Porsche, BMW and the cutting edge of car design

4/8/2010 11:58 AM EDT

Henning said he once took his date for a drive through the Bavarian Alps in his Isetta. The single-cylinder, 250 cc motorcycle engine had a helluva time climbing those mountain roads.

The reason for mentioning all this is that another German auto maker, Porsche, has shipped a handful of its finest designs to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta for an exhibition called, "The Allure of the Automobile." Among the gems on display at the show is a one-of-kind 1938/1939 Porsche Type 64, which is considered the precursor of all future Porsche designs.

As I sit in traffic looking at all the high-end cars, I notice that quite a few auto makers have copied many of the design elements pioneered by BMW and Porsche. A form of flattery, I suppose.

View a video of the Type 64 and the rest of the Porsche exhibition here.

The Atlanta exhibition extends through June 20.