The Porsche Classic Restoration challenge a competition targeting American dealerships that restore cars from Stuttgart. The third edition of the competition introduces some changes that include three different categories for dealers to compete in.
Imagine this: a Porsche-trained technician who can and does navigate the brand’s vehicles with a portfolio of more than 80,000 original parts. Who else would be best suited to restore a Porsche?
“The response from the Porsche community and our participating dealerships over the past two years has been tremendous. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch a classic Porsche vehicle go through a well-documented, step-by-step restoration that’s challenging, and the results clearly show,” says Jonathan Sieber, Senior Manager of Porsche Classic at Porsche Cars North America. “This year we’ve added new elements to the competition that we think will really resonate and capture the full range of skill and creativity of our traders.”
Changes for 2023 include the introduction of three different categories in which traders can compete.
- Preservation refers to cars that are usually described as ‘survivors’, so the idea is to preserve the originality while at the same time repairing the vehicle ‘to improve its general operation while not returning it to like-new condition’.
- Renovation is exactly what it sounds like: projects must be restored to like-new condition according to original specifications.
- Think Personalization “as a fix” – restoration and modification through the creative use of the Porsche parts store. This category is based on Porsche Sonderwunsch (“special request”) program.
Judging is done by a panel of experts from Porsche Cars North America based on “criteria that include the quality of the finished vehicle — such as the engine, suspension and interior — but also marketing and documentation.”
Scoring for the contest has already begun and will run through mid-August, judging entries from three regions of the United States (East, South-Central, and West) at one of three regional events. One winner per category and region will be chosen, and all nine winners will be seen at Rennsport Reunion 7, the world’s largest gathering of Porsche enthusiasts.
Also new in 2023 is the inclusion of the Porsche Type 987 Boxster and Cayman, as well as the 911 Type 997 models. They follow a line that includes six generations of the street 356, 914, the 911, 944, 928, Boxter, Cayman and the first generation Cayenne.
Because this is Porsche’s 75th year and the 60th To mark the anniversary of the introduction of the 911, Rennsport Reunion 7 is sure to be an epoch-making event. You can see all nine winners at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca from September 28th to October 1st.
