Behold the TAG Heuer stopwatch module for GT4 RS

Porsche likes to call its four-day Rennsport Reunion a ‘festival unlike any other’ – and when it features 91,000 fans and 300-plus race cars at Laguna Seca, it’s hard to disagree. Especially when we’re talking about the Porsche-mad West Coast market, which easily qualifies as one of the most important regions for the manufacturer anywhere in the world. Hence the decision to launch the spectacular 911 GT3 R rennsport there; not just because the clue is in the name, but also because it’s where Porsche reckons it might be able to shift more than a few of the 77 examples it will build of a car you can’t drive on the public road.

If that was a carefully planned business decision, the unveiling of two 718 Cayman GT4 RS paying tribute to the Carrera Panamericana (specifically the two customer teams that brought 550 Coupes along in 1953) was more about fun. Or appeasing its long-running partner, TAG Heuer, which got to display one of said cars in its ‘TAG Heuer Heritage Experience’ exhibition. In fact, the project was officially dubbed the ‘TAG Heuer x Porsche – Legends of Panamericana’ Sonderwunsch’ project – which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but has at least resulted in a nice-looking brace of liveried-up 718. 

The connection here (if you were searching for one) is that 60 years ago, Jack Heuer presented a chronograph wristwatch specifically for racing drivers, called TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph – so Porsche is effectively killing two birds with one stone. Or two cars. The second of which will be auctioned early next year for an unspecified good cause. The first, number 154 (they are numbered in history mimicking fashion) will be driven in the first and second stages of this year’s Carrera Panamericana by brand ambassador and professional Porsche hanger-on, Patrick Dempsey, which is quite a nice touch. 

Beyond the revelation that the GT4 RS looks pretty good in Le Mans Silver Metallic (a paint first developed for the 911 Carrera GTS Le Mans Centenaire Edition) why should you care about all this sponsor-pleasing novelty? Well, that depends on how much you like TAG watches. Because it is inside where the cars deviate from the standard template by virtue of a new stopwatch module in place of the infotainment system. This consists of a conventional mechanical three-hand clock on the left with an eight-day power reserve, while the clock on the right serves as a stopwatch, one with a scale to allow the driver to maintain a rally-specific average speed. Yes, it was made by TAG for the project; no, you can’t buy one anywhere else. Granted, you’d probably miss the DAB tuner in the long run – but totally brilliant for clicking and occasionally looking at, right?