There’s something profoundly satisfying about watching a forgotten legend get its due. That’s exactly what happened when a Swiss collector commissioned Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program to create a modern homage to his own 1972 Le Mans GT class-winning 911 2.5 S/T — the same car he’d rescued from a San Francisco barn and spent two and a half years bringing back to life through Porsche Classic.
The original 911 2.5 S/T represents Porsche’s early commitment to privateer racing, with just 24 examples built between 1969 and 1972. The purpose-built competition machines featured flared arches, aluminum doors, plexiglass windows, and a race-tuned 2.5-liter flat-six producing around 270hp in a 2,200-pound package. The example that inspired this 2025 tribute achieved motorsport immortality by winning its GT class at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, wearing number 41 and that distinctive Light Yellow livery.
From Barn Find to Factory Tribute
After its racing glory, the original car disappeared into obscurity, changing hands multiple times before ending up as a rust-eaten shell in a California barn. When the Swiss collector discovered it in 2013, what remained was either rusty, bent, or badly repainted — hardly the stuff of legends.
Porsche Classic’s restoration proved monumental. Over 1,000 hours went into bodywork alone, with missing panels fabricated from scratch using original sheet-metal gauges and technical drawings. The bare body received state-of-the-art cathodic dip coating for corrosion protection — the same process used on today’s production cars. Two and a half years later, the car emerged in perfect, factory-fresh condition wearing its original Light Yellow (code 117) paint.
Modern Tribute, Vintage Soul
The contemporary 911 S/T serves as the perfect canvas for this homage. Where the original relied on a 2.5-liter engine, the modern version packs a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that revs to 9,000 rpm and delivers 525hp. Both cars share that critical DNA of driver-focused engineering: naturally aspirated flat-six, six-speed manual transmission, and uncompromising performance focus.
Creating the visual match proved challenging. Light Yellow hasn’t appeared in Porsche’s palette for decades, and the shade’s low coverage required meticulous hand application, especially over the modern car’s numerous carbon components. Porsche completed the transformation with forged magnesium wheels in Darksilver (echoing the classic Fuchs design), black brake calipers, and a black interior. The owner added period-correct sponsor decals and the iconic number 41 roundels to complete the time-warp effect.
Spec Sheet
Model: 2024 Porsche 911 S/T (Le Mans Homage)
Engine: 4.0L naturally aspirated flat-six
Power: 525 hp
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Weight: 3,042 lbs
Paint: Light Yellow (code 117)
Wheels: Forged magnesium in Darksilver
Special Features: Period-correct racing decals, number 41 roundels
Pricing & Availability
A one-off custom commission, the Porsche 911 S/T Sonderwunsch tribute car isn’t available for sale but might pop up now and then at shows over the years.
Recap
Porsche 911 S/T Sonderwunsch Le Mans 1972 Tribute
A Swiss collector rescued a forgotten 1972 Le Mans-winning Porsche 911 S/T from a California barn, spent two and a half years restoring it to perfection, then commissioned Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program to create a matching modern tribute using the current 911 S/T. Both cars now share a garage in identical Light Yellow paint with period-correct racing decals, bridging five decades of Porsche’s naturally aspirated, manual transmission heritage.
