The New Porsche Exclusive 911 Carerra 4S Belgian Legend Edition
Jacky Ickx celebrated his 75th birthday on January 1, 2020, and Porsche threw a party in his honor with the gift of a limited edition model to celebrate the former racer’s legacy. In honor of the number of years that Jacky has achieved in his lifetime, the limit of models produced matches his age. Adding another caveat, the vehicles will only be sold in Belgium. Here is what we know about Porsche’s latest limited edition celebration car.
The New Porsche Exclusive 911 Carerra 4S Belgian Legend Edition
Not just anyone merits a special edition Porsche Carerra. Jacky Ickx just happens to be one of the greatest race car drivers in Belgian history. He participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and won first place not just once but on six occasions. He also raced in Formula 1 events for Lotus and Ferrari. Ickx spent almost twenty years of his career racing and winning high-stakes racing competitions, but his career included work beyond the track. He was also involved in the development of some of the most remarkable Porsche models in history as a test driver. The Brussels native is an important figure in the history of auto racing as well as for the Porsche automaker.
The basis of the Belgian Legend Edition
Porsche joined forces with a Belgian Porsche importer named D’ieteren to create a very special tribute car that is based on the 2020 911 Carrera 4S. This is the first of its kind in a limited edition 911 inspired by the 992 generation Porsche. Details that honor Ickx includes the use of the colors of his white-on blue helmet in the X Blue paint on the wheels fad the body of the car. A tribute to Ickx’s homeland is distinguished through the B-pillar badge with the honoree’s signature and the Belgian flag. This feature is seen in the interior of the vehicle as well and was chosen as a central motif. The inscription “Belgian Legend Edition is scripted into the carbon fiber sills of the door opening and again on the center console, bearing his famous signature. An X pattern in hand stitching has been applied to the headrests and throughout the upholstery stitching and piping. The seats are black leather sport style.
A very special 992
The interior of the Carrera 4 S Belgian Legend Edition is notably different than the regular production model that it is based upon. It has received some extra special attention that luxury enthusiasts might find to their liking. The black sport seats feature an 18-way movement for achieving the perfect positioning for driving or riding in comfort. Another difference is the leather on the back of the seats and the piping is Pebble Gray which is yet another nod to the race car driving legend. Porsche had to do something to distinguish this very special edition from the rest.
A sincere thanks to a legend
Porsche owed Jacky Ickx a debt of gratitude for driving a Porsche 936 in three wins at 24 Hours of Le Mans and a Porsche 956 in another at the venue. This no doubt brought attention to the models that won the race as well as to the brand in general. An impressive driver navigated the most capable race cars of the time to multiple victories, then later consented to serve as test driver for their later editions. If anyone could rate the quality of performance and pick out inefficiencies or possible defects prior to the official production runs, it was Jacky Ickx.
A two-year journey
Plans for the development and ultimate production of the Porsche Exclusive 911 Carerra 4 S Belgian Legend Edition began in 2018 when the 992 with its all-new design was first released. D’ieteren first imagined that it would be fitting to honor the legend with time permitting to create a very special limited edition 911 that would be based upon the 992. The Belgian importer’s design team provided assistance for the development and creation of the new masterpiece in a journey that resulted in the first special edition for the generation of 992s. Porsche’s Paint To Sample gives this luxury sports car an extra special touch. It’s heartwarming to consider the amount of thought and attention to the finer details that went into the creation of this limited-edition tribute car. It’s a marketing masterpiece for Porsche, but also, a genuine gesture of gratitude and a thank you to Ickx for all that he’s done.
Conclusion
The New Porsche Exclusive 911 Carerra 4S Belgian Legend Edition is making news across the world and it’s a fitting tribute to the professional driver and the man who has contributed so very much to the world of racecar driving and to the Porsche automakers. He remains a part of a tight knit community of designers, engineers and experts in the automotive industry and he remains an inspiration to all as an icon from the 1960s and ’70s, and beyond. The Belgian born Jacky Ickx has established a legacy by simply doing what he loved and doing it so very well. This is how icons are created. It’s fitting that the exclusive Belgian Legend Edition is made in a strictly limited production number of just 75 examples, and that these are reserved for sale in his home country of Belgium only. The Porsche Exclusive 911 Carerra 4S Belgian Legend Edition is one of those special issues that is born a rare collectible and if well cared for and preserved, the value will only go up with the passage of time. The rest of the world can still enjoy the standard issue of the 2020 911 Carerra 4S. Who knows, maybe in time some of the Belgian Legends will find their way out of Belgium and into the hands of collectors throughout the rest of the world.
