The Porsche 911 Sally Special is a one-of-a-kind 992-generation Carrera GTS built by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. Inspired by Sally Carrera from the Cars films, it wears a unique Sally Blue Metallic paint, produces 473 hp from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six with a manual gearbox, and sold at RM Sotheby’s in August 2022 for $3.6 million. All proceeds went to charity.
Here is the full story behind the Sally Special, from the Pixar design room to the auction block.
Contents
- 1 Quick Summary
- 2 What Is the Porsche 911 Sally Special?
- 3 Sally Carrera in the Cars Franchise
- 4 The Porsche and Pixar Collaboration
- 5 Design and Exterior
- 6 Interior
- 7 Engine and Performance
- 8 The Auction
- 9 What Came With the Car
- 10 Comparison to Other Special 911s
- 11 Renn Driver’s Take
- 12 Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Summary
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Base Model | 992 Carrera GTS |
| Engine | 3.0L twin-turbo flat-six |
| Power | 473 hp |
| Transmission | 7-speed manual |
| Layout | Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Paint | Sally Blue Metallic (one-off) |
| Production | 1 of 1 |
| Auction Price | $3.6 million (RM Sotheby’s) |
| Charity | Girls Inc. and USA for UNHCR |
The full story is below.
What Is the Porsche 911 Sally Special?
The Sally Special is a unique Porsche 911 created through the Sonderwunsch program at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Stuttgart. It was built to answer a simple question: if Sally Carrera from Pixar’s Cars were a real, road-legal 911 today, what would she look like?
The project started in November 2021 and took ten months to complete. The result is a fully drivable, street-legal 992 Carrera GTS with bespoke paint, a custom interior, and dozens of hand-applied details referencing the animated character. It is the first time Pixar collaborated on a real car build of this kind.
Boris Apenbrink, Director of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur Vehicles, called it one of the most intense and emotional Sonderwunsch projects the team had ever undertaken. Every surface of the car received attention, from the custom paint blend to stitching patterns inside the cabin.
Sally Carrera in the Cars Franchise
Sally Carrera is a character in Disney and Pixar’s Cars franchise, voiced by Bonnie Hunt. In the films, Sally is a former Los Angeles lawyer who left her career behind and settled in the small town of Radiator Springs along Route 66. She is characterized as stylish, grounded, and independent.
The animated Sally is based on a 2002 Porsche 911 (996). Her design was created by Pixar production designer Bob Pauley, who spent time at Porsche’s design studios in Weissach during the original film’s development. The character wears a light blue color and features a small pinstripe “tattoo” above her rear bumper.
Sally’s connection to the 911 made her one of the most recognizable Porsches in popular culture, even though she only exists as pixels on a screen. The Sally Special was an attempt to bring that character into the real world using a modern 992 platform.
The Porsche and Pixar Collaboration
Work began in November 2021 when Porsche and Pixar agreed to create a real car inspired by Sally. The design team included people from both companies. On the Porsche side, Boris Apenbrink led the Exclusive Manufaktur effort, interior designer Daniela Milosevic handled the cabin and paint surfaces, and Shuichi Yamashita created original design sketches.
From Pixar, Jay Ward (Creative Director of Franchise) and Bob Pauley (the original Sally Carrera sketch artist) joined the project.
The team decided early on that the car should not be an exact replica of the animated Sally. Instead, they asked what Sally would look like if she were built as a brand-new 911 today. That meant using the 992 generation as the base, not the 996 that the character was originally drawn as.
The 911 Carrera GTS was chosen because it represents the sportiest variant of the standard Carrera lineup before stepping into GT territory. Sally’s character was athletic and practical, not a full-blown race car. The GTS fit that personality.
Design and Exterior
The most striking feature is the paint. Porsche developed a completely new color called Sally Blue Metallic, created exclusively for this car. The shade was hand-applied at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Stuttgart. It will never appear on another production Porsche.
The wheels are a custom five-spoke design in 20-inch (front) and 21-inch (rear) sizes, reinterpreted from Sally Carrera’s Turbo-look rims by Style Porsche designers in Weissach. They bridge the gap between the animated character’s simpler wheel design and what works on a modern 992 chassis.
The most subtle detail sits under the active rear spoiler. Sally Carrera has a small pinstripe tattoo above her rear bumper in the films. The Porsche team recreated this as a hand-applied blue tattoo design that is only visible when the spoiler deploys at speed. Dozens of tiny custom touches across the exterior surfaces carry the Sally Blue Metallic theme throughout the car.
Interior
Daniela Milosevic led the interior design, drawing on Sally’s character as someone who valued style and elegance but remained down-to-earth. The cabin uses Chalk-colored leather with Speed Blue stitching and custom cloth trim woven with blue highlights. The material choices reflect a character who would pick something refined but not flashy.
A custom Pepita houndstooth fabric appears on the seats, nodding to a Porsche interior tradition that stretches back decades. The steering wheel received a bespoke design, and multiple details throughout the cabin reference the Cars films. The most playful touch is a “Kachow” button, a reference to Lightning McQueen’s catchphrase in the movie.
Sally Blue Metallic accents appear across interior surfaces, tying the cabin to the exterior. Every detail was designed to feel cohesive rather than added on. The overall effect is a cabin that looks like it belongs in a special GTS, not a promotional vehicle.
Engine and Performance
Under the rear decklid is the standard 992 Carrera GTS powertrain. The 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six produces 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with a 7-speed manual transmission, sending power to the rear wheels only.
