The 928 is described as the most underrated Porsche of them all; a model that pushed the boundaries of what had gone before. The Nardone brand personality was inspired by the character of the 928 and Thierry Nardone’s love for it: original, purposeful, irreverent. The futuristic-retro visual identity took cues from the decidedly 1980s car design, to sit somewhere between modernism and synthwave, and aligning with the divisive, but undeniably stylish, hard edges of Brutalism.

A foundational 5 point baseline grid was distilled from a section of the car’s dashboard. This sleek, Braun-esque modular system became the guideline for the entire visual identity and the web design. 

The primary typeface, Sans Plomb, was inspired by French roadsigns of the 1980s, a nod to Thierry's nationality and his first drive in a 928. Both the typeface and the messaging allowed us to play with the risk and tension that Nardone embodies. With an irreverent tone, the messaging deliberately induces a double-take. By heroing the unexpected, the copy evokes emotion through surprise, just as the car does.

We combined colour and materiality to create a sense of tactility. Anyone interacting with the brand assets is guided to consider how the different elements of the car come together, reflecting Thierry Nardone’s obsession for details. Matte and gloss interact, as do gradients (representing the eye-catching 1980’s aesthetic) and true-tone (representing the more digital focus of today). This constant flex places the brand balanced between present-day luxury and the wild, garish 1980s. We also built the entire website in two colourways, ready to flip at the touch of a button; ‘never obvious,’ Nardone connects then and now, play and precision.

Hinging on our 5pt baseline grid, our digital interactions and motion principles highlight the engineered precision of the car in both physical and digital spaces. Animated crosshairs bring the usually hidden elements of the engineering of the website itself to the foreground. An intentionally present lazy load purposefully reinforces the grid, while a tickertape messaging mechanism echoes the technical prowess of the car.

Thierry’s intention was always to work with the best of the best to design and develop all parts of the car from scratch. The visual, kinetic elements, reminiscent of blueprints and technical drawings, are to remind us that Nardone is a partnership between carefully curated experts.