and silver cars with one old orange Camaro. "I went to turn right coming up on a main street in Irvine (California) and all the cars lined up in the left hand turn lane — my headlights swing across the line of cars — all of them were white. I literally was, like, holy crap. What the hell?  Every car was white? Is something going on? These aren’t city cars all going in a parade. They were all different makes and models and white, like eight in a row. I couldn't believe it."

Karl Brauer, executive editor of Kelley Blue Book, urges people to consider car colors other than white, black and silver. He took this photo in Irvine, California on May 3, 2019. (Photo: Karl Brauer)

Too many people buy with the idea of resale, and color loss becomes a vicious cycle, he said. 

"I just got a 2019 Ford GT recently. I agonized for a long time and finally ended up going with Liquid Blue with Race Red mirror caps, brake calipers and narrow stripes. ... The fact that Ford has an association as a brand with the color blue and now they're doing all these premium shades of blue for the Lincoln brand, it's brilliant. Just a great way to leverage their heritage."

Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book, says he can't understand why people don't buy vehicles in colors other than black, white and gray. This is his 2019 Ford GT, taken in Lake Elsinore, California on March 8, 2019. (Photo: Karl Brauer)

Sky and ocean

Susan Lampinen, a Lincoln group chief designer who leads the color and materials team, told the Free Press on Tuesday the company looks to elements of nature to guide design.

"When we're talking about blue, we know it represents serenity, harmony, calmness, safeness, trust — we think of the sky, the deep sea," she said. "The inspiration we take from this, the blue color space, is very important. The blue in the luxury car segment ranges from light icy blues to deep rich blues."

During times of uncertainty and endless demands, car consumers are looking for relaxation and sanctuary; they want to be taken care of and feel safe, she said. "When you're around blue, there's a feeling that gets evoked. Who doesn’t like beautiful blue sky or beautiful blue crystal water? People want to be connected to that."

In 2018, Pantone named "Ultra Violet" its color of the year. In 2019, Pantone went with "Living Coral." This year, in announcing Classic Blue, Pantone said:

"Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. ... Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience."

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter.

Don't Confuse the Accelerator with the Brake Pedal!

From Ed -- 

February 23, 2020

Emma Afra and Viviane Brahms have been identified as the two women who drowned in a tragic accident off Fisher Island, Florida. The two women were sitting in a Mercedes-Benz on a ferry traveling from Fisher Island to the mainland when the car rolled off the ferry and sank. The car with the two women’s bodies was recovered later the same day.

According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, an investigation is taking place in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard. They were advised of the incident by the ferry operator. Divers from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Police Department located the blue 2019 Mercedes-Benz which was “submerged in the area of Government Cut, near Fisher Island.”

It is still unclear how the vehicle was able to roll off the ferry. Police have also said that the causes of death are pending a Medical Examiner’s report. The Miami Herald has reported that“sources familiar with the investigation told the Miami Herald on Wednesday that they believe Afra forgot to put her Mercedes in park and hit the gas pedal by mistake when the vehicle started rolling.” This has not yet been confirmed by the authorities.

Lisa Taylor's Colorful Porsches

Californian Lisa Taylor has a bit of a thing for Porsche models in vibrant colors. Whether it’s yellow, pink, or blue—it had better be bright!

Lisa Taylor likes to invite kindred spirits who share a passion for Porsche to her ranch in Yorba Linda, just around the corner from Disneyland. Three hundred guests recently showed up in their favorite models, including countless 911s and a few historic Porsche diesel tractors as well. Lisa quickly fetched her own 1956 tractor from the barn, and a smashing race under 20 kmh ensued. “That was great fun! I simply love this 1956 manual transmission,” says Lisa Taylor with a hearty laugh.

Lisa Taylor loves old manual transmissions, Porsche, and vivid colors, if you please: “The paint has to match the character of the model.” A strapping sports car in a mousy gray? Not in a million years would such a thing find its way into her “barnage,” as she calls her repurposed stable. Where rows of gleamingly polished Porsche gems in Star Ruby, Maritime Blue, and Racing Yellow now stand, stately purebreds once awaited their next race. Taylor bought her first horse, named Lawai, in Hawaii in 2002 and had it flown to California. Her estate is named for it: Flying L Ranch. For several years she ran a successful stud farm, but after a riding accident in which she broke an arm and hip, Taylor bade farewell to the world of horse racing. “I traded in my horses for Porsches—it’s safer,” she says with a grin. 

Today, Taylor indulges her passion for speed in autocross races and as a certified Porsche driving instructor, among other amusements. It therefore comes as no surprise to find a bevy of potent RS and Turbo models in her garage. A large Porsche crest adorns the white wooden walls; next to it hang framed mementos of vehicle handovers and a poster of Patrick Long’s Luftgekühlt Porsche gathering in Los Angeles. Spinning ceiling fans reflect in the brilliant bodies of the arrayed cars, including the gem of Lisa Taylor’s collection: a 911 GT3 RS in Star Ruby, model year 2016. The original Porsche color was introduced in the 1990s with the 964 Carrera RS. Back then, the vibrant, pink-hued paint was part of the standard repertoire; today it’s part of the Porsche Paint-to-Sample program and an absolute rarity that Taylor waited a year and a half to get her hands on. On the day the GT3 RS rolled off the truck, an acquaintance made her an offer that exceeded the actual purchase price by an eye-popping $100,000. Taylor declined. Rubi, as she lovingly calls her super sports car, is not for sale.

“Rubi is not for sale!”Lisa Taylor

Rubi—many have coveted Lisa’s 911 GT3 RS in Star Ruby. One couple went so far as to bicker about it publicly on Taylor’s Instagram page. In the comment thread, the woman demanded that her husband buy the Porsche for her, at any cost. Without success.

