Porsche Exhibition Features 22 Models Including Cars from Steve McQueen, Janis Joplin

A new exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art will feature noteworthy Porsche models, some of which were owned by such celebrities as actor Steve McQueen, fashion mogul Ralph Lauren and singer Janis Joplin, Edmunds.com reported.

Called "Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed," the exhibition will run through Jan. 20 and includes 22 Porsche racecars, concept cars, prototypes and other vehicles.

A highlight in the exhibition is the 1958 Porsche Speedster 1600 Super that was owned by McQueen. The vehicle was the first car the "Bullitt" actor owned and also the first he used to compete. McQueen won a Sports Car Club of America meet with the Porsche in Santa Barbara in 1959.

Another celebrity-owned vehicle that should draw a crowd is the 1965 Porsche 356C Cabriolet that Joplin bought in 1968. Her friend Dave Richards gave the formerly plain white vehicle a "psychedelic paint job with butterflies, flowers, astrological symbols and even a depiction of Janis and her band," said Edmunds.

The oldest car in the 22-vehicle exhibition is the one-of-a-kind 1938 Type 64 Berlin-Rome Racer. The sole existing complete example of the model, the Type 64 was built under the supervision of company founder Ferdinand Porsche.

While the Type 64 didn't carry the Porsche brand, it is considered the forerunner of all later models, according to Edmunds.

A rare Porsche 959, a 1988 model borrowed from Lauren's extensive collection, will also be featured in the exhibit. Only around 300 of the cars were built, and none were sold in the U.S. due to government restrictions.

The exhibit will also showcase several noteworthy Porsche racers, including a 1960 Porsche 718 RS60 Spyder, a 1962 Type 804, Porsche's first Formula 1 car and a 1971 example of the legendary Porsche 917.