Automotive
Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program is quickly becoming much more than a place for wealthy customers to choose rare paint colors and custom graphics. The automaker sees a bigger future for its “special wishes” division, one that involves increasingly ambitious one-off vehicles with significant design and engineering changes. Alexander Fabig, Porsche’s vice president of product offering and individualization, recently confirmed those plans in an interview with Car and Driver, explaining that several long-term Sonderwunsch projects are already underway and will be revealed over the coming months and years.
A strong indication of where Porsche wants to take the program arrived during 2026 Monterey Car Week with the debut of the Flachbau RS at The Quail. Starting with a like-new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS equipped with the Weissach Package, Porsche transformed the car into a modern interpretation of the classic slant-nose design associated with the 935 and earlier factory-built Flachbau models. The project went far beyond cosmetic changes, requiring extensive aerodynamic development, new bodywork, unique lighting and three development vehicles. Porsche says the process took nearly three years, demonstrating just how involved these factory-backed one-off builds can become.
Fabig told Car and Driver that roughly three years is a reasonable expectation for many Sonderwunsch one-off projects, although every commission is different. That lengthy development cycle also helps explain why some of Porsche’s more recent custom cars have appeared relatively modest by comparison. While those shorter projects were being completed, engineers and designers were working behind the scenes on far more complicated cars like the Flachbau RS. The company’s philosophy is essentially that if a customer can dream up a compelling Porsche, the Sonderwunsch team wants to explore whether it can actually be built.
Things could get even more interesting as customers begin looking beyond the 911. Fabig revealed to Car and Driver that Porsche has received multiple inquiries regarding four-door Sonderwunsch vehicles, specifically describing interest in “four-door sports cars.” He stopped short of confirming exactly what those projects might become, but the possibilities are intriguing. A deeply customized Panamera or Taycan could give Porsche an entirely new canvas for the program, while something even more technically unusual could push Sonderwunsch into territory normally associated with small-volume coachbuilders.
Customers should expect to pay accordingly. Porsche reportedly charges a flat $150,000 fee just to reach the concept phase of a factory one-off, while actually producing the finished vehicle typically starts around $2 million and can climb considerably higher. Interestingly, Fabig says most clients are less interested in chasing additional horsepower than they are in creating something visually and emotionally unique. That may ultimately be what makes Sonderwunsch so compelling. Instead of simply building a faster Porsche, the program gives a select group of owners the opportunity to participate in creating a Porsche that quite literally exists nowhere else.
Mike Floyd is a finance executive by trade and a car enthusiast at heart. As a CFO with a keen eye for detail and strategy, Mike brings his analytical mindset to the automotive world, uncovering fresh insights and unique perspectives that go beyond the surface. His passion for cars—especially his favorite, the Porsche 911, fuels his contributions to Automotive Addicts, where he blends a love for performance and design with his professional precision. Whether he’s breaking down industry trends or spotlighting emerging innovations, Mike helps keep the site both sharp and forward-thinking.
