Porsche unveiled a spectacular creation at the Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca in California during the Rennsport Reunion 7 event. Alongside the 911 GT3 R Rennsport, the automaker introduced a special and ultra-exclusive 718 Cayman GT4 RS in collaboration with TAG Heuer. This unique road car is a tribute to the iconic 550 Coupe that competed in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.
Named the “Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS TAG Heuer x Porsche – Legends of Panamericana,” only two of these track-focused masterpieces will ever be crafted. The design pays homage to the legendary race cars with “152” and “154” racing numbers on the doors and roofs, reminiscent of the historic race cars. The cars are painted in the striking Le Mans Silver Metallic, accented with body-coloured highlights.
Most people have their smartphones with them all the time, and as these devices show the time and date, the watch may seem unnecessary. Nevertheless, it still has a place in our lives and sales still continue. Now Porsche owners will also find more reason to wear watch – specifically the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition.
This is a new luxury connected timepiece that does more than just show the time and other information usually found on the more sophisticated (and expensive) watches. It has Wear OS which can show information from Porsche vehicles on its face, turning it into a more useful accessory.
The watch follows the launch of the TAG Heuer x Porsche Carrera Chronograph, which celebrated the two companies’ rich history of motor racing heritage and the launch of their global partnership in 2021.
Both the physical watch and the software have design features used in the all-electric Taycan, which evokes the car’s exterior. The watch face was inspired by printed circuit boards and racing circuits, offering an animated visual effect which connects Porsche’s models and TAG Heuer watches with a feeling of technology and speed.
Car-related design The design of the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition has numerous features inspired by the frozen blue lacquered Taycan electric sportscar. For example, the large 45 mm case in black titanium is highlighted with details in the distinctive metallic shade seen on the car. The case is sandblasted black titanium, giving the watch a light, sporty feel and the black ceramic polished bezel has a dedicated scale going from zero to 400, referencing a Porsche car’s speed, which can be used to read functions relating to the car or to display metrics like heart rate.
The ceramic bezel of the watch gives it the feel of a traditional high-end timepiece. The crown has a large diameter, and stands out from the watch, so there’s lots of room for a finger to access the crown, making it easy to access apps on the go.
The pushers have a mechanical feel, highlighting TAG Heuer’s 162 years of heritage in making high-end mechanical watches. Running a customised version of Google’s Wear OS system, the watch offers a range of exclusive timers and sport and wellness apps which highlight TAG Heuer’s expertise in sports timing, including motorsports.
Connection to the car Owners of specific Porsche models will be able to connect their watch to their vehicle. When connected, they will see information displayed in ‘complications’ on the watch face. At the time of launch this week, there are four complications available.
The first shows how much energy is left in the car’s battery pack and works with both fully electric as well as hybrid models. The second shows ‘car autonomy’ information, displaying how many kilometres remain before the battery pack or fuel tank are empty.
The third is a shortcut to the Wear OS My Porsche app which enables users to control their vehicle heating and air conditioning. The last complication shows the total mileage driven. To activate these features, users need to have Porsche ID, Porsche Connect Subscription and the My Porsche app on the watch and phone.
Porsche and TAG Heuer Although Porsche and TAG Heuer a strategic partnership in February last year, the two companies have been associated various times for over 50 years. Similarities of heritage can be traced all the way back to the entrepreneurs of the companies whose visions changed their chosen fields forever. Edouard Heuer was responsible for the first manufactured chronograph and Ferdinand Porsche constructed a new electric wheel hub motor. Both these accomplishments earned medals at World Fairs held in Paris 11 years apart.
The true cornerstones of today’s partnership, however, are descendants of the brands’ founders. In 1963, the first Heuer Carrera chronograph was introduced, designed to let drivers tell the time at a glance in the heat of action. Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of the founder, was also responsible for the Heuer Monaco, the first square-faced, water-resistant automatic chronograph watch. Its name evoked the Monaco Grand Prix as well as the renowned Monte Carlo Rally which Porsche won in from 1968 to 1970 with its 911 model.
With its sale to the TAG Group, Heuer became TAG Heuer in the mid-1980s. At this time, Porsche and TAG Heuer jointly developed and produced the TAG Turbo Engine that enabled the McLaren team to win three consecutive F1 world titles.
In 1999, the relationship between Porsche and TAG Heuer grew even stronger – from the Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercup competitions, followed by the Endurance World Championship and more was yet to come. Porsche created its own Formula E team with TAG Heuer as title and timing partner in 2019.
Porsche has long distinguished itself in endurance events and together with TAG Heuer, its GT Team has competed in the World Endurance Championship. In addition to physical competitions, TAG Heuer also engages in virtual racing by supporting the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. More recently, both companies have partnered in Formula E, the all-electric single-seater world championship.
With the international premiere of the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche has reached another milestone on the way to the works entry in the 2019/2020 season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Porsche’s regular drivers Neel Jani and Andre Lotterer played an active role in the car presentation with videogamers from around the world. They were guided through the Porsche Digital GmbH premises in Ludwigsburg by specific instructions from the gaming community, first to find the Porsche 99X Electric and then to unveil it.
