Porsche has created a one-off 911 GT3 RS that pays tribute to late Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert while also commemorating the first victory of the legendary 917 almost 55 years ago. On 10 August 1969, Siffert won the first international 1,000-kilometre race together with Kurt Ahrens on the Austrian Zeltweg circuit. Initially considered difficult to drive due to the high speeds and aerodynamics, this was the first race win for the 917, which went on to become one of the most iconic race cars of all time. “Jo Siffert, together with Kurt Ahrens, kicked off the success story of the 917 by winning at Zeltweg in 1969. The passion with which he has pursued his dream of racing is still impressive today and fits perfectly with our brand core – Driven by Dreams,” said Michael Glinski, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Schweiz AG.
The bespoke 911 GT3 RS Tribute to Jo Siffert was built by the experts at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur as part of the Sonderwunsch program. Created in close collaboration with Siffert’s family, the one-off has plenty of special touches to honor the great racing driver. On the outside, it features a two-tone livery that combines Pure White with Viper Green accents.
Both colors come from the “Paint to Sample” program. Drawing inspiration from the 917 that Jo and Kurt Ahrens drove to victory at the Österreichring in 1969, the one-off features the “29” start number on the hood, doors, and wing. Additionally, it gets classic Porsche lettering with a striped design on the doors and side sections.
Furthermore, Porsche design experts also reproduced the contemporary sponsor decals with support from Bosch and Shell. The Bosch decal with the spark plug is positioned on the rear wheel arches, while the Shell decal with the wordmark can be found below the rear window. Additionally, the silhouette of the 917KH can be seen on the center lock of the satin black magnesium wheels. The B-pillars feature the badge in the helmet design and the name and signature of Jo Siffert have been inscribed in the same place.
The cabin gets Black and Guards Red Race-Tex upholstery with a helmet motif on the headrests. It also has special door sill plates, and Siffert’s signature embossed on the center console cover. Mechanically, the one-off is identical to the standard 911 GT3 RS. Porsche has not revealed the pricing, but the German automaker says the buyer will be selected randomly from all interested parties.
