Jacky Ickx never achieved his ultimate goal of winning the Formula 1 World Championship during a top level career which spanned the sixties and seventies, but few doubted his ability to do so. The former Ferrari driver finished runner up twice and consistently featured at the sharp end during his single seater career. But without luck on his side it wasn't until he made a switch to sports car racing that the trophies in the cabinet turned gold. Ickx went on to win six 24 Hours of Le Mans, four of which came with Porsche.
The German manufacturer has chosen to pay homage to these successes on Ickx's 75th birthday by producing its first limited run 992. The 911 Carrera 4S Belgian Legend Edition takes inspiration from the blue and white helmet design used by Ickx when he won in Porsche's 936 and 956 sports cars, with paint and trim in the same shades. The work is a celebration that's also here to demonstrate the customisation offered by Porsche's Exclusive Manufaktur services.
The exterior paint colour - which is unique to this car and copies the shade used on Ickx's lid - has been called X Blue and it's accompanied by badges displaying the Belgian colours and the driver's signature. Finishing the exterior off is set of 20 and 21-inch Carrera Classic wheels with white accents, mimicking the white lines that wrapped around the visor and base of Ickx's racing lid back in his heyday.
Inside, the blue and white theme is maintained, with X-stitching in a nod to Ickx's name, black leather and pebble grey piping in contrast. There are also, of course, more badges and Belgian flags, as well as carbon sill guards and a matching key fob with Ickx's signature on. It's a detailed design job, but one that leaves the 4S's base untouched, so the 992 retains a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six with 450hp, an eight-speed PDK and an accompanying 3.6 second 0-62mph time.
Just 75 of these Ickx 911s are to be produced, one for each year of his life. All will be sold into Belgium via D'ieteren, the importer that thought up the car's idea, which means no right-hand drive versions for the UK. Although given the wide-reaching adoration for Ickx - not to mention the smartness of this theme - we wouldn't be surprised to see an Ickx-badged 992 or two make their way over the Channel.
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