designboom · Creativity & design

Tangent Transforms Porsche 911 into Urban Safari Vehicle

Chicago-based Tangent Design Group has modified a 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4, elevating it by three inches and equipping it for off-road use, creating what they call the 'Urban Safari'.

The project began in 2019, with Tangent using a 2021 Carrera 4 as their base. They aimed to enhance the car's capabilities without making it resemble a caricature of a rally car. The process involved 3D scanning sections of the original car and using CAD to design custom parts, including widened arches and a front bull bar. Full-size prototypes were 3D printed and physically fitted to the car to assess proportions.

A key modification is a custom three-inch lift kit that accommodates larger off-road tires while retaining the factory suspension. This lift significantly alters the 911's visual stance, making the wheel wells appear larger and the body narrower. Integrating the lift with the car's electronics presented a complex challenge.

The vehicle features a unique Paint-to-Sample Black Olive finish, yellow side graphics, and amber lights on the bull bar. A roof rack carries recovery gear and a Gerber axe. A full ducktail spoiler at the rear adds a retro rally-car aesthetic. The inclusion of a rear windshield wiper further hints at its altered purpose.

Tangent Design Group, an industrial design consultancy, applied its product development workflow—combining scanning, digital design, and physical prototyping—to this automotive project. The 911 served as a valuable platform for experimentation.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.