911 Targa 4S shows possibilities of individualisation via Exclusive Manufaktur

911 Targa 4S by Exclusive Manufaktur
The 911 Targa 4S shows the tremendous individualisation possibilities that are available through Exclusive Manufaktur when ordering using the online Porsche Car Configurator and its Paint to Sample colour options.

“This is a really cool showcase piece demonstrating how far you can go with regards to customisation while still inside the Porsche Car Configurator,” said Patrick Gallas, Manager of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur at Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE.

“This car has been ordered using only the options available in the car configurator, so there are no special request items and yet it still looks like it’s out of this world.”

Manufacturing times for a car ordered through Exclusive Manufaktur using the Porsche Car Configurator and even selecting an exterior colour using ‘Paint to Sample’ are similar to a regular 911, as every car runs down the same line at Zuffenhausen in Stuttgart, Germany.

“The execution is like any other car and needs to be planned in order to give notice to our suppliers, but we route everything through the same production line which means that if you order a car with standard black seats or you order a seat with the Pepita fabric we’ve used on our 911 Targa 4S from the Heritage Design Classic Package, the production time is the same.”

Paint to Sample
This 911 Targa 4S is immediately distinguishable by its exclusive ‘Yachting Blue Metallic’ exterior paint taken from Porsche’s ‘Paint to Sample’ program together with a blue soft top and 20-/21-inch Carrera exclusive design wheels painted in high-gloss black from Exclusive Manufaktur.

Other more subtle highlights include its electric folding exterior mirrors with its lower trims painted in matching Yachting Blue Metallic contrasted with high gloss black bases that incorporate courtesy lighting. There’s also Porsche logo LED door courtesy lights and a Sport Design Package in black high-gloss to round off the outward look, which is topped by the Targa’s trademark brushed alloy roll-over bar.

Porsche’s signature look at night, using an unmistakable light design, is complemented by Exclusive Manufaktur LED Matrix main headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus) and Exclusive Design Taillights.

Heritage Design Classic
As the Targa concept brings the outdoors inside, the interior also takes on a new design importance, which is perfectly illustrated by the two-tone leather Heritage Design Classic package of Black and Classic Cognac from Exclusive Manufaktur for the heated, Adaptive Sports seats Plus with powered 18-way memory adjustment.

Purists will instantly recognise the Pepita black and white patterned seat inserts, which adorned early Porsche models, against the heritage tone Classic Cognac for the semi anilin leather side bolsters, shoulder and head rests which also carry through to the Exclusive Manufaktur Dashboard and Door Trim package.

“The interior was inspired by the 911 Sport Classic, which was a limited model and is highly sought after and therefore very desirable. So we’ve used the Pepita trim against the semi anilin leather which is a bit smoother and thinner, which makes it a bit harder to fabricate, however it gives that vintage feeling to it,” said Gallas.

The personalised interior is capped by a Sport Chrono Package, Porsche Track Precision App and a tyre temperature display along with Exclusive Manufaktur aluminium PDK gear selector, aluminium pedals and footrest, Heritage Design floor mats and a Light Design package.

Under the bodywork and less obvious to the naked eye, this exclusive 911 Targa 4S also features an eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission, a lifting system for the front axle, a Sports Exhaust System with silver Sports Tailpipes, ParkAssist with surround view and Active Lane Keeping including Adaptive Cruise Control.

“We felt that this special 911 Targa 4S from Exclusive Manufaktur would perfectly complement our bespoke Sonderwunsch 911 Turbo Remastered,” said Gallas.

“The car unveiled last year showcased the extent to which special requests can be accommodated, which makes it a unique piece with a price to suit that exclusivity. Whereas this 911 Targa 4S was created using the available tools you can find at every Porsche Centre or online.

“Compared to Sonderwunsch, an Exclusive Manufaktur order is relatively easy to arrange as it uses the online Porsche Car Configurator. These two cars are a great comparison and I think it's special to have them next to each other because I’m sure everybody will find both of them stunning.

“We want to encourage customers to be bold when personalising their car and this 911 Targa 4S Exclusive Manufaktur is a perfect example of how it can easily be done.”

The 911 Targa 4S (type 992.I)

The Porsche 911 Targa 4S (type 992.I) is the iconic body shape first unveiled in 1965. The Targa is neither a cabriolet nor a coupé, neither a hard top nor a saloon, but something completely new: the first safety cabriolet in the world with a fixed roll bar.

When unveiled, Porsche was responding to increased safety requirements for open-top cars in the American market, countering voices calling for cabriolets to be completely banned in the United States. When deciding on a name for the model, consideration was given to race tracks where Porsche has been particularly successful, quickly leading to Targa Florio – the road race in Sicily where Porsche has enjoyed great motorsport success since the mid 1950s.

The 911 Targa 4S features a 2981cc six-cylinder boxer engine with two turbochargers, producing 450 PS and 530 Nm of torque. The 911 Targa also features an eight-speed PDF gearbox, an optimised all-wheel drive system for improved traction, including the Porsche Traction Management on the front axle.