The GTS is the most powerful variant in the standard Carrera range, sitting above the Carrera S and below the 911 Turbo. It uses a sport-tuned suspension derived from the Turbo, PASM Sport dampers lowered by 10 mm, Turbo-spec brakes, center-lock wheels, and a GTS-specific sport exhaust.
Performance numbers match the standard GTS. Porsche quotes a 0 to 60 mph time of around 3.3 seconds and a top speed near 193 mph. The manual transmission adds engagement at the cost of a few tenths versus the PDK. For a car built to celebrate character over lap times, the manual was the right choice.
The Auction
The Sally Special was sold at RM Sotheby’s during Monterey Car Week in California on August 20, 2022. Bidding was restricted to United States residents. The car hammered at $3.6 million, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for a new Porsche at auction.
Every dollar of the sale went to two charities. Girls Inc. received a portion to fund educational programs for young women across 76 sites in the United States and Canada. USA for UNHCR received the remainder to support the nearly 6.2 million refugees displaced from Ukraine, with a focus on women and children.
An anonymous telephone bidder won the car. Bonnie Hunt (Sally’s voice actress), Jay Ward, Bob Pauley, and Porsche leadership were all present at the sale. The final price reflected both the car’s unique status and the charitable cause behind it.
What Came With the Car
The winning bidder did not just receive a car. The Sally Special package included a collection of accessories and memorabilia that will never be reproduced.
- Porsche Design chronograph: A one-of-one timepiece with Sally Blue Metallic accents on the dial ring, natural titanium case, COSC-certified WERK 01.100 movement, two interchangeable leather straps (Chalk and Speed Blue), and “001/001” engraved on the case back. Built at Porsche Design’s manufactory in Solothurn, Switzerland.
- Second wheel set: A set of Carrera Exclusive Design wheels on a custom rack, intended for track use.
- Indoor car cover: Custom-fitted cover by Porsche Tequipment.
- Hardcover book: A one-of-a-kind book documenting the design and build process with construction images from both Porsche and Pixar.
- Original sketches: Hand-drawn design sketches by Shuichi Yamashita (Porsche) and Bob Pauley (Pixar).
- Paint color molds: The original molds used to develop the Sally Blue Metallic color.
- Show plates: Custom plates for the vehicle.
The chronograph alone would be a significant collector’s piece. Paired with original sketches from the artist who first drew Sally Carrera twenty years earlier, the package carries a cultural weight beyond the car itself.
Comparison to Other Special 911s
The Sally Special sits in unusual company. Most special-edition 911s are limited production runs built for performance. The Sport Classic had 1,250 units. The S/T had 1,963. The Sally Special had exactly one.
| Model | Units | Sold For |
|---|---|---|
| 911 Sally Special | 1 | $3.6M (auction) |
| 911 Sport Classic | 1,250 | ~$273K MSRP |
| 911 S/T | 1,963 | $290K MSRP |
| 911 Speedster (991) | 1,948 | ~$275K MSRP |
Where those cars focused on driving purity and weight savings, the Sally Special is about storytelling. Its value comes from the Pixar collaboration, the unique color, the charitable cause, and the fact that it will never be replicated. The GTS underneath is a capable sports car, but the car’s significance is cultural rather than mechanical.
That makes it closer in spirit to art-car projects like the BMW Art Cars or the most valuable Porsches that command premiums for their history rather than their spec sheets.
Renn Driver’s Take
I have not driven this car yet. When I do, this section will have my honest take on what it is actually like to live with and drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Porsche 911 Sally Special?
The Porsche 911 Sally Special is a one-of-a-kind 992 Carrera GTS created by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. It is inspired by Sally Carrera from the Cars films and features a unique Sally Blue Metallic paint, custom interior, and hand-applied details referencing the animated character.
How much did the Sally Special sell for?
The Porsche 911 Sally Special sold for $3.6 million at RM Sotheby’s during Monterey Car Week on August 20, 2022. This set a record for the highest price ever paid for a new Porsche at auction. All proceeds went to Girls Inc. and USA for UNHCR.
How many Porsche 911 Sally Special cars exist?
Only one Porsche 911 Sally Special exists. Porsche built it as a unique Sonderwunsch project and has confirmed that no additional examples will ever be made. The Sally Blue Metallic paint color was developed exclusively for this car.
What engine does the Sally Special have?
The Porsche 911 Sally Special uses the 992 Carrera GTS powertrain: a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six producing 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 7-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.
Who designed the Sally Special?
The Sally Special was designed by a joint team from Porsche and Pixar. Boris Apenbrink led the project at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, Daniela Milosevic designed the interior, and Shuichi Yamashita created original sketches. From Pixar, Jay Ward (Creative Director) and Bob Pauley (the original Sally Carrera artist) contributed to the design direction.
What is Sally Blue Metallic?
Sally Blue Metallic is a custom paint color developed exclusively for the 911 Sally Special. It was hand-applied at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Stuttgart and will never be offered on any other Porsche. The shade references Sally Carrera’s light blue color from the Cars films, adapted for a real-world metallic finish.
Images: Sally Carrera 996 by Ahrgrr, CC BY-SA 4.0. 992 Carrera GTS front by MrWalkr, CC BY-SA 4.0. Sally Carrera on display by Bill Abbott, CC BY-SA 2.0. 992 Carrera GTS rear by Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
