If you thought tulips were quiet, delicate things that sit in a vase and wither in three days, think again. Because Porsche Netherlands just rolled out a tulip that screams at 9,000 rpm, wears carbon fiber like a suit of armor, and laps the Nürburgring six seconds quicker than its siblings. Meet The Tulip: a one-off Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, painted in the loudest shade of Dutch pride you’ve ever seen.
Yes, production of the fourth-generation 718 is about to wrap up in October. Porsche is putting the tools down, sweeping up the sawdust, and preparing the swan song. But before the curtain falls, the Dutch importer decided to go absolutely mad, pulling in Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, Porsche Sonderwunsch (the division that basically translates as “tell us your wildest dream and we’ll overcharge you for it”), and the track-wizards at Manthey Racing. Together, they’ve delivered something that is part race car, part national symbol, and entirely outrageous.
Orange Crush
The bodywork is slathered in pastel orange, a shade that pays homage to the Netherlands’ national color — as if Max Verstappen’s army of fans needed another reason to wave flags at Zandvoort. Even the intakes on the carbon bonnet, the rear spoiler lettering, and those deliciously nerdy carbon aero discs get the orange treatment. And if you squint, yes, those really are tulip logos blooming on the front fenders. Subtle? About as subtle as painting your house luminous tangerine and parking an F1 car in the driveway.
The Dutch flag itself also makes a cameo — a neat little stripe on the rear wing, right beside the Manthey logo, just in case anyone at the track forgot where this rocket ship comes from.
Petals and Pistons
Inside, Porsche went full florist-meets-Motorsport. Tulip motifs light up the door sills and bloom across the headrests, set against black leather and Race-Tex. But look closer: the stitching, edges, and interior strips all glow in pastel orange, tying the cockpit neatly back to the exterior. It’s part luxury, part racecar, and entirely a vibe.
And because Porsche never misses a chance to upsell, buyers (or, in this case, gawkers) get a matching pastel-orange car key, a custom watch, and even a tulip-logo thermos mug. Yes, you can sip coffee from your car’s color. Peak Porsche.
The Power Flower
Underneath all the tulip frills sits the real deal: the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, a snarling 500hp symphony that revs like it’s allergic to redlines. Paired with the Weissach package and Manthey Racing’s aero wizardry, this car isn’t just about looks. It’s about domination. A Nürburgring lap time of 7:03.121 puts it more than six seconds ahead of the standard GT4 RS — which was already quicker than most people’s reflexes.
Manthey’s tweaks mean a bigger rear wing, sharper chassis tuning, and the kind of stability that makes you believe in witchcraft. Think of it as a Cayman GT4 RS on double espresso, built for the kind of Dutch lunatic who thinks Zandvoort curbs should be kissed, not avoided.
Where to See It
This one-off masterpiece will strut its stuff at the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort, August 29–31. After that? Who knows. It might sit pretty in a Porsche showroom, or it might vanish into the garage of a very wealthy collector who’ll spend more time polishing the tulip logos than using launch control.
Either way, the sad news is this: you can’t buy one. The Tulip is unique, a one-car-only exercise in national pride. The consolation prize? A special edition tulip-logo watch or thermos mug. Because nothing screams “track weapon” like sipping chamomile tea from a Porsche-branded flask.
The Dutch have taken the last 718 Cayman GT4 RS and turned it into a rolling, screaming, carbon-fiber flower. A tulip that will never wilt. Unless, of course, someone bins it into the barriers at Zandvoort.
Source: Porsche