TERMINAL 4S

Terminal 4S

A rendezvous with a beautifully simple Porsche 993 at Berlin’s iconic Tegel Airport.

“The 993 has always felt like more than just a car to me, it’s a piece of design history,” reflects Alex as he talks us through his 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. Born and raised in Bochum to a father in industrial design, he developed an early appreciation for these things. “I grew up surrounded by great products - be it furniture, cars or anything in between. Our family cars included a Saab and a BMW Z3 Coupe, but it was a ride in a mid-80s guards red 911 that sparked my passion for Porsche.

The 993 marks the end of an era, the last of the air-cooled 911s. The wide rear end of the 4S, shared with the Turbo only without the wing, is what makes it especially striking. My car in particular has some unique features: an RS front spoiler, which the first owner added, and the absence of a sunroof, which gives it a clean, purposeful look.”

Before it came into Alex’s ownership, the car has been with its original owner in Southern Germany who picked it up from Zuffenhausen when it was brand new. It’s an incredibly well preserved example, one that paired beautifully with Berlin’s iconic Tegel Airport where our photoshoot took place.

Though recently decommissioned, the airport was one of the great holdouts from the mid-century jet age and boasts some impressive architecture from the period.

"The wide rear end of the 4S, shared with the Turbo only without the wing, is what makes it especially striking."

“Tegel’s hexagonal design, with its efficient, futuristic vibe, feels like it belongs to a different era - one where form and function were in perfect harmony. Shooting the 993 there, especially during the airport’s final days, felt poetic. The car’s curvaceous design paired with Tegel’s stark, minimalist geometry created a beautiful juxtaposition, each displaying a strength and boldness of design that complemented the other perfectly.”