Porsche marked its big 75th anniversary back in 2023, but it was a few years after its 1948 founding that the company officially entered the British market. That happened in 1951, when a dark green 356 coupe appeared at that year’s British Motor Show in Earl’s Court, London.
With the UK having since become one of Porsche’s most important markets, the company’s British division is in the midst of a big year of celebrations, and that includes an inevitable special edition, the Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51. And no, we don’t know what happened to the apostrophe, either.
Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 – rear
Porsche has chosen the wingless 911 GT3 Touring as the base, and mechanically, it’s entirely standard. That means it gets Porsche’s scintillating 9,000rpm 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six, sending 503bhp and 332lb ft to the rear wheels. As standard, it’s hooked up to a six-speed manual, delivering a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds and a 194mph top speed. A seven-speed PDK automatic is a no-cost option, dropping the 0-62mph run to just 3.4 seconds but losing 1mph of top speed and rather a lot of interaction in the process.
The non-negotiable spec, meanwhile, is designed to closely mimic that original 356 show car. The paint is a new shade called Earls Court Green, created by closely studying the 356 and featuring aluminium flecks intended to reflect the light and make the car shimmer as if on a motor show stand.
Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 – interior
It’s a similar throwback inside, with seats trimmed in a combination of leather and corduroy and the upholstery in contrasting Night Green and Chalk Beige. In a departure from the usual racy aesthetic of the GT3, the retro theme continues with Paldao wood inlays, while opting for the manual also gets you the wonderful wooden gearknob from the Carrera T.
Elsewhere on the inside, you get a smattering of Union Jack motifs and Earls Court 51 logos. With the facelifted GT3 Touring becoming the first time a 911 GT3 has been available with rear seats, they’re included on the Earls Court 51, another bit of continuity with the 356.
Porsche 911 GT3 Earls Court 51 with a 356
Besides the PDK ’box, there’s only one other optional extra, a hand-stitched and fitted leather-trimmed luggage compartment. Buyers get some extra goodies thrown in as standard, though, including a matching Porsche Design Chronograph watch, posh Weekender duffle bag and a deeply nerdy coffee table book tracing the development of the special edition.
The references to 1951 don’t stop with the model name. Just 51 are to be built, naturally all for the UK market, and they come with an RRP of £251,951 (notwithstanding however much extra dealers will charge for a limited series like this). That’s around £97,000, or nearly an entire 911 Carrera, more than a standard GT3 Touring will cost, yet we have little doubt that all 51 will find homes, if indeed they haven’t already.
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