The New Black TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche Rallye (Incl. Video)

Among the many partnerships between automotive brands and watchmakers, the collaboration between TAG Heuer and Porsche stands out as one of the most seamless and authentic despite being recent – since 2021. This synergy has given rise to special edition timepieces that captivate enthusiasts well beyond the racing world – the Carrera Porsche Chronograph, then the Carrera x Porsche RS 2.7, the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing, the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana, the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche and the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 released for the 24h of Le Mans 2024 edition. This year, the excitement shifts gears with the introduction of the “black-livery” editions of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche Rallye in steel and yellow gold, which will surely ignite passion among watch and car fans. 

This new version of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche boasts an already familiar yet undeniably cool Glassbox-style case with brushed and polished finishes. The 42mm diameter case measures 14.9mm thick, with a 48.6mm lug-to-lug span and offers 100m of water resistance. This bezel-free Glassbox design, introduced with the 60th-anniversary Carrera Chronograph in 2023, features a distinctive domed sapphire crystal protecting the dial and a domed sapphire caseback revealing the movement. Signature Carrera elements remain intact, including the sharp, faceted lugs, fluted crown with the TAG Heuer shield logo at 3 o’clock, and flanking piston-style pushers that enhance its racing aesthetic.

The dial layout retains the signature Carrera chronograph design elements, but the presentation takes a bold new direction compared to the earlier silver-toned steel edition of the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche (or the rose gold version with its beige dial). For the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche Rallye, TAG Heuer opted for a black shimmery dial, accented (in the steel version) by rhodium-plated rings on the 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and the 12-hour totalizer at 9 o’clock. The polished, rhodium-plated applied indexes and faceted central hands – hours and minutes coated with Super-LumiNova – remain consistent with the model’s heritage. The chronograph seconds hand is needle-shaped, while the subdial hands, including the running seconds hand at 6 o’clock, stand out in red lacquer, subtly adding a dynamic touch to the design.

The black Porsche-signed flange with its 60-second scale draws attention, particularly to the first 8.4 seconds – highlighted – which commemorate the time it took the 1965 Porsche 911 “147” to accelerate to 100 km/h during the Monte Carlo Rally – an improvement over the 9.1 seconds achieved by the 901 in 1963. The non-linear chronograph seconds display, introduced with the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche, becomes apparent here, mimicking the motion of early rev-counters. Additional nods to Porsche heritage include the red-highlighted segment between 50 and 55 on the running seconds subdial, referencing 1970s Porsche dashboards that emphasized the 50 km/h city speed limit. On the 12-hour counter, a red zone starting at 6.8 serves as a reminder of the 6,800 RPM limit, further tying the design to Porsche’s legacy.

TAG Heuer enhanced its TH20 calibre to achieve the original non-linear chronograph seconds display by integrating a mechanism featuring two snail-shaped wheels, creating the central hand’s decelerating motion – something you can discover in the video on top of this article. Beyond this neat little trick, the TH 20-08 movement remains broadly consistent with the TH 20 calibre used in other Carrera Glassbox chronographs. An evolution of the Heuer 02, this integrated column-wheel chronograph movement employs a vertical clutch and bi-directional winding and has an impressive 80-hour power reserve. The rotor is styled after a Porsche car’s three-spoke steering wheel for this special series, adding another distinctive automotive connection.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche Rallye in stainless steel has a matching three-link bracelet secured by a folding clasp with double safety pushbuttons. For the yellow gold version, TAG Heuer recommends the black perforated calfskin leather strap with beige stitching as the preferred option; this same strap is also included with the steel-cased edition, offering flexibility in styling. Both models are limited series, 911 pieces in stainless steel and 11 in yellow gold, with each watch’s number engraved on the screw-down caseback. Priced at CHF 10,000 for the steel version and CHF 24,000 for the gold edition, these timepieces are available starting this month.

For more details, please visit TagHeuer.com.