Porsche Brings a 2005 Carrera GT Back to Life with Factory Re-Commission Program

Porsche chose to breathe new life into a 2005 Carrera GT that had been collecting dust for 20 years. The car’s owner, Victor Gómez of Puerto Rico, sent it to the Sonderwunsch team in Zuffenhausen for a full restoration. The team effectively stripped the car, disassembled the engine, rebuilt it from scratch, and hand-recoated every piece of carbon fiber.

First, the crew totally disassembled it, stripping down every component of the 5.7-litre V10 and rebuilding it to factory specs from the bottom up. They had to go to work on all the carbon fiber pieces that tend to yellow over time, sanding them for 350 hours before applying a new clear coat. After they reassembled everything, the odometer read 0 kilometers again.

But Gómez didn’t only want a mechanically faultless car; he also wanted it to look and feel like a million bucks. He instructed the crew to reproduce the legendary Salzburg design from the 1970 Le Mans-winning Porsche 917, which was a genuine head-turner, yellow with bright red and white stripes and the number 23 on the side. Copying such lines onto the Carrera GT was no easy work either; designer Grant Larson even taped the body to the floor to ensure the shape was correct before producing templates for hand-painted Indian Red stripes and white areas. Finally, they applied a clear protective film over the paint, allowing Gómez to drive in Puerto Rico without worrying about scratches.

The matte black carbon fiber parts that cover the roof, A and B pillars, mirrors, intakes, engine cover, back grilles, and rear diffuser are the genuine eye-catchers. To top it all off, the original five-spoke wheels were repainted black with colored Porsche crests.

Inside, the dashboard, door panels, center console, and steering wheel are all covered in Indian Red Alcantara, while the seat centers, bolsters, and headrests are composed of black FIA-grade cloth, the same material used in the 918 Spyder. The seat shells, air vents, and instrument cover are all trimmed in matte carbon, and the luggage set matches the Alcantara. Gómez was quite hands-on during the building process, stopping by the workshop several times to observe how things were going. He believes the crew was passionate about the job and extremely precise. He now has a Carrera GT that feels spanking new but has a true tale to tell, as the Salzburg design is an iconic piece of Porsche history.

This project is part of Porsche’s Factory Re-Commission program, which allows existing owners to take their cars in and have them thoroughly inspected. Most restored classics end up in some wealthy enthusiast’s collection, but Gómez actually wants to drive his on a regular basis.
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