The Final Mid-Engine Porsche: How a Racing Car Became a Moving Museum

A Racing Car as a Storytelling Canvas

A racing car becomes the stage for an idea: the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport combines motorsport, architecture and brand identity in a single vehicle. Its design makes its origins visible. Porsche Heritage and Museum accompanied the entire development process, from initial concept to finished racing car. As part of the company collection, the vehicle will continue to carry forward the story of "75 Years of Porsche Motorsport."

Motorsport is not merely a chapter in Porsche's history it is the foundation on which the brand was built. For 75 years, innovations have been tested on the racetrack before finding their way into production models. To mark the anniversary of "75 Years of Porsche Motorsport," Porsche Heritage and Museum is showcasing this continuity in a particularly striking way with a 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport featuring an exclusive Porsche Museum livery.

"This vehicle tells its story from different perspectives: it makes the connection to the museum visible, represents the present-day customer racing programme and carries the heritage of Zuffenhausen out into the world," says Achim Stejskal, Head of Porsche Heritage and Museum.

A Long-Term Project Bridging Past and Present

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, internally known as the 982 generation, is the final mid-engined racing car produced in Zuffenhausen and continues this tradition. As Porsche's current customer racing vehicle, it is homologated until 2027, after which it will be succeeded by the Porsche 911 GT4 R, the first GT4 racing car to be based on the iconic 911 platform.

The high-revving six-cylinder boxer engine, the aerodynamics optimised for circuit racing and the stripped-back, functional interior all adhere to one clear principle: every detail serves performance. At the same time, the vehicle illustrates the close connection between development and motorsport. Insights gained on the racetrack flow directly into the further development of production vehicles.

The car's special design unites past and present while referencing both the Porsche Museum and Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen. In doing so, the racing car becomes a moving reminder of the location where Porsche's road cars and motorsport activities share a common origin.

The Birth of an Idea

The idea for this special tribute was born in the summer of 2023 during the return journey from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Armin Burger, Coordinator of Historic Motorsport at Porsche, and racing driver and Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister discussed the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and came to the same conclusion: "This vehicle has become every bit as capable and as fast as a super sports car."

The concept continued to develop, and the museum team decided to document the creation of the final mid-engined racing car on film and, following its motorsport appearance, to keep it operational as part of the collection's activities. For the first time, Porsche Heritage and Museum joined forces with the motorsport specialists in Weissach and Team 75 Motorsport for an entry in contemporary motorsport competition.

The project represents a unique collaboration between Porsche's heritage division and its contemporary racing operations. It demonstrates how the company's past and present are not separate entities but rather part of a continuous thread of innovation and excellence.

The Story of Its Creation in Four Stages

The creation of this special vehicle was a journey across multiple locations, each contributing a crucial piece to the final puzzle.

Stage 1: Zuffenhausen Body Shop

Production began in the body shop in Zuffenhausen, where the bodyshell was prepared for life at the limit. The Zuffenhausen plant, which has been the heart of Porsche production for decades, provided the foundation for what would become a racing car with a museum-quality finish. The body shell was carefully prepared, with every panel checked for precision before moving to the next stage.

Stage 2: Motorsport Integration

The vehicle was then handed over to specialists who integrated highly durable motorsport structures and installed key racing components, including a safety cage, reinforcements, air-jack mounting points and other race-specific technology. This stage transformed the production-based bodyshell into a genuine racing car capable of withstanding the rigors of competition.

Stage 3: Osnabrück Assembly

The next stage took place at the Volkswagen plant in Osnabrück, where the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport truly took shape. There it was assembled, painted and fitted with natural-fibre components made from flax. Osnabrück has been a key production site for Porsche models, and its expertise in assembly and finishing was crucial to the project.

Stage 4: Manthey Racing Final Preparation

The fourth and final stop was Manthey Racing at the Nürburgring, where setup work, vehicle measurement, AG10 approval and initial testing were carried out. Manthey Racing, one of the most respected Porsche racing teams in the world, provided the final preparation and fine-tuning that would allow the car to perform at its best on the track.

Exterior Design: Architecture in Motion

The visual concept draws directly on the architecture of the museum building. Every element of the livery tells a story, referencing the iconic structure that stands at the heart of Porsche's Zuffenhausen headquarters.

• Matte white reflects the façade of the museum building.

• Black elements reference the window bands and frames that define the museum's distinctive appearance.

• Grey surfaces echo the forecourt, providing a sense of continuity between the building and the car.

