Porsche Now Has a Program to Engineer One-Off Dream Cars For You—Yes, You

Porsche is preparing to build you a dream machine from the ground up—not just a special paint and options package.

byPeter Holderith|
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Porsche is known for its pricey sports cars that garner worldwide acclaim. For some customers, though, even the wildest spec 911 isn't enough to satisfy their needs. They want something nobody else has, something that reflects their style and wealth.

People like Jerry Seinfeld and ultra-rich CEOs sometimes get their way with vehicles like a custom 993 Speedster, but now Porsche is making the process of putting together custom rides—its Sonderwunsch program—an official one. Yes, if you're willing to join the development team as a financier, Porsche will make you a one-off custom car. But even then, there are limitations.

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First of all, you're going to need a heck of a lot of money. Not just Porsche money, either. It's going to cost $100,000 just to see if the project you want to undertake is even feasible. Also, keep in mind that the German automaker will only be doing three to five of these cars per year, so even if you're a multi-millionaire reading this, you'll probably still have to wait stuck in line behind somebody like Lawrence Stroll.

And you'll definitely need Stroll money to develop this new custom car on top of the 100 grand you already paid. Porsche has not given an exact number—it will likely vary significantly between projects—but automotive development isn't cheap. Even with techniques like metal 3D printing that might make some of this custom work more feasible, it's going to be pricey. We're talking millions, here.

Porsche

Speaking to Porsche representatives, Road & Track discussed some possibilities to help get an idea of what was possible. Both of them are pretty tame, and Porsche seemed open to at least one of them. The first was a Cayman with the engine from a 911 GT3. Porsche says that's probably off the menu because the larger engine of the 911 won't fit the Cayman's tighter engine bay. A lifted 911 Safari would likely be possible, though. Lots of people already make those, but having one from Porsche would certainly be unique.

If you don't have the millions of dollars to make projects like these happen, the German sports car brand will still offer its services for lesser projects. 1,000 cars per year will be offered with custom colors, trim combinations, etc. Basically, if you just want a neat color or a weird combination of stuff Porsche can bolt into any of their cars, they'll do that as well, at a much lower cost. Also on the menu is custom embroidery in the interior, custom carpets, and other upholstery-related options that can be designed by the customer.

So, if you've got hundreds of thousands of dollars going unspent and you're looking to get your name embroidered on the dashboard of your custom 911, you're in luck. Or, if you have several million dollars just burning a hole in your pocket, you might just be lucky enough to get a custom Porsche that nobody else has.

I'll start saving my pennies!

Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: peter@thedrive.com

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