Tribute to the Porsche Museum: Final 718 takes to the Racetrack

Motorsport is not merely a chapter in Porsche's history, it is the foundation on which the brand was built. For 75 years, innovations have been tested on the racetrack before finding their way into production models. To mark the anniversary of "75 Years of Porsche Motorsport", Porsche Heritage and Museum is showcasing this continuity in a particularly striking way with a 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport featuring an exclusive Porsche Museum livery. Porsche Heritage and Museum accompanied the entire creation process of the race car from the body shell stage through to its final appearance. “This vehicle tells its story from different perspectives: it makes the connection to the museum visible, represents the present-day customer racing programme and carries the heritage of Zuffenhausen out into the world,” says Achim Stejskal, Head of Porsche Heritage and Museum.

The design of the livery focuses on the futuristic architecture of the Porsche Museum. As an ambassador for "75 Years of Porsche Motorsport", the vehicle embarks on a journey that makes it part of that very story itself. And because a racing car must first earn its place in the company collection with a few racing kilometres on slick tyres, the car took part in the six-hour race of the ADAC Ravenol Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) on 1 August 2026. Porsche Brand Ambassadors Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister shared driving duties in the number 718 car and crossed the finish line in fourth place overall. “This vehicle is our contribution to ‘75 Years of Porsche Motorsport’. It does not simply tell history, it continues to write it,” says Armin Burger, Coordinator of Historic Motorsport at Porsche. For the first time, Porsche Heritage and Museum joined forces with the motorsport specialists in Weissach and Team 75 Motorsport for an entry in contemporary motorsport competition.

The Idea Behind the Documentary

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, internally known as the 982 generation, is the final mid-engined racing car produced in Zuffenhausen and continues this tradition. As Porsche's current customer racing vehicle, it is homologated until 2027, after which it will be succeeded by the Porsche 911 GT4 R, the first GT4 racing car to be based on the iconic 911 platform. The high-revving six-cylinder boxer engine, the aerodynamics optimised for circuit racing and the stripped-back, functional interior all adhere to one clear principle: every detail serves performance. At the same time, the vehicle illustrates the close connection between development and motorsport. Insights gained on the racetrack flow directly into the further development of production vehicles. The car's special design unites past and present while referencing both the Porsche Museum and Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen. In doing so, the racing car becomes a moving reminder of the location where Porsche's road cars and motorsport activities share a common origin.

The idea for this special tribute was born in the summer of 2023 during the return journey from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Armin Burger and racing driver and Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister discussed the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and came to the same conclusion: “This vehicle has become every bit as capable and as fast as a super sports car.” The concept continued to develop and the museum team decided to document the creation of the final mid-engined racing car on film and, following its motorsport appearance, to keep it operational as part of the collection's activities.

The Story of its Creation in Four Stages

Production began in the body shop in Zuffenhausen, where the bodyshell was prepared for life at the limit. The vehicle was then handed over to specialists who integrated highly durable motorsport structures and installed key racing components, including a safety cage, reinforcements, air-jack mounting points and other race-specific technology. The next stage took place at the Volkswagen plant in Osnabrück, where the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport truly took shape. There it was assembled, painted and fitted with natural-fibre components made from flax. The fourth and final stop was Manthey Racing at the Nürburgring, where setup work, vehicle measurement, AG10 approval and initial testing were carried out.

Exterior Design Linking Architecture and Motorsport

The visual concept draws directly on the architecture of the museum building. Matte white reflects the façade, while black elements reference the window bands and frames. Grey surfaces echo the forecourt. Fine diamond-shaped patterns recreate the aluminium structure of the building's exterior skin. On the roof, graphic foil tiles reference the reflective elements beneath the museum's cantilevered roof. A silver graphic recalls the sculpture located on the roundabout in front of the building and extends across the bonnet and roof. The "Porsche Museum" lettering uses exactly the same typography found on the building façade. Even the Christophorus restaurant logo appears on the bodywork. The design therefore becomes a storytelling element in its own right. The racing car translates the museum's architecture into motion and visually communicates the origins of Porsche motorsport in Zuffenhausen. As a result, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is more than an anniversary vehicle. It bridges the worlds of road cars and racing cars, of the main production plant and customer racing. Through it, Porsche demonstrates how closely past and present are intertwined and how this connection forms the foundation for future developments. Motorsport remains the key development environment.

Successful Customer Racing Heritage in GT4 Competition

Since entering the GT4 category in 2016, Porsche has developed and produced more than 1,500 racing cars based on the Cayman. These models combine robust production-based engineering with race-specific components and have established themselves worldwide as commercially attractive customer racing solutions. Now, for the first time, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is expanding its customer racing portfolio with a vehicle based on the iconic 911 model line. The new Porsche 911 GT4 R is scheduled to begin competition in the 2027 motorsport season.

Documentary on Porsche YouTube

A documentary premiering on Porsche’s YouTube channel in autumn 2026 provides an in-depth look at the vehicle’s journey from production to track. It not only showcases the complete build process across several locations, but also features testing sessions with Timo Bernhard at the wheel.