Porsche Has High Hopes for the Future of Sonderwunsch

- Porsche wants to keep expanding the Sonderwunsch special-request program to include more deep-dive projects, rather than just unique liveries. - The automaker is currently working on several long-term Sonderwunsch one-of-one builds that will be made public in the coming months and years. - Alexander Fabig, Porsche’s VP of product and individualization offerings, told Car and Driver that some customers have even inquired about one-off four-door models. If you thought Porsche was content building just a single one-of-one car, you’d be sorely mistaken. Car and Driver sat down with Alexander Fabig, Porsche’s vice president of product and individualization, for a conversation about the future of the brand’s Sonderwunsch special-request program. Our biggest takeaway? Fabig says Porsche has no plans to slow down the department. During this year’s Monterey Car Week, Porsche debuted the Flachbau RS to the world at The Quail. The one-of-one project took a like-new 2018 911 GT2 RS and transformed it into a modern interpretation of the Slant-Nose 911. The Flachbau’s arrival marked a turn upmarket for Sonderwunsch, which had previously focused on creating exclusive liveries for wealthy customers. For Sale Near You See all results for used Porsche for sale near 14464 Fabig said that most one-of-one builds should take around three years from inception to delivery, though that timeline can be somewhat fluid. For example, the Flachbau RS that Porsche revealed at The Quail required 39 months and three development cars to complete. “That’s why what you have seen over the last couple of years was, let’s say, smaller projects with a shorter lead time. In the background, we were working on this car, and to be honest, some more projects that will be made visible within the next couple of months and years,” Fabig said. “This is what we think about when we say ‘you dream it, we build it.’’’ Of course, Sonderwunsch is sort of at the mercy of its customers. We asked if there are any projects the Sonderwunsch team is champing at the bit to work on and were told that it’s up to the customers to bring the requests. To that end, we asked Fabig about the possibility of, say, a one-of-one manual Cayenne, and the executive responded by telling us that there are several inquiries into four-door Sonderwunsch models, though he specifically called out “four-door sports cars.” Fabig also told us that most requests focus on the visual aspects of the car, rather than chasing horsepower increases. “The majority of [Sonderwunsch] customers are not so much into the horsepower performance,” he said. “Because the program is all about being part of Porsche, and being the creator of your own car. Therefore, the body style and design elements of the car are much more, let’s say, tangible for the customer.” For Sale Near You See all results for used Porsche for sale near 14464 While Fabig didn’t tell us exactly how long the current waitlist is for customers seeking a one-of-one project, for those interested, he said the company charges a flat fee of $150,000 to reach the concept phase. Actually building a one-off model usually starts around $2 million, with figures rising quickly from there. ➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car. Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.