This 20-Year-Old Porsche Carrera GT Is Brand New Again, Thanks to a Factory Rebirth

There are certain cars that are already legends the moment they leave the factory. The Porsche Carrera GT is one of them. It’s a raw, analog supercar from an era before hybrid systems and dual-clutch everything. So what do you do when you own a piece of history that’s now two decades old? For one owner, a simple restoration wasn’t enough. They went straight to the source, to a division at Porsche known as Sonderwunsch Manufaktur—the ‘Special Wishes’ workshop. This is where the rulebook gets tossed out, and if your bank account is deep enough, Porsche will build you something truly unique.

The request was audacious: take a 20-year-old Carrera GT, tear it down to its very soul, and rebuild it not just as it was, but as something entirely new. The centerpiece of this transformation is a stunning paint job that tells a story. At first glance, you might see the colors of the Austrian flag, but the real inspiration is pure racing pedigree. This car, destined for the roads of Puerto Rico, wears the iconic livery of the Porsche 917 that roared to victory at Le Mans in 1970. The brilliant red and sweeping white stripes aren’t vinyl; they were meticulously hand-painted, a tribute to a golden era of motorsport.

But the artistry doesn’t stop with the glossy paint. To give the car a modern, aggressive edge, key components like the A-pillars, mirror caps, and the aggressive rear diffuser are finished in a stealthy matte carbon fiber. The engine cover grilles and the original-design 19-inch wheels are bathed in a matching matte black, creating a perfect visual contrast that makes the historic livery pop even more. It’s a masterful blend of classic racing tribute and contemporary supercar styling.

Step inside, and the theme flows seamlessly from the exterior. A river of the same Guards Red Alcantara cascades over the dashboard, door panels, and steering wheel. The cabin is a study in purposeful design, with matte carbon fiber adorning the seat shells, air vents, and instrument binnacle. In a fantastic nod to Porsche’s lineage, the headrests are upholstered in the same black, fire-retardant, FIA-approved fabric found in the 918 Spyder, linking two generations of Porsche hypercars. They even crafted a custom-fitted luggage set, because why not?

This, however, is far more than a cosmetic overhaul. Porsche’s engineers essentially hit the reset button on the car’s life. The entire vehicle was disassembled, and the heart of the beast—that magnificent, screaming 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V10—was completely rebuilt. Every critical component was inspected and replaced, ensuring its 612 horsepower is as potent today as it was two decades ago. The Carrera GT was a technical marvel, with its carbon chassis keeping the weight down to a feather-light 1,380 kilograms and enabling a top speed of 330 km/h.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Carrera GT’s raw, untamed nature, and seeing one given this level of factory attention is something special. It’s a testament to the car’s enduring legacy. The best part? After this exhaustive rebirth, which you can read more about on the official Porsche newsroom, the odometer was reset. It now reads zero kilometers. The owner gets to experience a brand-new, 20-year-old legend. As for the price tag for this automotive fountain of youth? Porsche isn’t saying, but it’s safe to assume it’s a figure as breathtaking as the car itself.