The art of car design is getting a new spotlight at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW): Porsche is about to make its debut at the annual tech and culture festival, which kicks off this weekend in Austin, Texas.

The automaker is set to unveil an installation downtown that is built to look like a giant drawing board. “Porsche Unseen” (March 12-16) will reveal the automaker’s top-secret sketchpads and creative processes for the concept cars it develops at its studio in Weissach, Germany.

The Porsche Vision Turismo. Courtesy of Porsche.

Among the prototypes on display is the Porsche Vision 960 Turismo. Originally conceived as a four-seat sports car with Porsche’s trademark rear-mounted, gas-powered engine, the 960 served as the blueprint for the Porsche Taycan, which had its premiere in 2019 as the automaker’s first fully electric car.

What began as a drawing (on display) is now a major key to Porsche’s future: The Taycan reportedly outsold the brand’s iconic 911 last year, and the company is positioning itself as the leading electric sports car manufacturer ahead of an initial public offering to investors later this year.

Outside the “Porsche Unseen” installation at SXSW. Courtesy of Porsche.

By staking its design flag at SXSW with a three-year partnership, Porsche is accelerating its mission to connect with the creative class. Last October, it launched a new cultural initiative, “The Art of Dreams,” with an immersive installation by French artist Cyril Lancelin in Paris. A second installation by a yet-to-be-announced artist is planned for Milan this summer.

“South by Southwest aims to help creative people achieve their goals. And Porsche is the brand for all those who bravely follow their dreams,” said Detlev von Platen, member of the board for sales and marketing at Porsche AG, in a statement. “The philosophies fit together perfectly and we look forward to exchanging ideas with creative minds from all over the world.”