Manthey is celebrating its 30th company anniversary in 2026, and the legendary “Grello”, the yellow-green Porsche 911 that has achieved cult status on the Nürburgring Nordschleife like almost no other racing car, is also turning ten!

We’ve known the yellow-green 911 for a very long time. Our collaboration with Manthey began more than 20 years ago when Olaf Manthey got in touch with us.

At first, it wasn’t about racing dampers, but about developing a road suspension for a Manthey Motors Porsche 911 Turbo (996). Since then, our suspension expertise has flowed into all Manthey suspensions.

Our cooperation was not limited to road suspensions. In motorsport, Manthey has been using our racing dampers (then still called KW Competition suspensions) ever since.

Over the decades, this has developed into a true partnership that has left its mark not only in the endurance cup on the Nordschleife, but also in the FIA WEC, DTM, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Intercontinental GT Challenge, and many other championships.

From “Der Dicke” in 2005 to “Grello” in 2016

Grello is essentially based on an old Manthey livery. In 2005, Manthey fielded a yellow-green Porsche in the endurance cup on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The Porsche GT3 MR won three times and secured three pole positions that season. Fans affectionately nicknamed the brutal MR “Der Dicke” (The Fat One).

In 2006, “Der Dicke” (The Fat One) achieved the first overall victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, and its dominance on the Nordschleife continued unbroken. It also won in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

In 2011 came the next masterpiece. A former Porsche test car with more than one circumnavigation of the globe on the clock was converted by Manthey into a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR-MR racing car. Our long-standing partner once again won the endurance classic.

From 2012 to 2015, Manthey used various liveries. Then in 2016, at the ADAC Ruhr-Pokal VLN race, the most successful Porsche team on the Nordschleife returned to a yellow-green livery and named the Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.1) “Grello”.

At the latest with the overall victories in 2018 and 2021 at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, Grello became an icon. No other team like Manthey Racing has celebrated seven overall victories in the “Green Hell.” A record achievement.

Grello also competes in other championships and races. In 2023 it won both the drivers’ and teams’ titles in the DTM. It also triumphed at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Australia in 2024 and successfully defended its DTM title in 2025.

2026 in Anniversary Livery

For the current Nordschleife season, Manthey Racing has developed a very special livery. It is based on the current Grello design, but incorporates striking elements of the legendary “Dicke,” such as the orange exterior mirrors and the yellow-green roof. Grello will compete in this special livery at the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring.

The logos of long-standing partners create the perfect bridge between past and present. At the same time, a newly interpreted flow-line design with classic green accents clearly points to the future and harmoniously integrates into the yellow base design of the Grello.

The livery is rounded off with fine details: a subtly hidden “7” as a reference to the record number of overall victories at the 24h Nürburgring, plus other graphical surprises.

During the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring, Manthey was presenting a special exhibition on the Ring Boulevard featuring all seven Porsches with which they achieved overall victory in the endurance classic.