• Fine diamond-shaped patterns recreate the aluminium structure of the building's exterior skin, capturing the texture and detail of the architecture.

• On the roof, graphic foil tiles reference the reflective elements beneath the museum's cantilevered roof, creating a visual connection that is both subtle and unmistakable.

• A silver graphic recalls the sculpture located on the roundabout in front of the building and extends across the bonnet and roof, creating a sense of motion and flow.

• The "Porsche Museum" lettering uses exactly the same typography found on the building façade, ensuring instant recognition.

• Even the Christophorus restaurant logo appears on the bodywork, adding a touch of authenticity and completeness to the design.

The design therefore becomes a storytelling element in its own right. The racing car translates the museum's architecture into motion and visually communicates the origins of Porsche motorsport in Zuffenhausen.

A Competitive Debut at the Nürburgring

Because a racing car must first earn its place in the company collection with a few racing kilometres on slick tyres, the car took part in the six-hour race of the ADAC Ravenol Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) on 1 August 2026. Porsche Brand Ambassadors Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister shared driving duties in the number 718 car and crossed the finish line in fourth place in class.

The Nürburgring is one of the most challenging circuits in the world, with its 25 kilometres of demanding corners, elevation changes, and unpredictable weather. For a car that had been created as a tribute to Porsche's heritage, racing at the Nürburgring was the ultimate test.

Bernhard and Bergmeister, both experienced racing drivers with extensive knowledge of the Nürburgring, provided the perfect combination of skill and experience to extract the maximum performance from the car. Their fourth-place finish was a testament to the car's capabilities and the quality of the preparation work carried out by the Porsche Heritage and Museum team, the motorsport specialists in Weissach, and Team 75 Motorsport.

"This vehicle is our contribution to '75 Years of Porsche Motorsport.' It does not simply tell history, it continues to write it," says Armin Burger, Coordinator of Historic Motorsport at Porsche.

Customer Racing Heritage in GT4 Competition

Since entering the GT4 category in 2016, Porsche has developed and produced more than 1,500 racing cars based on the Cayman. These models combine robust production-based engineering with race-specific components and have established themselves worldwide as commercially attractive customer racing solutions.

The Cayman GT4 Clubsport has been a mainstay of Porsche's customer racing programme, providing privateer teams and gentleman drivers with a competitive and reliable platform for GT4 competition. Its success has been built on a combination of strong performance, durability, and the extensive support network that Porsche provides to its customer teams.

Now, for the first time, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is expanding its customer racing portfolio with a vehicle based on the iconic 911 model line. The new Porsche 911 GT4 R is scheduled to begin competition in the 2027 motorsport season, marking a significant shift in Porsche's customer racing strategy.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport: A Technical Masterpiece

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport represents the pinnacle of Porsche's mid-engined racing car development. Its technical specifications reflect the company's commitment to performance and precision:

• Engine: A high-revving six-cylinder boxer engine that delivers exceptional power and response.

• Aerodynamics: Optimised for circuit racing, providing outstanding downforce and stability.

• Interior: Stripped-back and functional, with every detail serving performance.

• Safety: Equipped with a comprehensive safety cage and other race-specific safety features.

The car's development was guided by one clear principle: every detail serves performance. This philosophy has resulted in a racing car that is both fast and reliable, capable of competing at the highest levels of GT4 racing.

A Documentary for the Ages

A documentary premiering on Porsche's YouTube channel in autumn 2026 provides an in-depth look at the vehicle's journey from production to track. It not only showcases the complete build process across several locations, but also features testing sessions with Timo Bernhard at the wheel.

The documentary offers viewers an unprecedented look at the creation of a Porsche racing car, from the initial concept to the final track debut. It captures the passion, precision, and dedication of the people who made the project possible, providing a fitting tribute to "75 Years of Porsche Motorsport."

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport with Porsche Museum livery is more than an anniversary vehicle. It bridges the worlds of road cars and racing cars, of the main production plant and customer racing. Through it, Porsche demonstrates how closely past and present are intertwined and how this connection forms the foundation for future developments.

Motorsport remains the key development environment for Porsche. The lessons learned on the track continue to inform the design and engineering of production vehicles, ensuring that every Porsche carries the DNA of its racing heritage.

As the final mid-engined racing car produced in Zuffenhausen, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport represents the end of an era. But it also represents the beginning of a new chapter, as Porsche continues to push the boundaries of performance and innovation.

The circus of motorsport is always packing up and moving away. But for Porsche, the show is just getting started.