Back in the day, she says, she used to chuckle over people who gave their cars names, but nowadays she does it herself. There are very practical reasons for it. When Lisa and partner Tom are considering which car they should drive next, simply saying “let’s take the Porsche today” doesn’t do the trick. There are just too many of them for that. So each nickname is also a play on the respective model’s color. The 911 GT2 RS in Voodoo Blue is called Vudi; the Maritime Blue GT3 goes by Mari; the 2019 GT3 RS model in Racing Yellow is Bumble Bee; and her 911 Turbo S in Amethyst Metallic bears the moniker Ame. Taylor has particularly nice memories with that one. “We picked it up at the plant in Leipzig and then zipped straight down the autobahn to the Nürburgring,” gushes Taylor. Where she promptly bolted Ame through the “Green Hell” at up to 260 kmh. Taking the new car straight to the hardest of all racetracks? “It all turned out well,” says Taylor as she caresses the car’s deep-violet roof. 

Lisa Taylor can’t exactly say where her love of bright paint jobs comes from. She’s more of an extrovert, always wanting to be a bit different than the others, she says. Which might explain why she bought a matching Porsche Design handbag for one or another of her sports cars. Above all, it’s all about the fun of driving. Taylor is delighted by the thumbs-up, the oohs and aahs she registers as she swishes through the streets of Los Angeles in her Porsche. Even as a teenager, she had a soft spot for extraordinary cars.

“With Vudi we actually took part in a long rally.” Lisa Taylor

Vudi is the name of this 911 GT2 RS in Voodoo Blue, built in 2018. Because it had to be exactly this vehicle, Lisa Taylor pulled out all the stops. She was finally able to pick up her Vudi at the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles.

Together with her father, Charles Taylor, a Ferrari enthusiast who owned the Testarossa No. 1, among others, she built her first car: a bright yellow Aztec kit car based on a Volkswagen chassis, with Lamborghini seats and gull-wing doors. She was so obsessed with working on the car that the boys who asked her out on dates didn’t stand a chance. “My father regularly threw his hands up over his head and muttered: ‘I’ve created a monster,’” she recalls. Even as a young kid, she was keen to help her dad in the garage. She studied business administration and joined the family business. Today she works alongside her two siblings Brent and Sheri as vice president of Tayco Engineering, an aerospace company founded by her father in 1970. 

Lucy—Lisa’s Lizard Green modified 911 GT3 Cup put its stamp on the 2019 Race to the Clouds. No Porsche has ever been faster at Pikes Peak.

Like him, Lisa Taylor was long a Ferrari, McLaren, and Mazda fan, but ever since she first sat behind the wheel of a 911 Carrera Targa in 1981, she has referred to herself as “Porsche Girl.” “I was so impressed by the handling and the power that I sold my Mazda RX-7 the very next day and bought a 911 Targa in Guards Red,” she says, looking back. Many more Porsche models would follow. Unlike many collectors, she’s particularly interested in the latest creations coming out of Zuffenhausen. In 2018 alone, she took possession of three new vehicles at the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles within a six-month period. In this regard, the customer delivery numbers assigned there played a key role. Taylor's GT3 in Maritime Blue with the delivery number 15 was followed by a Macan Turbo in Carmine Red with the number 92. And because 15 plus 92 equals 107, her order of a GT2 RS in Voodoo Blue absolutely had to have the delivery number 107. So Lisa called Porsche and asked whether that number was still available. 

It turned out that that number had already been taken by the vehicle reserved for actor Will Smith. But there’s no denying the wishes of such a loyal customer as Lisa, so today the erstwhile Prince of Bel Air drives around Los Angeles with a different delivery number. Comedian and Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld has also encountered Lisa’s dauntless persistence. When he didn’t want to sell her his silver Cayenne Turbo, built in 2004, she wrote a check for the full price and waved it around in front of the telephone handset while talking to Seinfeld. “I said: ‘Listen, Jerry, here’s the money. Your Cayenne will be in good hands, I promise.’” Seinfeld gave in.

Twice as nice—the Cayenne S Transsyberia is similar in color to the 911 GT3 RS parked in front of it. The previous owner: Patrick Dempsey.

Notwithstanding her undeniable weakness for each new generation of Porsches, Lisa Taylor also appreciates the classics. She owns a 911 Carrera RS 2.7 in Oslo Blue, model year 1973, which she entered in the Steve McQueen Rally. This car was Taylor’s ticket to the famously selective R Gruppe. It took ten years for her to gain admission—yet another testament to her perseverance. Today she’s one of the few women members among over three hundred men in this nonconformist Porsche club.

Three new Porsches in six months.

The exact number of Porsches in her collection is Lisa Taylor’s closely guarded secret. “Not even my parents know the exact number,” she says. The collection is changing and expanding all the time. The next additions will be the new 911 Speedster and, a particular highlight, the Taycan Turbo S. “That will be a real transition for me, driving a Porsche like the Taycan, which is so quiet and yet so powerful at the same time,” she says. Lisa doesn’t want to give away the color of the fully electric sports car, but she will say this: “An elegant vehicle naturally requires an elegant color.” And who better to judge that than Lisa Taylor.

Lisa Taylor

The fifty-eight-year-old Californian’s passion for Porsche was ignited in 1981, when she sat behind the wheel of a 911 for the first time. Today, Taylor owns many Porsches—the exact number of which she keeps to herself. At the Christophorus photo session at her ranch she presented a good dozen. Taylor's passion for Porsche is also reflected in her three Bernese mountain dogs: two of her four-legged friends go by the names Turbo (left) and Targa (front). The third is called simply Koabear.

Info

Text first published in the Porsche customer magazine Christophorus, No. 393