Tribute to the Porsche Museum: the last 718 to be built completes its race outing

Motorsport is not just a chapter in Porsche’s history; it is its very origin. For 75 years, innovations have been tested on the racetrack, later finding their way into production models. To mark the ‘75 Years of Porsche Motorsport’ anniversary, Porsche Heritage and Museum is illustrating this continuity in a particularly vivid way: with a 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in an exclusive Porsche Museum livery. Porsche Heritage and Museum has been involved in the racing car’s development process, from the body-in-white stage right through to its final appearance. “The car tells its story from different perspectives: it highlights the connection to the museum, represents the present-day world of customer motorsport, and conveys Zuffenhausen’s heritage to the world,” says Achim Stejskal, Head of Porsche Heritage and Museum.

The design of the livery focuses on the futuristic design language of the Porsche Museum. As an ambassador for ‘75 Years of Porsche Motorsport’, the car is setting off on its journey and thus becoming part of this history itself. And because a racing car only earns its place of honour in the company’s collection after clocking up a few kilometres on slicks, it took to the track at the 6-hour race of the ADAC Ravenol Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) on 1 August 2026. Porsche brand ambassadors Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister took turns at the wheel of the car bearing start number 718 and crossed the finish line in fourth place in the highly competitive SP10 class for GT4 cars. “This car is our contribution to ‘75 Years of Porsche Motorsport’. It doesn’t just tell the story – it carries it forward,” says Armin Burger, Historic Motorsport Coordinator at Porsche. For the first time, Porsche Heritage and Museum are participating in a race in today’s motorsport alongside the motorsport experts from Weissach and Team75 Motorsport.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, known internally as Generation 982, is the last mid-engined racing car manufactured in Zuffenhausen and continues this lineage. As the current customer sports car, it is homologated until 2027, after which it will be replaced by the Porsche 911 GT4 R, which is based on the 911 platform for the first time. The high-revving six-cylinder boxer engine of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, its aerodynamics consistently designed for circuit racing and the minimalist, functional interior all follow a clear principle: every detail is geared towards performance. At the same time, the car demonstrates just how closely development and motorsport are intertwined. Insights gained from the racetrack are incorporated into the further development of production vehicles. The racing car’s distinctive design brings the present and the past together, incorporating the museum and Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen. In this way, the racing car becomes a rolling tribute to the place where production cars and motorsport share their common origins.

The idea for this special tribute first took shape in the summer of 2023 on the return journey from the Le Mans 24 Hours. Armin Burger and racing driver and Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister were discussing the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and agreed: “This car is now as good and as fast as a supercar.” The idea takes shape, and the museum team decides to document the creation of the last mid-engined racing car to be built on film and to keep it in service as part of the museum’s collection activities following its motorsport career.

Production begins with the body-in-white at the bodyworks in Zuffenhausen. There, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is prepared for a potential life at the very limits of its capabilities. The vehicle is then sent to specialists who integrate high-strength motorsport structures and fit key racing components such as a roll cage, reinforcements, mounts for air jacks and other racing technology. At the VW plant in Osnabrück, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport finally takes shape: there it is assembled, painted and fitted with natural fibre components made from flax. The fourth and final stop is Manthey Racing at the Nürburgring. There, the car undergoes set-up, measurement, AG10 approval and an initial test drive.

Then comes the visual concept: the livery echoes the design language of the museum building. Matt white matches the façade, whilst black references the window bands and frames. Grey surfaces echo the forecourt. Delicate diamond patterns trace the aluminium structure of the outer skin. On the vehicle’s roof, foil tiles echo the reflective elements beneath the museum’s overhang. A silver graphic design recalls the sculpture at the roundabout in front of the building and extends across the bonnet and roof. The ‘Porsche Museum’ lettering uses exactly the same typeface as that seen on the façade. The restaurant’s ‘Christophorus’ lettering also features on the bodywork. In this way, the design itself becomes a narrative element: the racing car translates the museum’s architecture into motion and brings the origins of motorsport in Zuffenhausen to life visually. This makes the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport more than just an anniversary model. It bridges the gap between road cars and racing cars, between the main factory and customer motorsport. With this model, Porsche demonstrates how closely the past and present are intertwined and how this forms the basis for future developments. Motorsport remains the central area of development.

Since entering the GT4 category in 2016, Porsche has developed and produced more than 1,500 racing cars based on the Cayman. The models are characterised by a combination of robust production technology and race-specific components, and have established themselves worldwide as economically attractive customer racing solutions. Now, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is expanding its customer motorsport portfolio for the first time to include a car based on the iconic 911 series: the new 911 GT4 R will make its debut in the 2027 motorsport season.

A documentary, due to be released on YouTube in autumn 2026, will not only show the complete development of the car at various locations, but also the test sessions with Timo Bernhard at the wheel.