Porsche 911 GT3 Earlscourt 51 Edition Announced

Limited to 51 units in the UK, it will be unveiled for the first time at Icons of Porsche/Sunstead Silverstone Edition.

The new 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition has been unveiled in the UK.

2026 will mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first Porsche car in the UK at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1951.

To commemorate this, only 51 units of this limited-edition 911 GT3 will be produced.

Based on a 911 GT3 with the Touring Package, this model features a specially developed Paint-to-Sample Plus (PTS Plus) exterior color and a bespoke interior, as well as many details inspired by the 356 Coupe first exhibited at Earls Court in 1951.

On the weekend of June 20th and 21st, Porsche Cars GB in the UK will host "Icons of Porsche, Sunstede Silverstone Edition" at the Porsche Experience Centre and around the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.

The highlight of this event appears to be the first public unveiling of the Porsche 911 GT3 Earlscourt 51 Edition.

Incidentally, the price of this limited edition 911 GT3 starts at £251,951 (approximately 54 million yen) for the vehicle itself.

The limited-edition 911, jointly developed by the Porsche Cars GB and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur teams, is inspired, as mentioned earlier, by the first 356 Coupe exhibited at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1951.

The 911 in Earls Court Green Metallic evokes the early days of Porsche in Britain, and the green paint is not only an homage to one of the colors of a 356 model exhibited in London 75 years ago, but is also a symbol of British motorsport at the time.

Furthermore, the event will also feature a special factory commission of a 1951 Porsche 356 in the same color scheme, further symbolizing the beginnings of Porsche in Britain.

Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition

The Earl's Court 51 Edition primarily follows these four principles:

1. The connection to the original 356 led to the selection of the 911, but particularly extroverted models like the Turbo and RS were excluded.
2. Focusing on Porsche's tradition of "driver engagement," established by the 356 75 years ago, the manual transmission is a key feature.
3. In terms of styling and details, it draws inspiration from the original British cars at the Earls Court Motor Show, while simultaneously recognizing and celebrating the broader characteristics of Porsche's heritage, interpreting them in a modern and appropriate way.
4. Based on Sonderwunsch's parallel recommission of the 356, the overall design of the special edition is consistent with elements of the 1951 model.

Based on these guidelines, the design team first selected the 911 GT3 with the Touring Package.

To develop special colors on the production line, the paint is used on 6-7 different materials:

• Color matching
• Highest quality
• durability

It was necessary to make adjustments to ensure availability, and after studying the first 356 displayed at Earl's Court, green was chosen, and then the process of selecting the appropriate shade began.

The final color reportedly uses aluminum flakes that capture and reflect light, resulting in a modern metallic finish with depth and sophistication, where the hue subtly changes depending on the lighting.

Once the body color is decided, the next step is selecting the interior materials.

Here too, the 1951 356 served as the source of inspiration, and by using a 911 GT3 with the Touring Package as the base, the 2+2 seat layout was utilized to its fullest extent to recreate the interior design of the original 356.

By carefully reinterpreting the materials and fabrics of the time, this GT3 features a combination of corduroy and leather that greets the driver the moment they open the door.

The combination of night green and chalk beige leather (with night green stitching) is said to exude a luxurious yet sporty, understated elegance.

The leather extends to the night green seat back panel, accented with Paldao wood veneer inlays.

The Paldao wood trim, accented with light silver, extends to the dashboard, doors, and center console, and even the shift lever is made of wood. The look and feel of this special wood further demonstrates the connection to the materials used in the 356.

In terms of the interior, when you open the driver's side door, you'll find the motto "driving in its purest form" along with an embossed silhouette of the 356.

This is apparently a translation of a catchphrase taken from the marketing of the 356 at the time.

Each black leather sun visor is embossed with a Union Jack motif, and the headrest features the "Earls Court 51" logo.

The badge on the rear engine cover is said to be another connection to the origins of the 356. The grille badge, with its logo inspired by "Reutter," comes from the Reutter factory in Stuttgart (Karosserie Reutter), where the 356's body was manufactured before assembly at the Porsche factory.

This limited edition model is almost complete, and it seems there are only a limited number of additional options available. The most common options are a choice between a manual or PDK transmission, and a leather-trimmed front trunk.

Incidentally, Frank's leather trim is handcrafted by artisans at an exclusive manufacturer, and apparently takes up to 30 hours to sew and attach.

Porsche Design Chronograph

Each vehicle in the Earls Court 51 Edition comes with a custom Porsche Design chronograph watch featuring a dial inspired by the instrument graphics of the 356.

I had assumed that the watch was an option that could only be specially ordered by those who purchased the Earls Court 51 Edition, but this time, very kindly (?), this chronograph is included from the start.

It also reportedly includes a night green leather weekender bag and a 1:18 scale model of the 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition.

In addition, as a commemorative gift, all customers will receive a large photo book summarizing the manufacturing and development process of this vehicle.

