The Porsche Supercup has been one of the best-known and toughest customer racing series in the world for 30 years. To drive the new 911 GT3 Cup on legendary circuits such as Monte Carlo or Silverstone in the run-up to Formula One races is a dream-come-true for many racers.
The organisers of this one-make series have decided to mark this special anniversary with a treat for themselves: the project managers at Porsche Motorsport asked the specialists at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to carry out a complex Factory Re-Commissioning of a roadgoing 911 GT3based on the 911 GT3 Cup in the 30th anniversary livery.
As part of the new Sonderwunsch programme, the unique model was completed in less than six months. At Porsche, a ‘Sonderwunsch Factory Re-Commissioning’ is both a recommissioning project and a customisation one – in other words the technical restoration of a Porsche road car along with a redesign of the exterior and interior colour concept to a new-vehicle standard. Highlights include the spectacular eight-colour paintwork design with the anniversary logo and a multicolour pixel mesh around the rear wheel arches, among other elements. The names of all 29 previous Porsche Supercup champions are also immortalised in gold on the rear bumper.
“Every Sonderwunsch project is something very special – not only for the customers, but also for us,” says Alexander Fabig, Vice President Individualization and Classic at Porsche. “New projects means new challenges, and we learn something every time. That applies to this 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup as well.”
“A tight schedule, high technical standards and a great team spirit that ultimately takes you to the finish line – this is something that I’ve otherwise only seen in the world of motorsport,” says Oliver Schwab, Project Manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. “Working with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur on this Factory Re-Commissioning was a great experience. And the 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup is a worthy ambassador in our anniversary year. The Porsche Supercup made racing history and continues to do so today. We say ‘Happy Birthday’ and look forward to many more years of racing on the most famous race tracks in the world.”
To begin with, the special model will be seen at the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup races. From late summer, appearances at the Porsche Museum and the CityLife Showroom in Milan are in the works, together with the 911 GT3 Cup VIP racing car. This model is a key element in communications for the Porsche Supercup. Every season, a well-known celebrity races the car as a guest driver. Past Supercup champions will also take the Sonderwunsch 911 GT3 on excursions and talk about their triumphs and highlights.
Custom modifications to the exterior and interior
The basis for the Sonderwunsch Factory Re-Commissioning was an already finished, road-ready Porsche 911 GT3 – the roadgoing version of the racing car used in the Porsche Supercup. In a process lasting several weeks, the vehicle was first disassembled and then rebuilt with its special design.
The 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup features multicolour paintwork. Not a single detail on the vehicle is a wrap or sticker. The eight colours in total – GT Silver Metallic, Agate Grey Metallic, high-gloss Black, Meteorgreymetallic, Parliamentgreymetallic, Volcanogreymetallic, Grigiogranitometallic and Diamondblackmetallic – are all painted, as are the gold-coloured names of the Supercup winners.
The greatest challenge in the painting process was to precisely apply the multicoloured pixel mesh to several points on the dynamically shaped body. Inspired by the VIP racing car, the pattern can be found behind the air outlets in the front bonnet, behind the front wheels and on the rear wheel arches. The anniversary logo, a large golden ‘30’, is displayed on the doors and front bonnet. In addition, the names of all 29 past Porsche Supercup champions have been painted in gold and sealed with a high-gloss clear lacquer. After the paintwork, the vehicle was reassembled by hand at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and customised with additional Sonderwunsch features.
Inside, the seats are particularly stunning. The embossed anniversary logo in the headrests, an independent Sport Tex colour variant in Black/Aurum for the centre panels and colour-coordinated piping in Mojave Beige lend the leather seats a very special character.
The cuboid pattern in Black/Aurum is also used on the armrests in the doors. The dashboard trim also bears the anniversary logo while the top part of the dashboard, the door panels and the side panels have been customised with Mojave Beige cross-stitching.
About the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is regarded as one of the toughest one-make series in the world. Races are held at the European events of the FIA Formula One World Championship. In addition to the opening event in Imola, Italy on 24 April, there are seven further races on the calendar this year. A total of 28 racing drivers from eight teams are competing for the title in this anniversary season. In addition to the overall and ProAm driver classification, there is also a team and a rookie classification.
Since the 2021 season, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing car has been based on the current 992 generation 911. With an output of around 375 kW (510 PS), the spectacularly designed Cup car outmuscles its direct predecessor by 25 PS. The 911 GT3 Cup will be fuelled with Esso Renewable Racing Fuel.
The highly successful Porsche junior programme has served as a springboard for professional careers in racing for 25 years and has produced numerous works drivers, world champions and Le Mans winners. Examples include the careers of Timo Bernhard (Porsche Junior from 2000 to 2001), Marc Lieb (2000 to 2002) and Earl Bamber (2014): all three won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship title at least once with the Porsche 919 Hybrid.
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