Tag Archives: Porsche

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Behind the Lens: The Porsche 718 Boxster S That Shoots the Stars

Hidden in a quiet corner of Porsche’s Leipzig facility lives a 718 Boxster S that doesn’t chase apexes—it films them. What started in 2017 as a training project for nine Porsche apprentices became one of the most unusual and capable camera cars in the brand’s ecosystem. And while it’s spent years behind the scenes, this stealthy roadster has quite the résumé.

The idea was born from necessity. The Porsche Experience Center Leipzig hosts countless on-track shoots, from promotional reels to magazine features. The previous “buggy”—a well-worn first-gen Boxster—couldn’t quite keep up with the latest machinery tearing around the circuit. A replacement was needed, one with precision, pace, and Porsche DNA.

Enter the 718 Boxster S. Under the guidance of training supervisor Carsten Pohle, nine apprentices in their second year of training were handed the keys—and a challenge: turn a two-seat sports car into a safe, stable, fully functional mobile film rig. The result is equal parts engineering exercise and creative problem-solving.

First, the roof had to go. The apprentices stripped away the soft-top and added a custom steel roll bar strong enough to support both safety harnesses and camera mounts. Matte black paint cloaks the body to kill reflections—a small but crucial detail when every frame counts.

Then came the mounts. Steel tube frames sprouted from the front, rear, and sides, giving directors a full 360 degrees of filming flexibility. Even the roll bar doubles as a high-mounted camera platform. It’s a Boxster with more rigging points than a Hollywood soundstage.

Inside, safety and practicality rule. Both luggage compartments are padded and fitted with harness systems to secure gear (and occasionally, photographers). A small standing platform between the front seats and rear trunk offers a stable base for shooting on the move, complete with PPE and safety tethers.

But Porsche being Porsche, functionality didn’t stop at the hardware. The apprentices integrated internal wiring that allows cameras to connect directly to a laptop—securely fastened, of course—in the passenger area. An onboard inverter keeps all equipment charged, meaning the Boxster can roll all day without missing a shot.

Since its transformation, the 718 camera car has been a fixture on the Leipzig track, filming everything from driving experiences to media content. It’s even worked for Motor Presse Stuttgart—the publisher behind auto motor und sport—and once found itself filming none other than rally legend Walter Röhrl. Most recently, it was spotted chasing hillclimb specials at the Tutto Bene event near Lake Maggiore.

In true Porsche fashion, this one-off creation blends performance and precision in equal measure. It may not set lap records, but it captures them in stunning clarity. And for the nine apprentices who built it, this blacked-out Boxster represents something bigger than a training project—it’s proof that passion and craftsmanship can turn even a mid-engine sports car into a cinematographer’s dream.

Source: Porsche

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The Reverse Restomod You Didn’t See Coming: Ruehle’s 997-Based F97 Channels the ’73 RSR

Sometimes it feels like every air-cooled Porsche left on the planet has been transformed into a restomod. From the G-series to the 964, the world has seen so many “reimagined” 911s that spotting a stock example feels like catching a rare bird in the wild. Which is exactly why this car—a creation from German outfit Ruehle—stops us in our tracks.

At first glance, you’d swear you’re looking at a 1973 Carrera RSR tribute. The flared hips, the ducktail, the aggressive stance—it all screams vintage motorsport cool. But look closer, and things get interesting. This isn’t a 1980s or ’90s base at all. Beneath the steel and soul of this retro shell sits something far more modern: a 997-generation 911.

A Modern Classic Reimagined

That’s right—the donor car is from the water-cooled era, sold between 2004 and 2012. While purists may sniff at the lack of an air-cooled flat-six, the 997 remains a darling among true drivers. It was the last 911 to feature hydraulic steering, offering the kind of pure feedback Porsche fans still dream about. It also marked milestones for the brand: the introduction of the PDK dual-clutch gearbox and adaptive damping—two technologies that shaped every modern 911 that followed.

Ruehle’s decision to build on this platform isn’t just contrarian—it’s brilliant. The 997 blends old-school tactility with modern reliability, making it a perfect canvas for a project that bridges Porsche’s analog past with its precision-engineered present.

Formed in Steel, Not Sentimentality

Most restomod shops start with original bodywork and tweak it with composites or carbon fiber. Ruehle goes a different route. Every exterior panel on this car—those muscular fenders, the crisp front fascia, the sculpted tail—is newly fabricated in steel, not borrowed from earlier models. The result? A car that looks authentically vintage but wears its retro skin with factory-level precision.

The company begins with a customer-supplied donor 997, then transforms it piece by piece. It’s a complete metamorphosis: body, suspension, interior, and engine, all reimagined with a reverence for Porsche heritage and a dose of German craftsmanship.

Power, the Reuhle Way

A stock 997 doesn’t exactly lack muscle. Depending on the version, it made anywhere from 325 horsepower in the early 3.6-liter Carrera to 385 hp in the later 3.8 Carrera S. But Ruehle isn’t interested in “good enough.” For those who crave more, the company offers a bespoke 4.3-liter flat-six, a hand-built boxer that promises both brutal torque and a soundtrack that’s unmistakably Porsche.