“It was a unique car presentation unlike anything the motorsport world has ever experienced before. It was great fun joining the gamers’ search for the Porsche 99X Electric both virtually and in real life at the same time. It is great that Porsche is breaking new ground and involving the young, digital generation,” said Jani.
“A different kind of car premiere; I really enjoyed the fact that Neel and I acted as live players. It is fantastic that we are communicating with the digital target audience as equals and that they were able to be part of it,” added Lotterer.
Significance of 9 and X
In terms of the design, the traditional Porsche motorsport colours were chosen for the Formula E racing car. From a bird’s-eye perspective, the Porsche emblem is clearly visible around the Halo system. As usual, the naming format is three digits which represent Porsche racing cars and 2-door sportscars.
The highest number, 9, was used twice, to re-emphasise the importance of the Formula E project for Porsche, while the X stands for the forward-looking approach and prototype racing. The 99X Electric also serves as a development platform for future fully electric production models.
Porsche E-Performance Powertrain
The development of the Porsche powertrain, referred to as the ‘Porsche E-Performance Powertrain’, has played a central role from the start. The Formula E regulations stipulate a standardised chassis and a standard battery, while the drive technologies are developed by the manufacturers. The engineers were able to make use of their LMP1 experience when developing the Porsche Formula E powertrain. With the hybrid technology, the foundations were laid for electric mobility.
“In hindsight, we laid the foundations for Porsche’s future involvement in Formula E during the LMP1 project. We used the insights gained during that time in the development of the Porsche Formula E powertrain. We focused on building a highly effective powertrain with the highest level of efficiency,” said Malte Huneke, Technical Project Leader Formula E.
The 800-volt technology used in Formula E is also used in the Taycan, Porsche’s first volume-produced fully electric sportscar. In addition, energy management and efficiency are the keys to success in both Formula E and series production. This is where the permanent synchronous motor comes into play which has an important role in optimising the drive concept.
TAG Heuer as Title and Timing Partner
TAG Heuer, the Swiss manufacturer of luxury watches, is the Title and Timing Partner of the Porsche Formula E Team, which will contest Season 6 of the single-seater all-electric championship under the name ‘TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’.
By entering Formula E, Porsche is also breaking new ground from a commercial perspective. This environment addresses a young, different-minded and digitally-oriented target audience. This sphere allows the company to explore what customers expect from vehicles and mobility in general both now and in the future, also in terms of products and services.
Return to single-seater racing
It’s been more than 30 years since Porsche last participated in single-seater racing. Entering Formula E and the accompanying restructuring of the motorsport involvement can be derived from the 2025 Porsche strategy. In addition to traditional GT road-going sportscars, fully electric sportscars are also firmly anchored in the strategy. Both will be reflected in Porsche’s involvement in motorsports in the years to come.
TAG Heuer was the first to ring in the New Year at Suria KLCC, with a pop-up exhibition highlighting TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Watchmaking and unique legacy through exclusive and historical timepieces. Curated by Catherine Eberlé-Devaux, TAG Heuer Heritage Director, the exhibition is a tribute to TAG Heuer’s watchmaking innovations since 1860.
Creator of many firsts in Swiss watchmaking, TAG Heuer is relentlessly striving to bring additional technical performances to its iconic timepieces, from achieving ultimate accuracy to developing “disruptive designs” reflecting the brand’s unique spirit.
Among the models presented for the first time in Malaysia, visitors will have the chance to discover the oscillating pinion, patented in 1887, the Monaco V4, the first-ever watch mechanism powered by belts and the Mikrograph, launched in 1916, the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100th of a second used at the Olympics in the 20s.
They will also learn more on the Time of Trip, launched in 1911, the first 12-hour on-board chronograph for cars and airplanes with a power reserve of eight days, and on the TAG Heuer Monaco launched in 1969 and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the first square water-resistant chronograph equipped with the first self-winding automatic chronograph movement.
The final highlight is a race car Porsche 911, visible in its Gulf Heuer livery, tribute to the relationship between Gulf Oil and TAG Heuer since the 70s, and of course a reminder of Steve McQueen (below) in his legendary role in the movie Le Mans, where he chose the TAG Heuer Monaco to wear throughout the filming.
The exhibition was inaugurated on January 7th by Amelia Sillard, Vice President of TAG Heuer Southeast Asia, Tay Liam Khoon, Executive Director of Cortina Watch, Andrew Brien, Executive Director of Suria KLCC and Francis Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Suria KLCC.
“All the pieces presented in this exhibition are major breakthroughs TAG Heuer has created since 1860, and are the best illustration of the brand Avant-Garde spirit and incredible legacy in watchmaking” said Amelia Sillard. “It’s a real pleasure and honour to be able to show those unique museum pieces, especially flown in from Switzerland, in Kuala Lumpur”
The TAG Heuer exhibition, in partnership with Cortina Watch, will run from now till the 13th of January at the concourse of Suria KLCC.