911 GT3 Earlscote 51 Edition Detailed Specifications

The detailed specifications announced this time are as follows:

Exterior

• Newly developed PTS Plus body color: Earls Court Green metallic
• The front bonnet stripe, exterior mirrors, and door handles are in brilliant silver.
• The GT3 aluminum alloy wheels are painted in a two-tone color scheme: Earls Coat Green Metallic with Brilliant Silver accents, and the wheel center caps feature a colored Porsche crest.

• The brake calipers are high-gloss black.
• The air intake front apron is painted in the exterior color.
• The rear lid grille and frame are Earl's Coat Green Metallic, and the grille mesh is silver (stainless steel).
• Rear lid grille badge "Earls Court 51" with Reuters-style design logo
• Left and right B-pillar badges, with Earls Court 51 Edition logo.
• LED door projector with custom theme logo
• HD Matrix LED Main Headlights
• Specially designed fuel filler cap
• Indoor car cover with exclusive "Earl's Court Edition" logo and matching design.

Interior

• Two-tone leather interior: Night Green (dashboard and upper door panels) and Chalk Beige (trim)

• Dashboard speakers (left and right): Night Green
• Center console: Chalk beige leather
• Adaptive Sport Seats Plus with 18-way power adjustment: Chalk Beige leather, Seat inlay: Corduroy, Piping: Night Green
• Seat heater (front)
• Headrest: Earl's Court logo embossed

• Seat back panel: Night green leather, Paldao wood inlay
• Rear seats: Chalk beige leather, Inlay: Corduroy
• Door panel: Corduroy

• Steering wheel: Night green leather (center boss: black), accents: light silver

• Interior trim: Paldao, Accents: Light silver (dashboard, doors, center console)
• Dashboard trim: Paldao wood, "GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition" motif.
• Center console lid: Embossed with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur logo
• Door sill guards: Black aluminum with partially illuminated "GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition" logo.

• Gear selector: Wood (manual), Gear selector ring: Silver, Bottom: Black satin, Lettering: Silver
• Center console: GT3 badge, exclusive silver "1951" logo.
• Sun visor: Black leather, embossed with Union Jack motif.
• Roof lining: Black LaceTex
• Dashboard side panel: Leather, with embossed 356 silhouette and the motto "driving in its purest form" on the driver's side.
• Floor mats: Black heritage design with chalk beige leather edging.
• Turnkey starter: Exterior color
• Pedals: Aluminum
• BOSE Surround Sound Audio System
• Leather document folder: Night green leather, corduroy inlay and special embossing.

1951 Porsche 356Recommission

To commemorate the unveiling of the 356 model at the Earlscourt Motor Show, Porsche Cars GB and Sonderwunsch collaborated to restore a 1951 356.

This car resembles the early models first unveiled in London 75 years ago. The restoration process involved collaboration with Porsche's archives, identifying the chassis number of the original 1951 vehicle and sharing advice regarding the original specifications of the early production models.

This particular 356 is known to have been owned by British female racing driver Betty Haig, and has been on display for many years at Porsche Cars GB headquarters (Reading HQ), the Porsche Experience Centre in Silverstone, and various events throughout the UK.

This left-hand drive model was imported to the UK by US soldiers in the 1950s. Originally, it had a silver body and a red leatherette interior, and it boasted a history of various motorsports events until it came under the management of Porsche Cars GB in the 1970s.

The factory restoration process began about two years ago and took approximately 12 months to complete at the Manufaktur Sonderwunsch Classic facility near Stuttgart, Germany.

It retains the original engine, featuring a 1.1-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine that produces 40 PS.

New brake lines, wiring harnesses, fuel system, chrome parts, trim, and window rubbers were installed, and minor body repairs were made to the front and rear.

Furthermore, this 356 is painted in Earls Court Green Metallic, and its Chalk Beige interior trim uses heritage-inspired leather and corduroy fabrics, sharing common features with modern models.

The roof's headlining has been changed from the original vinyl to leather.

The wood trim at the top of the doors has a satin finish that matches the Paldao wood trim of the 911, another common feature between the two cars. Also, the 356's shift lever knob is made of wood, not the original bakelite, and was hand-carved at the Sonderwunsch workshop.

Another highlight is that it comes equipped with the original Becker Monza radio, but it's an improved version that also features a modern AUX connection for smartphones.

The distinctive "Karosserie Reutter" emblem on the right front wheel arch (indicating that the body shell was assembled at the Reutter factory in Stuttgart) is reflected in the design of the "Earls Court 1951" badge on the 911's rear engine grille.

Porsche's response to customized vehicles

Porsche offers a wide range of personalized customization options, with the following four configurations:

• One-off
• Factory Recommission
• Factory Commission
• Restoration

These include Exclusive Manufaktur, which produced the 911 GT3 Earlscote 51 Edition, and Manufaktur Sonderwunsch Classic, which handled the 356 factory recommissioning.

Well, Porsche has released another regionally limited edition 911, which seems to be a recent trend, and the British version is quite impressive with its attention to detail.

The green base color emphasizes its British character, and it also evokes many connections to the 1951 356, so it's likely to be popular with British gentlemen.

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Source:(Official) Inspired by history: Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 Edition to have world premiere at Icons of Porsche, Sunstede Silverstone Edition

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