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EXTENDED RANGE OF SERVICES FROM PORSCHE EXCLUSIVE

Porsche has announced the launch of a wider range of vehicle personalisation services through its Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, Porsche Classic and Porsche Tequipment brands. Meeting the demands of well-heeled clients in pursuit of unique styling has been a cornerstone of the company’s global offering for decades and was first galvanised with the launch of the Sonderwunsch (Special Wishes) department in the early 1980s. Many of the wildest — and, it has to be said, weirdest — Porsches were produced by the programme, which was pitched as an invitation-only service for the super-wealthy, though the resulting sports cars often strengthened the argument ‘money can’t buy taste’. Ahem.

Before we start our journey into what’s now being presented by Porsche, let’s take time out for a brief history lesson. Operating from Weissach, the Sonderwunsch department was established in 1978, satisfying the desires of immensely rich Porsche buyers keen to own a one-off sports car. Porsche Exclusive superseded Sonderwunsch in 1986, renamed Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in 2017 (coinciding with the launch of the 991 Turbo S Exclusive Series) and is now based in Zuffenhausen. Officially sanctioned modification started at Porsche much earlier than the 1970s, though — buyers were able to influence the configuration of their new Stuttgart sports car as far back as the mid-1950s.

Under the Porsche Exclusive banner, the manufacturer has created low-volume runs of tweaked and tuned production cars. For example, since unveiling its first specially prepared 911 (a 935-style Turbo, in case you were wondering), Porsche Exclusive has produced a colourful catalogue of showstoppers, including the 993 Speedster, 964 Turbo Cabriolet, 930 LE and 964 Turbo S Flachbau. These air-cooled curiosities represent the rarest of the rare, but introduced in 1997, the 993 Turbo S marked Porsche Exclusive’s first step into relatively high volume production. The model paved the way for future projects, including the 997 Sports Classic, 997 Speedster and, more recently, the 992 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition, as well as a limited 911 produced to celebrate Porsche China’s twentieth anniversary. Don’t go thinking the 993 Turbo S was assembled in large numbers, though — just 345 units were built. Of those, only twenty-six examples were configured for right-hand drive.

The range of individualisation options for new Porsches currently extends from personal customer consulting during the configuration process through to realisation of limited small series. Through Tequipment, Porsche also offers numerous accessory products and retrofit options. In the area of legacy models, the company is currently focusing on spare parts supply and restorations. All this, however, is aimed at a broad customer base — the Sonderwunsch concept of exclusivity has been somewhat diluted. Whether you think this is a good or bad thing, the service is returning with a bang, allowing buyers of new Porsches to once again create one-off cars in partnership with the manufacturer, work realised by a dedicated team of professional designers and technicians.

Additionally, Porsche is extending the Individual Equipment list of components currently available for each new car (examples of what will soon be on offer include various exterior wrap options, individual starting numbers, prints on the floor mats, colours, logos, custom text, illuminated door entry guards and logo projectors) and will be allowing

buyers to select their preferences in the brand’s online Car Configurator. There will also be a new Performance Parts range for new, used and classic vehicles advertised through the official Porsche dealer network.

“It is our goal to provide customers around the globe with even more accurately tailored and demand-based products within the context of classic, new and future cars, and to also offer a comprehensive range of options for every vehicle,” says Alexander Fabig, Porsche’s Vice President of Individualisation and Classic. “With these new offerings, we are responding to great global demand for our products, starting with new possibilities for modification and the personalisation of individual components, through the additional range of Performance Parts, up to realisation of uniquely configured Sonderwunsch sports cars.”

With a pair of demonstrators based on the first-generation Cayenne SUV, the Classic division is also providing a preview of possible additional personalisation services for outdoor adventure — good news for fans of off-roading. Meanwhile, new products with a focus on trackday activities with be launched through Porsche Tequipment in the coming months.

It’s worth noting that across all models in the current Porsche product range, customers can choose from more than seven-hundred Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur options, meaning the buyer of a new Macan, 911, Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, Panamera or Taycan isn’t exactly left wanting. Similarly, the overall range of Porsche Tequipment parts has continuously grown from its launch of 150 products to now include more than five-hundred items, from exhaust systems to number plate carriers and everything in between. 997 owners, for example, can hop onto the Porsche Tequipment Finder website and order an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel (from £1,564), manual transmission short shifter (£538), Alcantara-covered centre console (£1,983), PCM voice control (£527), luggage sets (from £886) and even Porsche baby seats. The list is extensive, as it is for all applicable

Porsche models, including cars considered bona fide exotica, such as the 918 Spyder PHEV and its Weissach-branded offshoot.

An estimated twenty-five percent of all new 911s sold are optioned with extras from the factory Individual Equipment list, with buyers sure to be excited Manthey-racing’s GT2 RS updates (aerodynamics package, coilover suspension, special brake components and magnesium wheels, as outlined in the January edition of 911 & Porsche World) are to be made more widely available, as are many asyet unannounced performance parts for older Porsches. What we do know is that items currently being newly developed include a performance chassis for the 996-generation 911 and, amazingly, for the awe-inspiring 959.

Due to high demand for the full-colour PCCM and PCCM Plus infotainment systems, Porsche Classic is already working on a version of PCCM Plus for the first-generation 997, the same-age Cayman/boxster and the 955/957 Cayenne. Plus, a sports steering wheel is to be made available for the G-series 911 and, as if you weren’t excited enough, the legendary Fuchs five-leaf is to be manufactured for Porsches assembled when this wheel type was out of production. 3D-printed buckets will also be constructed, but in the medium term, Porsche plans to offer seats adapted to each customer’s individual body contours.

Road car, track terroriser or dirt monster — all you need to do is decide what your carefully configured one-off Porsche is going to look like!