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The Petersen Automotive Museum has added another chapter to its rotating lineup of specialty exhibits, opening "Jeff Zwart: Life at ZwartSpeed" in the museum's Vault on August 22. The show runs through June 13, 2027, and gathers eight Porsches alongside photography and film that trace Zwart's decades of work across advertising, motorsport, and visual storytelling.
From Road & Track to the Rally Stage
Zwart's path began with a photography degree from ArtCenter College of Design, followed by a stint shooting for Road & Track before he pivoted into advertising and filmmaking for brands including Porsche, BMW, and Cadillac. That same curiosity pulled him from behind the lens to behind the wheel: he has raced Formula Ford, stage rallies, endurance events, and hill climbs, picking up a class win at the 2004 Baja 1000 and a runner-up finish at the Panama-Alaska Rally, along with multiple class wins and records over 17 starts at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Eight Porsches Spanning Seven Decades
The exhibit's centerpiece lineup moves chronologically through Porsche history, pairing early classics with the modern machines Zwart has raced or filmed:
- 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A
- 1954 Porsche System P 312
- 1965 Porsche 911
- 1966 Porsche 906
- 1969 Porsche 911 "East African Safari"
- 1970 Porsche 914/6
- 2002 Porsche 911 GT2
- 2013 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Collectors who follow the earliest air-cooled cars may recognize the appeal of that opening 356 – Motorious recently covered a numbers-matching 1955 Porsche 356 "Pre-A" Speedster that crossed the block at Gooding & Christie's, a reminder of how sought-after these pre-A cars remain.
Zwart said the exhibit let him bring his professional and personal worlds together under one roof, calling it a chance for visitors to get "a glimpse into 'Life at ZwartSpeed.'"
Part of a Growing Exhibit Calendar
The Zwart exhibit joins a run of recent Vault programming at the Petersen, following shows built around figures and themes ranging from rally icon Ken Block to the museum's Long Beach Grand Prix retrospective, both of which highlight how the museum uses the space to spotlight motorsport personalities and history alongside its permanent collection.
