The special Porsche for France teased yesterday is here, the 911 GTS Le Mans Centenaire Edition. It doesn't only celebrate the race itself and Porsche's first-ever entry in 1951, but also the Porsche GT1 prototype that finished one-two overall in 1998. As the name makes clear, the limited edition starts with the 911 GTS that makes 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Three years went into creating the 25 elements that turn the base coupe into this special edition. Porsche France and Le Mans organizing body ACO worked with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and Porsche's head of Special Projects Grant Larsson on the final product, and all of them worked with Philadelphia Porsche collector Cameron Healy who owns the 356 SL and LA-based Porsche 356 restorer Rod Emory.

The team created a new Le Mans Silver paint as a background for the racing roundel, both cued off the #46 356 SL. The Arum wheels, louvers in the rear three-quarter windows, and red seat belts are nods to the GT1. The GTS also gets tinted covers for the PDLS Plus headlights, black satin finish door sills bearing the edition name, and body-colored diffuser accents. A hand-milled badge on the engine cover displays the race logo and 100-year span from the first edition to the centenary.

The Graphite Blue leather interior is stitched up with Chalk thread, all the way down to the stitched inner door sills. The seat headrests are embossed with the race logo above central bolster sections in velvet. The armrest is embossed with a layout of the circuit.

Since first participating in 1951, at least one Porsche has rolled up to the start line in La Sarthe for 72 consecutive years. That's where the production figure comes from, 72 buyers in France getting the opportunity to take one of these home. Coincidentally, 72 also happens to be the governmental department number of the La Sarthe region that's home to Le Mans. Porsche will give each buyer a special key case, indoor car cover, and photobook of their car being produced in Zuffenhausen and at the Exclusive Manufaktur workshops. Pricing starts at €237,819 ($259,292 U.S.) after taxes, about €80,00 more than a standard 911 Carrera GTS in France.

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