The electronically controlled variable damping system PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) is part of the standard equipment on the new 911 Targa models. This system automatically adjusts the damping characteristics in terms of driving comfort and handling to each driving situation and has two manually adjustable maps: Normal and Sport. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), which includes an electronic rear differential lock with fully variable torque distribution, is added as standard equipment on the Targa 4S.

911 Turbo Remastered by Sonderwunsch

A special bespoke 911 Turbo was unveiled at the 2023 Icons of Porsche in Dubai, a modern-day interpretation of the very first 911 Turbo.

‘911 Turbo Remastered’ is a modern-day interpretation of the original 911 Turbo prototype gifted to Louise Piëch in 1974.

The unveiling was a part of the festival’s celebration of 60 years of the iconic 911 model, as well as a prelude to the ’50 Years of Turbo’ celebrations of 2024. It is also a showcase of the extensive capabilities of the Sonderwunsch special request program.

The project was a collaboration between Style Porsche, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and the Porsche Middle East and Africa regional office.

“This very special car is not only a showcase of what is possible with our Porsche personalisation programs,” said Bräunl.

“It also highlights the brave and pioneering Porsche spirit as we look back to the inspiration for this project, the very first 911 Turbo.”

The inspiration for the project was the original prototype commissioned for Louise Piëch, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche, back in 1974. The 911 model with chassis number #9115600042 which was a prototype that left the Zuffenhausen factory on 17 July 1974 and was given Piëch for her 70th birthday on 29 August 1974.

Unlike the regular production examples of the 911 Turbo, this car featured a narrow-chassis 911 Carrera body, yet debuted the large, Turbo rear wing. It was distinguished by its use of chequered Tartan fabric on red interior that was personally chosen by Piëch to go with its silver exterior.

“The initial idea for this project began two years ago,” said Gallas.

“We wanted to create a modern iteration of a car that was truly unique. Luckily for us, there is no shortage of Porsche cars that people label as icons. We elected to ‘remaster’ one of the greatest icons of them all, the original 911 Turbo prototype from Louise Piech.

“This car is interesting not only because of the engine, narrow body and large rear wing. It also had a unique interior that was our focus point to be recreated for the new car.”

New twist on exterior features

With very few silver choices available in the early 1970’s, the original car featured a standard silver exterior colour. The Sonderwunsch Turbo features the historically significant ‘GT silver’ that is available as a metallic standard colour for all 911 Turbo models.

The Exclusive Manufaktur options fitted are also available on the car configurator, including its Sport Design Package and body colour-painted rear side intakes as well as exterior mirrors. However, some components are offset with matte black paint, specially requested to recreate the appearance of the original car from 1974.

Unique decals were created by Style Porsche designers in Weissach, with an added a twist of a subtle decal under the rear wing. Special approval was also provided by Porsche Classic to use the old turbo rear badge from the first ever production turbo.

“This badge was not on the original car because it was a prototype, but it’s period correct and looks great,” said Gallas.

One of the key identifiers of the early 911 Turbo was the black Fuchs alloy wheels. Exclusive Manufaktur has managed to recreate this look with a bespoke paintjob on the available five spoke 911 Turbo Exclusive Design rim.

The painted rim resembles the style of the original car. While the rim itself is available, the way it was painted through the Sonderwunsch department makes it stand out from the regular look of the wheel.

Unique fabric pattern, two-tone interior

The interior features a modified version of the Heritage Design Classic package, which includes the retro-looking green illuminated dials at the ref-counter as well as in the Sport Chrono dial as an historic reference. However, portions of the usual leather and pepita fabric that comes with the Heritage Design Classic package made way for a fully bespoke, customised trim to match Piëch’s request on the original car.

The original red and blue chequered Tartan fabric trim was recreated for the interior, including in the glove compartment and in the frunk, and with the help of the Sonderwunsch department, the interior has emerged as a two-tone design not seen on current Porsche interiors.

Compared to two-tone interiors on current Porsches, the Remastered Sonderwunsch Turbo features a Lipstick Red on black theme that only uses red on the carpet, the seats and centre console, leaving the dash and doors in black, which is in contrast to the current two-tone options available on the 911 type 992 model range.

“It’s a new way of doing two-tone on a 992 using a unique mix of fabric, leather and two-tone you don’t see today,” said Gallas.

“We wanted to use this opportunity to promote and highlight what the Exclusive Manufaktur department can do through Sonderwunsch, so we really pushed the boundaries and utilized many unique features that you won’t find on the car configurator including a cross stitching on the upper dash and upper doors, which is all done by hand.”

The seats also utilise the original Turbo lettering theme from the rear badge into the interior with headrest embroidery, and is complemented by period-correct, tone-in-tone piping bordering the leather.

Final touchpoints for the interior include a PDK gear selector in aluminium from Exclusive Manufaktur as well as a tailored key that features the chequered tartan pattern in the middle with GT Silver along the sides, which is now a combination that is available for all 911 type 992 keys through Porsche Tequipment.

