PORSCHE CREATES A ONE-OFF 911 GT3 RS IN TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY PORSCHE DRIVER JO SIFFERT
Porsche just unveiled a special tribute to Swiss racing legend Jo Siffert, commemorating his legacy and celebrating the first victory of the iconic 917 nearly 55 years ago. On August 10, 1969, Siffert and Kurt Ahrens secured the first international win for the Porsche 917 at the 1,000-kilometre race at the Österreichring near Zeltweg, marking the beginning of a memorable motorsport legacy. To honour the feat, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur crafted a unique 911 GT3 RS under the Sonderwunsch program, a one-off masterpiece that will take the spotlight at the Auto Zürich trade fair in November. After that, a lucky buyer will be chosen at random from all interested enthusiasts with fat wallets. 50 years after his untimely passing, Jo Siffert remains a celebrated figure in Switzerland, remembered for his talent, charisma, and passion for motorsport. Over a short 11-year career, Siffert competed in 298 races, often in multiple events over the same weekend. “Jo Siffert, together with Kurt Ahrens, kicked off the success story of the 917 by winning at Zeltweg in 1969. The passion with which he pursued his dream of racing is still impressive today and fits perfectly with our brand core – Driven by Dreams,” says Michael Glinski, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Schweiz AG. Siffert’s family also played a significant role in the creation of this tribute vehicle. His son, Philippe, a former Formula Ford and Formula 3 racer and BMW works driver, along with his grandson, Jérémy Siffert, participated in the project. “To witness the creation of this Porsche in honour of my father was extremely exciting,” says Philippe Siffert. “With painstaking attention to historical details and craftsmanship of the highest quality, the employees of the Porsche Sonderwunsch Manufaktur have transformed an already rare 911 GT3 RS into an absolutely unique piece – infused with the spirit of Jo Siffert.” “This tribute model is an inspirational car in two senses: on the one hand, its visual design is based on the 917 with which Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens drove to victory at the Österreichring almost 55 years ago,” says Alexander Fabig, Vice President of Individualisation & Classic at Porsche AG. “On the other hand, the one-off shows the extensive exterior and interior customisation options that we offer as part of the Sonderwunsch programme.”
The 911 GT3 RS is a homage to the 917, predominantly finished in Pure White with bold Viper Green accents on the front wings, parts of the front end, and the middle section of the large rear wing. The tribute to Siffert’s 917 doesn’t end there; the start number "29" from the 1969 race is found on the doors, front bonnet, under the rear wing - even on the valve caps of the tyres. Classic Porsche lettering with a striped design runs along the doors and side sections, reminiscent of the original race car, while contemporary sponsor decals, including Bosch and Shell, add to the authenticity. The attention to detail shines through in the reproduction of the 917KH silhouette, which appears on the centerlocks of the satin black magnesium wheels and the rear wing end plates. A special badge on the B-pillars, featuring Jo Siffert’s name and signature, serves as a personal tribute. Inside, the cabin is a masterclass in motorsport-inspired luxury, with Race-Tex upholstery in Black and Guards Red, complemented by embroidered helmet motifs on the headrests and the 917 silhouette paired with Siffert’s signature on the door entry guards. Even the key has been carefully customized, featuring Pure White and Viper Green accents with the 917 silhouette and Siffert’s autograph embossed on the centre console cover and leather key case. “We owe the 1969 World Sportscar Championship in large part to Jo Siffert. He was by far the fastest man on our team,” recalled former senior race engineer Peter Falk in 2018, paying tribute to Siffert’s incredible contribution to Porsche’s motorsport success. That year, Porsche claimed seven out of ten races, with Siffert securing five victories alongside Briton Brian Redman and one with Kurt Ahrens - the historic win at Zeltweg on August 10, 1969. “Our victory in Zeltweg was the start of the success story of the 917, and it was a great pleasure and honour for me to be able to share the cockpit with Jo,” says Ahrens. The 917 went on to achieve legendary status, winning the Sports Car World Championship in its debut season in 1969 and claiming victory at Le Mans in 1970 with Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood, and again in 1971 with Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep. The 917’s dominance continued in the North American CanAm series, with George Follmer in 1972 and Mark Donohue in 1973 behind the wheel of 1,000 hp+ turbo versions of the 917/10 and 917/30, respectively. Jo Siffert, tragically, would not live to witness these later triumphs, after his career with Porsche, he passed away at the age of 35 in a fatal accident. His legacy, both on and off the track, lives on immortalized in this awesome tribute GT3 RS.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off a bit of the reason why Porsche decided to build a one-of-one tribute car to pay homage to legendary driver Jo Siffert. The man raced before most of you reading this were born: Jo Siffert | Charly Eyer
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