From Germany to California

Ruehle’s workshop in Germany has already built a cult following among European enthusiasts, but now the company has expanded stateside, with a new facility in Montclair, California. Expect to see more of these retro-modern hybrids prowling the Pacific Coast Highway soon, turning heads with their impossible mix of old and new.

By flipping the restomod formula on its head—starting with a modern car and working backward—Ruehle’s creation challenges the conventions of Porsche nostalgia. It’s less about preserving history and more about reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens.

In a world crowded with Singer-inspired builds, the Ruehle 997 is refreshingly original. It’s not an imitation of the past—it’s a reimagining of how the past and present could coexist, one perfectly balanced flat-six at a time.

Source: Ruehle

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Porsche Recorded 99% Profit Drop in Last 9 Months

At Porsche’s headquarters in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the mood is one of deliberate disruption. The brand that made its name on precision, pace, and profitability has chosen a slower lap—for now. The company’s latest financial results, closing the third quarter of 2025, paint a picture of short-term pain in pursuit of long-term gain.

Porsche AG’s decision to “realign its product strategy” has sent a measurable tremor through its balance sheets. Revenue for the first nine months of 2025 came in at €26.86 billion, down six percent year-over-year. Deliveries followed suit, slipping to 212,059 units, another six percent decline. But the headline figure—the one that made analysts wince—was operating profit: €40 million, down a staggering 99 percent from last year’s €4.0 billion.

That’s not a typo. It’s a calculated sacrifice.

A Price for the Future

According to Porsche’s finance chief, Dr. Jochen Breckner, the downturn was expected—and necessary. “We are consciously accepting temporarily weaker financial figures in order to strengthen Porsche’s resilience and profitability in the long term,” he said.

In corporate speak, this is Porsche taking its medicine. The company’s realignment includes a costly €3.1 billion restructuring for 2025, covering extraordinary expenses, delays in electric-vehicle programs, and the sting of U.S. import tariffs that rose to 15 percent in August.

But beneath the fiscal fog, there’s strategic clarity. Porsche plans to rebalance its lineup, adding more combustion and plug-in-hybrid models to bridge what it calls a “delayed ramp-up” of full electric mobility. In other words, the all-electric future will take a little longer to arrive—but when it does, it’ll be better integrated with Volkswagen Group’s next-generation EV platform, now rescheduled for the 2030s.

Holding the Line in a Volatile Market

Despite the headline-grabbing profit drop, Porsche’s fundamentals still show resilience. Automotive net cash flow actually rose to €1.34 billion, up from €1.24 billion the year before—a sign that the company’s core operations remain robust even as it burns through restructuring cash. The Macan, always a crowd-pleaser, delivered 64,783 units, up 18 percent year-over-year, while Porsche’s presence in North America and emerging markets hit new highs.

And electrification hasn’t stalled entirely. Through September, 35.2 percent of all Porsche deliveries were electrified, with 23.1 percent fully electric and another 12.1 percent plug-in hybrid. In Europe, over half of Porsche’s new cars carried some form of electrification—a clear sign that the brand’s clientele is still buying into its battery-powered ambitions.

Realignment, Not Retreat

So, is this Porsche taking a step backward from electrification? Not exactly. Think of it as a course correction—a mid-race pit stop to swap tires and reset strategy before the next sprint. Porsche isn’t ditching EVs; it’s refining how and when they’ll arrive.

The delay in the new electric platform’s rollout also opens space for more hybridized and ICE models, a move likely to please enthusiasts worried that the brand might abandon the visceral experience of internal combustion too soon. With models like the upcoming 911 hybrid and next-generation Cayenne plug-in, Porsche is betting that there’s still life—and profit—in premium gasoline.

Eyes on 2026

Dr. Breckner calls 2025 “the trough that precedes a noticeable improvement.” Porsche expects group sales revenue between €37 and €38 billion for the year, with a modest operating return of up to 2 percent. That’s well below its traditional double-digit margins but, as Breckner notes, a necessary dip before the rebound.

The internal “Push to Pass” program is already underway, targeting improved efficiency and higher revenue across divisions. And behind closed doors, management and employee representatives are discussing a sweeping “Future Package” aimed at reshaping the organization for what’s to come.

Porsche has always been a company willing to take the long view. In the 1970s oil crisis, it doubled down on efficiency and engineering. In the 2000s, it weathered economic turbulence with the Cayenne. Today, as EV uncertainty and global tariffs reshuffle the automotive chessboard, the brand is once again retooling its playbook.

It’s easy to look at a 99 percent drop in profit and panic. But in Porsche’s world, this isn’t a skid—it’s a controlled drift. The carmaker is tightening its line through the corner, eyes already on the next straight.

Because if history has taught us anything, it’s that Porsche doesn’t just survive tough turns—it uses them to overtake.

Source: Porsche