The 911 Turbo (type 992.I)

The Porsche 911 Turbo type 992 needs no introduction with a 3,745 cm3, six-cylinder boxer engine that features symmetrical VTG turbochargers with electrically controlled bypass valves and boasts an output of 427 kW (580 PS) or 30 kW (40 PS) more than its predecessor.

Using an eight-speed PDK gearbox with a Turbo-specific set-up, its acceleration, power and torque figures match those of the previous generation 911 Turbo and achieves a 0-100 km/h time of 2.8 seconds with a top speed of 320km/h.

About Exclusive Manufaktur
The customisation of production vehicles is the core competence of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. More than 30 Manufaktur employees have access to a wide range of visual and technical customisation options for the exterior and interior. On the exterior, the lighting, wheels as well as the engine and drivetrain can all be personalised.

Added to this is a wide range of special colours and high-quality materials such as leather, carbon, aluminium and elegant wood finishes for interior elements. Even customer wishes that are not covered by the 600 order options in the customisation programme can be realised by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur for selected models. The requirements for quality, technology, road safety and full compliance with international laws are all met.

Paint to Sample
Porsche revised its colour schemes earlier this year, re-naming the former categories of standard, metallic and special to Contrasts, Shades, Dream and Legends.

Customers can also select more personalised options through ‘Paint to Sample’ where the focus is on the availability of more than 170 classic Porsche colours recognisable from the company’s history, as well as ‘Paint to Sample Plus’ that offers the option of creating highly individual colours based on specific customer specifications.

Porsche Configurator
The Porsche Car Configurator allows users to design their dream cars online and pre-order customer-configured cars directly from the factory.

The Porsche Car Configurator includes expanded high quality views of the vehicle set among a wide variety of backgrounds. Almost all options are visually represented in real time from the different variants of the design packages to details such as decorative stitching to enable maximum customisation in an intuitive environment.

Upholding a tradition of creating unique sportscars
Ferry Porsche once said “We place more value on building cars of quality than on building cars for quantity”. A way of thinking that has a long history at Porsche. And one that to this very day describes our daily work. In the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, we raise this maxim to the highest principle. With the goal of realising personal customer requests and thereby creating special vehicles. For every type and every model. To turn something special into something extraordinary.

The manufacturing process is a sophisticated task. Besides the use of valuable materials such as leather, race tex carbon, wood or aluminium, our most important asset is human hands. They are often the only tools that meet our high demands. When applying leather, paint and polish. When cutting and sewing, as well as when assembling in the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. Always in due time. Or put another way: with great care, calm, concentration, passion and dedication. That is how our art of craftsmanship always creates a coherent whole in the end.

About Sonderwunsch: the ‘special request’ program of Porsche

In the spirit of truly luxury, the Porsche Sonderwunsch program provides bespoke customisation services for unique sports cars with a combination of skilled craftsmanship and attention to detail. The sports car manufacturer thus reinterprets its legendary Sonderwunsch program from the late 1970s to enable individualised, one-off cars – co-created by the customer and professionally produced by Porsche.

The range of services encompasses individual customer colour and material requests directly in production, as well as subsequent modification after the car is delivered to the customer. Practically speaking, everything complying with local regulatory requirements is possible, from new colours and equipment for existing cars to the creation of individual one-off cars at the customer’s request.

The Sonderwunsch programme takes attention to detail to the next level, and helps you make your very own Porsche dream come true, no matter the age of the car. Whether it's a new vehicle you've not taken delivery of yet, a vehicle you already own or your own classic Porsche, whether you want a very specific design, feature or even if you want to drive a true one-of-a-kind vehicle, you can make your dream come true together with the Sonderwunsch team.

This program makes dreams come true, even beyond the options available in the online Porsche car configurator. Together with the Sonderwunsch (which literally means ‘special request’ in German) team, personal design and equipment requests are checked and installed in the vehicle right at the factory.

The option exists to have your vehicle restored in the factory and returned to its delivery condition. But possibilities also exist for those that may want to add new ideas for the vehicle's colour, equipment, or even its technical features. The Sonderwunsch (special request) programme provides the option of redesigning your vehicle according to your wishes. Create a limited edition car as the project manager in close collaboration with the Sonderwunsch (special request) team and make it a reality in custom production at Zuffenhausen.

Sonderwunsch can take many shapes, from personalisation and special material combinations in the interior and high-quality design paintwork on the body and wheels, to custom-designed components including eccentric fabrics and bespoke leather. If desired, personal logos and design elements can be integrated into the interior and exterior by hand with the finest attention to detail.

Completely new vehicle concepts as well as tailored adjustments to the vehicle body are possible, for example a custom-designed gear knob and modified rear wing as an homage to racing icons. The owner of a Sonderwunsch order is essentially its project manager, leading a team of designers, engineers and specialists to develop their unique factory limited edition Porsche, built over a period of up to three years. With the Porsche Sonderwunsch programme, you can quite literally build your dream car and pursue your next dreams in it.