Porsche and TAG Heuer Just Dropped Their Most Daring Collab Yet

If ever there was a collaboration that embodied the ‘If it ain’t broke’ mentality, it would be that of TAG Heuer and Porsche. The two iconic businesses have been joined at the proverbial hip for decades in a partnership that has torn up racetracks, shattered records and produced any number of remarkable timepieces. The latest collaborative effort could well be the most exciting. Unveiled in the lead-up to La Carrera Panamericana 2024, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana bridges the worlds of motorsport and horology in ways we have scarcely seen before.

Limited to just 255 pieces worldwide, the new timepiece celebrates the shared heritage of both brands, as typified by their involvement in the legendary Carrera Panamericana. The iconic automotive race, which kicked off in 1954, has been the setting for some of the most remarkable milestones in both Porsche and TAG Heuer‘s history. The original race, for example, saw a Porsche 550 Spyder finish first and second in the under 1500cc sports car class and third and fourth in the race overall. For TAG Heuer, on the other hand, the Carrera Panamericana has played the role of muse.

As the fabled story goes, Jack Heuer was so inspired by the Carrera Panamericana’s danger and excitement that he created a chronograph to honour it, naming it the Heuer Carrera. More than 60 years since that inaugural piece was first introduced, the Carrera remains TAG Heuer’s most emblematic and important creation. In 2024, the legacy continues with a fitting nod to that original Porsche 550 Spyder racecar.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana features a skeleton dial that the watchmaker explains is a reference to the 550 Spyder’s wheels. The theme carries through to the dial’s snail-brushed movement plate, which helps to marry the codes of watchmaking and motor vehicle design. Similarly, the silver, yellow, and black colour scheme has been pulled directly from the original vehicle’s livery, with the watch’s yellow lacquered hand and subdial hands giving a distinctly sporty finish.

Everywhere you look, there are vintage touches thrown in – from the engraved “Spyder” logo on the side that harks back to the original font used by Porsche in the 1950s to the curved flange adorned with the Porsche logo. That being said, at 42mm in diameter, the stainless steel watch is far from small, evoking a more modern look on the wrist, and the contemporary undertones don’t stop there.

Inside, TAG Heuer has fit this piece with the TH20-09 in-house tourbillon movement, which many will remember as the brand’s signature creation. Sleek, sharp and surprisingly affordable, the tourbillon movement has been dispersed steadily over the past few years, most notably in the 60th anniversary Carrera Tourbillon Chronograph that stunned fans in 2023. It dishes up a stellar 65-hour power reserve and most importantly, provides an incredible centrepiece to what is already a visually stunning novelty.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana is a special edition that is limited to just 255 pieces worldwide, a nod to the number “55”, which decorated the Porsche 550 Spyder during its victorious run in the 1954 Carrera Panamericana. Priced at AUD$53,300, each watch is individually numbered and presented in luxurious packaging, crafted from lacquered wood in black with a thin layer of yellow Pantone of the piece.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana

• Brand: TAG Heuer
• Model: Carrera Chrono Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana
• Reference: Ref. CBS5012.FC6571
• Diameter: 42mm
• Thickness: 14.3mm
• Movement: Calibre TH20-09
• Power Reserve: 65 hours
• Water-Resistance: 100 metres
• Availability: 255 pieces worldwide
• Price: AUD$53,300