Porsche and TAG Heuer Collaborate to Pay Tribute to the Carrera Panamericana
These exceptional Porsche Sonderwunsch cars celebrate the famous race as well as a long-time partnership with TAG Heuer.
As if the Cayman GT4 RS was not special enough already we are presented with two versions out of the Porsche Sonderwunsch program to pay homage to the great Carrera Panamericana race. It was 70 years ago when a pair of Porsche 550 Coupes took part in the famous race. The Porsche wearing number 152 won its class that year. Long time partners Porsche and TAG Heuer decided to mark the anniversary of the event with a pair of custom cars. One of the cars made its debut at Rennsport Reunion 7 as part of the ‘TAG Heuer Heritage Experience’ exhibition.
Alexander Fabig, Vice President Individualization and Classic at Porsche AG stated that “We are delighted to be presenting one of our pair of Sonderwunsch one-off cars as a highlight of this year’s Rennsport Reunion. Both cars incorporate design characteristics of the legendary Porsche 550 Coupe. At the same time, the project demonstrates once again what the Sonderwunsch program of Porsche AG is capable of.”
Porsche Sonderwunsch
A Porsche Sonderwunsch might sound like something that you can order at a deli. But in reality, it is a special request program that operates as an arm of the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and Porsche Classic departments. If you think paint to sample makes your car unique then the Sonderwunsch program will blow you away. The sky is the limit here. If you can dream it (and afford it) Porsche will build you a custom one-off model to your specifications. The GT4 RS cars that you see here are an example of the flexibility the program offers.
Carrera Panamericana
The Carrera Panamericana was a grueling rally race that took place from 1950 to 1954. The race was run over the entire length of Mexico, covering over 2,100 miles. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous races in history, which is why it was cancelled in 1955. The 911 Carrera was named in honor of the great race. After many years of lying dormant, a safer, but still demanding version of the race was developed, and it continues today. Patrick Dempsey will be driving GT4 RS number 154 in the first two stages of the 2023 race. Car number 152 will be auctioned off for charity in early 2024.
GT4 RS Details
Mechanically the Sonderwunsch cars are the same as a regular production GT4 RS. But there are many design touches that make them unique. The cars are painted Le Mans Silver Metallic. This color was developed in collaboration between Porsche France, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and Porsche AG. It is a nod to the 24 Hours of Le Mans class winning 356 SL Coupe in 1951. Racing numbers 152 and 154 respectively are painted onto the doors and roofs of the cars. The TAG Heuer logo in a slightly darker grey is painted on the hood and side blades of the rear wing. The Mobil Oil Pegasus logo is also proudly displayed on the cars. The Porsche cars entered in the original Carrera Panamericana were one of the first racing cars with advertising from sponsors.
On the inside you will find a custom interior with Guards Red leather and elements of the Carrera Panamericana logo stitched into the headrests of the seats. But the crown jewel inside car number 154 is the TAG Heuer stopwatch module in the center console. This module was designed by TAG Heuer exclusively for this car.
Images: Porsche
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