Porsche has revived its legendary red Volkswagen Renndienst ("race service") vans for the Porsche Carrera Cup and Porsche Sports Cup racing series in Germany, but with a very modern twist - in the form of the ID. Buzz EV.
Renndienst vans were first used in 1954 for the Mille Miglia and have become classics in the their own right. In its early racing racing days, Porsche converted a T1 VW bus to carry tools and spares. Numerous Renndienst buses based on the VW Transporter (T1 and T2) followed through to the 1970s. The vans were not only used as mobile service stations, but often also as temporary accommodation for the engineers and other team members.
The vans became an attraction of their own, always finished in dark red paintwork. Today, some of the early Renndienst buses are exhibited in museums or stored in the garages of Porsche collectors.
Two of the new pure-electric ID. Buzz Renndienst buses have already made an appearance at the first race of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, at Spa-Francorchamps.
“The history surrounding the T1 and T2 Porsche Renndienst buses is unique" says Lars Krause, member of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Board of Management for sales and marketing.
"Like the Porsche race cars they accompanied, the red buses also achieved cult status. We are building on this and reviving the partnership in a very contemporary way: still dark red, but now also noticeably quiet – because they are electric, with the ID. Buzz as a basis.”