Porsche’s Secret Workshop Brought This Manual Cayenne V8 Back To Life

Porsche’s Sonderwunsch, or special wishes, division has built some of the highest-spec Porsches in existence, but it doesn’t just handle customer requests for special paint jobs.

This time, it’s revived something far more unexpected: a first-generation Cayenne GTS that’s been completely restored under the Sonderwunsch Factory Re-Commission program, returning the SUV to life with near-obsessive attention to detail.

Read: Porsche’s Sonderwunsch Program Allows You To Design A Truly Bespoke Car

What makes this Cayenne GTS stand out even further to begin with is its pairing of a 405hp 4.8-liter V8 with a six-speed manual gearbox, an option few buyers selected at the time. That rarity has only gained weight over time, as shown by a recent auction where a manual 2014 Cayenne V6 sold for $125,000.

This particular build belongs to American entrepreneur and car collector Phillip Sarofim. He handed Porsche a 2009 Cayenne GTS with around 50,000 miles on the clock and gave the team full creative freedom, with just one non-negotiable request: the SUV had to include a towbar so he could take his Airstream caravan along for the ride.

What Makes It Special

The SUV is finished in a Paint to Sample color of Blackolive, giving the Cayenne a retro vibe that suits it perfectly. In addition, the lower part of the body, as well as the wheels, have a matte black finish and are now wrapped in new all-terrain tires.

Porsche, which unveiled the special Cayenne GTS at the Middle East’s largest car festival, also reupholstered the interior with English green leather and Pasha-pattern fabric with black and olive tones.

Even the glovebox interior carries the same patterned fabric, while the door handles, frames, and surrounding trim are finished in light-brushed aluminum for a clean, subtle contrast.

According to Alexander Fabig, Porsche’s Vice President of Individualisation and Classic, the project pushes Sonderwunsch’s boundaries in a new direction. “So far, we have mainly carried out such elaborate Factory Re-Commission projects for classic Porsche or for rarities such as the Carrera GT,” he said.

“The fact that we have now rebuilt a 16-year-old Cayenne to new car condition and made it an absolutely unique piece shows how diverse the dreams of Porsche enthusiasts are. And it once again underlines the iconic status of the Cayenne.”

How Sonderwunsch Works

The Sonderwunsch program is divided into three branches. Factory Commission caters to buyers customizing a new car with unique colors or trim. Factory Re-Commission, as demonstrated here, lets owners bring older models back to the factory for a full rebuild. Finally, Factory One-Off develops new parts for truly bespoke, one-of-one creations.

While Porsche doesn’t reveal specific project pricing, a company spokesperson told Carscoops that costs “vary depending on the vehicle and scope of work the customer is requesting.”

Still, from what we’ve seen in the past, six-figure totals beyond the value of the donor car are not unusual for these builds.

Timelines are similarly flexible. As the spokesperson put it, duration “depends again on the vehicle and scope of work requested by the customer.”

For those with the means and patience to see their vision through, Porsche is open to inquiries from anyone ready to create their own dream machine. You can reach out to them directly over here.

Photos Porsche