Porsche's color experts have created a paint that resembles denim, inspired by Toy Story.

      Porsche's Sonderwunsch team has crafted three 911 models inspired by characters from Toy Story.

      Porsche

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      Porsche’s Sonderwunsch, or “Special Wish” team, engages in exceptional projects, ranging from street-legal versions of Le Mans prototypes to rugged retro models that never existed. Their latest creation consists of three unique vehicles, celebrating a partnership that began approximately 20 years ago when Pixar sought Porsche's approval to feature Cars’ Sally Carrera as a 911. With Toy Story 5 set for release later this month, both companies decided to commemorate this milestone by creating three bespoke vehicles, each representing a beloved character from the series in the form of a different 911.

      The trio of cars includes a 911 Carrera T styled as Woody, a 911 Carrera Targa 4 GTS as Jessie, and a 911 GT3 RS representing Buzz Lightyear. These vehicles will be auctioned as part of a charitable initiative benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the American Red Cross, and Starlight Children’s Foundation. Each model is exquisitely customized, featuring hand-painted livery for Buzz’s GT3, special ribbon embroidery on Jessie’s Targa seats, and a unique finishing process for Woody’s Carrera T that mimics the look of worn jeans.

      The cars are adorned with numerous intricate details; however, the standout feature is the denim blue paint on Woody’s 911. To achieve this effect, Porsche employed a novel technique by embedding actual denim fabric into the paint for an authentic texture. This innovative process celebrates Woody’s status as a cherished vintage toy in the films. Dominic Mayer, Project Manager for Inspiration vehicles at Sonderwunsch, mentioned that if future clients request a similar treatment, they can now have it, as Porsche has successfully validated the technique.

      “The fabric and denim appearance aligns with all industry standards—particularly, our own Porsche standards regarding materials,” Mayer stated in a roundtable discussion. “We conduct abrasive tests and similar evaluations with the materials. This denim look is something we can offer to future clients as well. Typically, we don’t pursue such unique developments for a single car because the costs become prohibitive.”

      The new wheels designed by the Sonderwunsch team for Woody and Jessie’s vehicles share a Fuchs-style, five-spoke design, yet their center caps feature stars as a nod to the characters' sheriff roles. This marks the first time Porsche has created a fully new wheel design for a limited project, and they are now open to such requests in the future.

      “Both are entirely new geometries and wheel designs, specifically crafted and produced for these two cars,” Mayer explained. “We didn’t offer this previously—or don’t currently offer this—if a customer inquires about a specially designed and manufactured wheel; however, we will consider it moving forward.”

      Porsche 911 Carrera Targa 4 inspired by Jessie. Porsche

      Each design choice made by Porsche and Pixar for these vehicles seems to carry its own story. For instance, the pearl white paint on Jessie’s Targa, while appearing standard in photos, references the pearl buttons on her shirt. This color was sourced from Porsche’s own history, specifically from the 1983 Porsche Gruppe B concept, which preceded the legendary 959. Additionally, the ten colors showcased on Buzz’s GT3 were all selected from Porsche’s color library, and Porsche indicated that the painting process took over 350 man-hours.

      As expected, there was significant discussion regarding which character should be paired with which car—except in Buzz's case, where the selection was straightforward.

      “There wasn’t much debate; it was just obvious,” remarked Bob Pauley, Pixar Production Designer and the original creator of Buzz Lightyear, during the briefing. “When Buzz Lightyear arrives on the scene, he poses a big threat to Woody because he’s the coolest toy. Therefore, when it came to the car, well—what’s the coolest one?”

      The design of Buzz’s GT3 RS (or “SR,” short for “Space Ranger,” as Pixar has dubbed it) features a remarkably detailed livery, with the most impressive element being the continuation of the candy-stripe red-and-white wing pattern from his wings, visible from behind with both doors open. Additionally, the asymmetrically painted winglets on the hood vents correspond to the different buttons on his suit.

      Porsche 911 GT3 RS inspired by Buzz Lightyear, featuring Lightyear-branded Goodyear tires. Porsche

      For those who grew up with these films, references are abundant in these unique models. While Porsche and Pixar may seem an unlikely pairing outside the realm of Cars, the excitement shared by representatives from both companies is unmistakable.

      “Both Porsche and Pixar uphold high standards of excellence and attention to detail,” said Jay Ward, Pixar’s Creative Director of Franchise. “We place great importance on