Porsche to supply Supercars ‘Saftey’ car

The 2017 Supercars safety car is a diesel, but that’s not important right now.

In an embarrassing sign of the times, the new Porsche Cayenne S Diesel safety car to be used for the 2017 Supercars season has somehow managed to be sign written, professionally photographed and then those photographs released to media without anyone realizing it says ‘SAFTEY CAR’ in big, bold letters down its flanks.

With the images now rapidly circulating around social media, no doubt the mistake has already been hastily rectified before the car is inevitably forced into action at this weekend’s Clipsal 500 season opener, but it’s a reminder to pay attention in English class, kids.

Porsche has nicked the course car role from Lexus, supplying a pair of Cayenne S Diesels as the safety and medical cars and a Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition as the course car.

While a diesel SUV might seem like a strange choice to lead a train of fire-breathing Supercars, the Cayenne S Diesel packs a 4.2-litre V8 turbo diesel producing 283kW/850Nm which should make it more than capable for the task at hand. Especially so if it rains!

Porsche’s course cars haven’t always had an easy time in the Supercars championship, Shane Van Gisbergen infamously taking out the Panamera medical car at the 2012 Sydney race when his steering failed at an inopportune moment.

The first practice session of the 2017 Supercars season is currently underway, with a pair of 250km races around the streets of Adelaide on Saturday and Sunday.