A special car to honor a legendary race

Porsche has unveiled the third in a series of special edition vehicles honoring the historic achievements of the Carrera Panamericana Mexico.
718 Spyder RS Panamericana SpecialThe one-of-a-kind car, named "The Spider," was inspired by the legendary 550 Spyder, which won its class at the Carrera Panamericana in 1954.

The graphics package for this special model follows almost the same design as the two 718 Cayman GT4 RS-based cars that Porsche unveiled a year earlier. Those cars, numbered 152 and 154, honored the early editions of the Carrera Panamericana.

Homage to the class-winning car of 1954

The one-of-a-kind car is said to be based on the 550 Spyder driven by Hans Hermann in the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, in which he finished third overall and won his class. In this race, which covered approximately 3,200 km over five days, Hermann drove his 1.5-liter engine car to an impressive 87 minutes ahead of Umberto Marioli, who won the race in his Ferrari 375 Plus with a 5.0-liter V12 engine.

This 1954 event was the last time the Carrera Panamericana was held. For Porsche, it was the most successful event after 1952. At this event, Porsche introduced its first twin-cam 550 Spyder engine to the race. This engine was later called the Carrera engine and was to influence all subsequent Carrera models.

Nostalgic elements recreated in modern times

The tribute car, which is based on a modern 718 Spyder RS, is said to have been painted silver to match the original bodywork. Nostalgic details are said to be scattered throughout, including a carmine red stripe on the rear fender and the number 55 in yellow on the doors and engine cover.

The interior is said to feature red seats and a steering wheel of the same color, which contrasts with the black-toned cabin. The headrests are embroidered with "Carrera Panamericana," and the Mexican flag is projected on the left puddle lamp and the silhouette of the 550 Spyder is projected on the right side, according to the elaborate specifications.

They also have a large TAG Heuer logo on the front hood, thanks to a partnership with TAG Heuer, a watch manufacturer and well-known motorsports timekeeper.

Porsche and TAG Heuer present a supreme collaboration watch - Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana

Scheduled to appear at auction

Unlike many Porsche special editions, this 718 Spyder RS Panamericana Special may be available to the general public if they have sufficient funds. Unlike regular special editions, which are sold preferentially to longtime customers, this car will be auctioned off around 2025. The proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization in Latin America.

The true purpose of the project is to promote Porsche's "Sonderwunsch" program. This is a modern-day revival of a factory program from the late 1970s in which customers design their own one-of-a-kind model, which Porsche then builds.

They are now able to arrange for factory production at Porsche centers in the U.S. to meet customers' individual color and material requirements. In addition, customers can send cars they already own back to the factory for re-commissioning and one-of-a-kind custom services, which will be recognized as official, according to the company. Sonderwunsch" means "special request" in German, and according to Porsche, common modern-day requests include leather cargo areas and multi-colored exterior finishes.

This 718 Spyder RS Panamericana Special with Porsche's illustrious racing heritage,Combining the latest technology and flexibility to meet customer needsIt is a very special car. We will have to wait and see how much it will fetch at the auction and if this project will beSonderwunsch" programIt remains to be seen how much it will contribute to raising awareness of the