Porsche now owns two-thirds of its favourite tuner. On 8 October 2026 Porsche AG announced that it has raised its stake in Manthey Racing from 51 to 67 per cent. The Nürburgring specialist becomes the performance arm of a new Porsche unit called the “Home of Sports Cars” — and the plan is more Manthey Kits for road cars, exclusive track experiences and complete few-off special models (Porsche Newsroom).
THE DEAL IN ONE LINE
Porsche 51% → 67% · founder Olaf Manthey sells his last 9% · Raeder brothers 40% → 33% · price not disclosed · plan: more Manthey Kits, track experiences and few-off cars
Who Sold, Who Bought
Porsche first bought a 51 per cent majority of Manthey in 2013 (DailySportsCar). According to the German commercial register, reported by Motorsport-Total, the new structure was registered on 11 August 2026: founder Olaf Manthey, 71, who started the team in 1996, has given up his remaining 9 per cent and stays on as an adviser, while managing directors Nicolas and Martin Raeder each went from 20 to 16.5 per cent (Motorsport-Total via Yahoo). Porsche did not disclose a price.
“Manthey has been a trusted Porsche partner for many years, firmly rooted in the motorsport community,” said Porsche CEO Dr Michael Leiters. Nicolas Raeder called the higher stake “a personal mark of appreciation”, and Martin Raeder said Manthey is “heading into the future in a stronger position with the new shareholding” (Porsche Newsroom, DailySportsCar).
What Is the Porsche “Home of Sports Cars”?
The deal is part of Leiters’ new strategy, “Sportwagenschmiede ’35” (roughly “sports-car forge 2035”), which is meant to bring Porsche back to profitability after heavy losses by focusing on its core sports cars, its Manufaktur know-how and the ultra-luxury segment (Motorsport-Total via Yahoo). The new “Home of Sports Cars” bundles three areas (Porsche Newsroom):
| Area | Who | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Manthey Racing | Manthey Kits, track experiences, few-off specials |
| Exclusiveness | Sonderwunsch, Exclusive Manufaktur | Personalisation and one-off customer cars; Sonderwunsch is to be “scaled up further” |
| Heritage | Porsche | Classic models, e.g. factory re-commissioning of a Carrera GT |
Porsche’s own launch photo makes the point: a 911 GT3 RS with Manthey Kit, the Flachbau RS and a factory re-commissioned Carrera GT side by side (Porsche Newsroom).
Manthey Kits: Tuning With the Factory Warranty
Since 2020, Porsche and Manthey have developed nine Manthey Kits together — for the 911 and 718, and even for the electric Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package (Porsche Newsroom). They are mostly about aerodynamics and chassis rather than engine power, they are developed with the factory for road use, and on the 911 GT3 RS the factory warranty stays valid after fitting (Auto.cz). With the bigger stake, Porsche wants more of them, plus new track programmes and complete special cars built in very small numbers.
If you want to know which car the most famous Manthey Kit is built for, start with our guide to every Porsche 911 GT3 RS generation.
Who Is Manthey Racing?
Manthey was founded in 1996 by former racing driver Olaf Manthey and is based in Meuspath, right next to the Nürburgring, with about 350 employees (Motorsport-Total via Yahoo). Porsche lists seven overall wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, six class wins at Le Mans and several FIA WEC and DTM titles (Porsche Newsroom). Its green-and-yellow “Grello” 911s are among the best-known racing Porsches of the last decade. Manthey also runs the Porsche Track Experience and the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, and races today in WEC, IMSA, DTM, the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Asian Le Mans Series (DailySportsCar, Motorsport-Total via Yahoo).
30 Years of Manthey: Two MR 30 Race Cars
To mark its 30th anniversary, Manthey revealed two limited race cars at the DTM finale at Hockenheim on 9 October 2026 — 15 units each. “They were not created to celebrate an anniversary, but for use on the racetrack,” said Nicolas Raeder (Sportscar365).
| 911 GT3 Cup MR 30 | 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport MR 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Units | 15 | 15 |
| Base | 992.1 911 GT3 Cup | 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport |
| Engine | 4.2-litre flat-six (instead of 4.0), 412 kW / 560 PS | Standard GT4 RS Clubsport engine |
| Body | Recycled-carbon bonnet, wings, arches, rear lid and wing; track +20 mm front / +50 mm rear | Carbon wings, bonnet, bumpers, splitter, rear section and diffuser |
| Weight saving | Forged wheels −3.8 kg | −5.7 kg vs. base car |
| Chassis | Six-way adjustable coilovers, revised kinematics | Central radiator, brake ducts from 911 GT2 RS Clubsport Evo |
| Deliveries | Early 2027 | From November 2026 |
Applications are open until 30 October 2026 and Manthey selects the buyers; US customers order through Porsche Motorsport North America. Prices have not been published (Sportscar365, PistonHeads). Both cars are track-only racers, not road cars (Auto.cz).
Batman Garage Verdict
This is a smart move at a difficult time for Porsche. Manthey Kits are the rare kind of tuning that makes a 911 faster without killing the warranty or the resale value, and owners love them. With two-thirds of the company, Porsche can now turn Manthey into its own AMG-style performance label for the GT cars — and the promise of “few-off” specials from the Nürburgring is the part we are most curious about.
Porsche and Manthey — Frequently Asked Questions
How much of Manthey Racing does Porsche own?
Since 2026 Porsche AG owns 67 per cent of Manthey Racing GmbH, up from the 51 per cent it bought in 2013. The remaining 33 per cent belongs to managing directors Nicolas and Martin Raeder.
What is a Manthey Kit?
A Manthey Kit is a factory-approved performance package developed by Porsche and Manthey, mainly aerodynamics and chassis parts. Nine kits have been developed since 2020 for 911, 718 and Taycan models; on the 911 GT3 RS the factory warranty remains valid.
What is the Porsche Home of Sports Cars?
It is a new Porsche unit that bundles performance (Manthey), exclusiveness (Sonderwunsch and Exclusive Manufaktur) and heritage, as part of the Sportwagenschmiede ’35 strategy.
What are the Manthey MR 30 cars?
The 911 GT3 Cup MR 30 with a 4.2-litre, 560 PS flat-six and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport MR 30 are track-only race cars built for Manthey’s 30th anniversary, 15 units each.
Sources & Verification
Official announcement and quotes: Porsche Newsroom (8 October 2026). Shareholder details from the commercial register, employees and strategy background: Motorsport-Total via Yahoo. 2013 stake, racing programmes: DailySportsCar. Manthey Kit warranty and MR 30 power: Auto.cz. MR 30 specifications, units, order deadline and deliveries: Sportscar365, PistonHeads. Photos: Porsche AG / Manthey.
