Special limited edition 911 GT3 will be unveiled as part of celebrations of 75 years of Porsche in the UK – at Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 20/21 June

Based on the 911 GT3 with Touring Package, limited to 51 examples. Inspiration sourced from the 356 coupe, first presented at the 1951 Earls Court Motor Show

Created by Porsche Cars GB in partnership with the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur at the factory in Stuttgart, a unique Paint to Sample Plus colour ‘Earls Court Green’ metallic paired with bespoke two-tone leather and corduroy interior

Priced from £251,951.00 RRP – including matching Porsche Design Chronograph timepiece, leather overnight ‘Weekender’ bag, 1:18 scale model and commemorative book

A Porsche 356 in matching colour presented alongside at Sunstede: a Factory Recommission of a 1951 coupe

Tickets to Sunstede available via Porsche Silverstone

Porsche Cars GB is proud to present the new 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition. This year, the company celebrates the 75th anniversary of its first car arriving in Great Britain at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1951. Working together with the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur at the company’s factory in Stuttgart, just 51 examples of this limited series sports car will be produced. Based on the 911 GT3 with Touring Package, the distinctive features of the new model include a specially developed exterior Paint to Sample Plus colour and bespoke interior, plus many details inspired by the 356 coupes first displayed at Earls Court in 1951.

Reading, Great Britain. Over a weekend of action around the Porsche Experience Centre and the renowned Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 20/21 June, Porsche Cars GB will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the first Porsche arriving in the UK, and welcoming owners, fans, enthusiasts and their families to Icons of Porsche, Sunstede Silverstone Edition.

A highlight of the weekend will be the debut of the Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition. Developed by Porsche Cars GB together with the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur team in Stuttgart, Germany, this limited series 911 takes inspiration from the first 356 coupes that were displayed at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1951.

Resplendent in a unique Earls Court Green metallic body colour, the 911 is styled to evoke the earliest days of Porsche in the UK – with its green paint a nod to the colour of one of the 356 models displayed 75 years ago in London, as well as being synonymous with British motorsport of the period.

Serving as a further touchstone to the origin story of Porsche in the UK will be a special Factory Recommission of a 1951 Porsche 356 in matching colour.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition

The project brief for this special car had four primary objectives:

1. A link to the original 356. This naturally led to the selection of a 911, but also ruled out the particularly extrovert models such as Turbo and RS.

2. A focus on the Porsche tradition of driver engagement that the 356 established 75 years ago, so consequently, a manual transmission was a key feature.

3. In its styling and details, the new car should both be inspired by the original UK cars from the Earls Court Motor Show and, at the same time, acknowledge and celebrate broader Porsche heritage features, interpreting them in a contemporary and relevant manner.

4. With a reference to the parallel Recommission of the 356 by Sonderwunsch, the overall design of the special edition should be aligned with aspects of the 1951 model.

These considerations led the design team to choose the 911 GT3 with Touring Package as the starting point.

To develop a special colour for customer offer on the production line, the paint had to be adapted accordingly to ensure colour matching, the highest quality and durability across six or seven different materials. After studying the very first 356 cars that were on show at Earls Court, a green was chosen, and then the process began to select the appropriate shade. The final colour features aluminium flecks to catch and reflect the light, presenting a contemporary metallic finish with a depth and precision that subtly alters its hue depending on the lighting.

Once the paint colour was decided, attention turned to the selection of the interior materials. Again, the 356 from 1951 inspired us. Taking the 911 GT3 with Touring Package as the basis allowed the design team to fully exploit the 2+2 seating arrangement of the 911 and mimic the interior design of the original 356.

Using the colour palette of the original car, with careful reinterpretation of period materials and fabrics, a mix of corduroy and leather welcomes the driver as they open the door. The combination of Night Green and Chalk Beige leather (with Night Green stitching) offers an understated elegance that is luxurious and sporting.

The leather extends to the seat back panel in Night Green, where it is complemented by Paldao wood veneer inlay. The Paldao wood trim with accents in Light Silver continues to the dashboard, doors and centre console; and the gear lever shifter is also wood. The appearance and touch of this particular wood are further linked to the materials featured in the 356.

In addition, the interior boasts many exquisite design details, hallmarks of the craftsmanship of the Exclusive Manufaktur team. When the door is opened on the driver’s side, there is an embossed silhouette of a 356 with the motto ‘driving in its purest form’, a translated tagline taken from the original 356 marketing in period, and a sentiment just as true of the latest 911 GT3 Touring and essence of the Edition. Each of the black leather sun visors features an embossed Union Jack motif, and the headrests feature the ‘Earls Court 51’ logo.

A unique badge on the rear engine cover of the 911 is a further link to the origins of the 356. The grille badge with ‘Reutter‘ inspired design logo references the Reutter factory in Stuttgart that built the bodies of the 356, before assembly in the Porsche plant.

Options are limited, including the choice of manual or PDK transmission, and a leather-trimmed front luggage compartment. This feature is a further demonstration of the craftsmanship of Exclusive Manufaktur, and of the individualisation possible. It is handmade and takes up to 30 hours to stitch and fit.

Under the skin

Being based on the 911 GT3 Touring, the Earls Court 51 Edition has a natural athleticism and dynamic performance that needs no introduction. Like the 356, the 911 is powered by a rear-mounted, naturally aspirated boxer engine driving the rear wheels through a manual transmission. In this case, the 911 offers a flat-six versus the flat-four of the 356; but, regardless, both cars share the very essence of driver engagement that has for over 75 years been a Porsche hallmark.

The 4.0-litre engine delivers 510 PS (375 kW) and offers a characteristic soundscape. In combination with a six-speed manual transmission (with PDK offered as a no-cost option), familiar highlights of the 911 GT3 include its high-revving, responsive engine and race-proven chassis. The 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition with manual gearbox can accelerate to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and, where appropriate, can reach a top speed of 194 mph (PDK: 3.4 secs; 193 mph).

Porsche Design Chronograph

Each of the Earls Court 51 Edition cars is presented with a bespoke Porsche Design Chronograph timepiece, with the watch dial inspired by the instrument graphics of the 356. And included is a Weekender bag in matching Night Green leather, plus a 1:18 scale model of the 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition.

As a further memento, a coffee table book tracing the build and development of the limited series is also presented to every customer.