Porsche 912

The vehicle in detail

Translated literally as “little beach car,” the term barca (or spiaggina) has long occupied a uniquely Italian corner of automotive culture—cars built not for speed or utility, but for pleasure, place, and atmosphere. From Gianni Agnelli’s Fiat 500 Boano to Michelotti’s Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Beach Car, these vehicles were expressions of la dolce vita as much as transportation.

The Porsche 912 Barca belongs squarely in that lineage. Conceived by a private collector and realized by Milan-based design studio Borromeo de Silva, it reinterprets the humble 912 through a distinctly nautical and Mediterranean lens. Rather than a restoration or replica, the Barca is a philosophical exercise—blending sailing culture and motoring into a single object designed for coastal roads, marinas, and summer evenings.

The 912 Barca signals the emergence of a modern interpretation of the beach car: playful, beautifully executed, and deeply intentional. It stands apart not only from Porsche’s production history, but from the broader collector landscape—less concerned with lap times or provenance charts, and more focused on experience, design authorship, and joy.

This 1966 Porsche 912 Barca began life as a standard short-wheelbase 912 before being comprehensively reimagined by Borromeo de Silva. The transformation is total. The roof and doors were removed entirely, replaced by flowing coachbuilt bodywork that emphasizes openness and lightness. Nautical influence defines nearly every detail. Mahogany trim wraps the bumpers and traces the bodylines where doors once existed, finished in high-gloss varnish reminiscent of classic wooden runabouts.