Paul Stephens

The London Classic Car Show brings together some of the UK’s rarest, most valuable and most desirable motors. We used this opportunity to spotlight the Paul Stephens Autoart and Works models – creating a buzz, stir and excitement for these exceptional cars.

Paul Stephens has been a Porsche aficionado all his life: he clocked his first 100mph run, in a 911, when he was just 10 years old. His passion has brought him success on the track at Le Mans, and made him one of Britain’s leading specialists in air-cooled Porsche models built between 1965 and 1997. His eponymous company, based in Essex, engineers and builds exquisite bespoke creations under its Autoart sub-brand, and offers a range of more accessible Works cars inspired by 1970s motorsport, hot-rods and the ‘outlaw’ scene. And if you want your classic 911 restored to factory-fresh, down-to-the-last-nut-and-bolt perfection, Paul and his equally Porsche-obsessed team are the people to talk to.

For 2017 the company secured a prime stand position in the centre of the exhibition hall, where it displayed the Autoart Classic Touring Series 2 and Works Clubsport models – alongside several beautiful 911s for sale.

We’d been working with the company on brand strategy for several months, and the Show provided the first real opportunity to apply our thinking on a grand scale. Our brief was fairly simple: we were given the stand’s area and position within the event space, what cars and areas of the business the company wanted to promote – and that was about it. The rest was down to us.

Our stand design incorporated graphics that promoted the new brand correctly and, crucially, caught the eye from a distance. However, one of the key features Paul Stephens brand values is obsessive attention to detail. So, our design also included elements that encouraged visitors to walk around the stand, look more closely and engage with the brand on a more intimate level, such as mini brochures and data capture screens. Everything Paul Stephens does is bespoke, and in that spirit, we created a one-off coffee-table book, displayed on the stand, capturing the essence of the brand and its associated lifestyle.

The response was fabulous, with the company reporting enormous interest in its new models. The Works Clubsport car was sold during the event, and also helped to secure a major new business opportunity. The show car was equipped with wheels made by LA-based manufacturer Fifteen52 and designed by British-born maverick Magnus Walker. Following the Show, Paul Stephens was appointed as the sole UK distributor for the Magnus Walker ‘outlaw’ wheel range, one of the most recognisable and desirable aftermarket parts for classic Porsches. The stand also won acclaim as ‘Best in Show’.