RM Sotheby’s Porsche 70th Anniversary Auction achieves more than $25M in sales
RM Sotheby’s Porsche 70th Anniversary Auction There have been several celebrations of Porsche’s 70th anniversary this year, one of the most notable being RM Sotheby’s single-marque Porsche 70th Anniversary Auction, which featured not only a broad array of Porsche cars but related memorabilia as well. Here’s a sampling of those prime collectables. ▲
$25.8-million (US) in total sales The RM Sotheby’s Porsche 70th Anniversary Auction was held on October 27, 2018 at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta (PECATL), which is also the home of Porsche Cars North America. Total revenues from the auction were $25.8-million (US), with 92% of all lots sold. ▲
Bidders from around the world With 63 of the world’s most important and most sought-after, privately-owned Porsche models on offer, along with a wide variety of Porsche memorabilia, enthusiastic bidders represented 25 countries from all around the world. ▲
Six-million-dollar car (almost) This 1985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar race car (chassis no. 010015) garnered the highest price of any car sold – $5,945,000 (all figures in US-dollars) – nearly double its pre-sale estimate of $3.0-to-3.4-million. It is one of just three such cars built to contest the gruelling 1985 rally as a works entry and the first ever offered at auction. ▲
1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 ‘Super’ Speedster by Reutter ($305,000) This unrestored 1958 356 A 1600 ‘Super’ Speedster was a relative bargain in comparison, at $305,000. Because of their rarity and desirability, these iconic 356 Speedsters have become highly collectable, as this price attests. ▲
1994 Porsche 911 Speedster ($190.400) Porsche reprised the Speedster badge in 1993 with a model that was as much about comfort and style as it was performance, providing plenty of each. This 1994 example is one of just 1,000 built in that model run. ▲
1979 Porsche 928 ($57,120) The V-8-powered, front-engined Porsche 928 introduced in 1977 was intended to replace the then-aging 911 line – a feat it failed to accomplish. It was an impressive car in its own right, however, and this one seemed a genuine bargain at $57,120. ▲
Racing Posters – 1980s ($2400) There were more than just cars up for auction. Among a vast array of Porsche-related memorabilia, this set of 10 1980s-era racing posters – including one for the 1984 Mosport 1000 km race – sold for $2,400. ▲
1983 Porsche 956 Group C (Still for Sale) From the same era, this real Le Mans veteran 956 Group C race car is said to be the most original surviving example of nine privateer WEC 956s. The only one to win on American soil, it was expected to fetch from $5.25-to-6.25-million, but it failed to reach its reserve price so is still for sale. ▲
Porsche 918 Spyder ($1,407,500) With just 125 miles on its odometer, this exceptional 2015 918 Spyder, Porsche’s hybrid hypercar, was one of six cars in the auction to reach or surpass the million-dollar mark. It’s also able to reach a top speed of 211 mph (340 km/h)! ▲
1980 Porsche 935 K4 ($885,000) The ferocious Porsche 935 Group 5 race car, introduced in 1976, dominated its class internationally in various forms until it became outdated by a new Group C category in 1983. This Kremer-built 935/78, dubbed “Moby Dick,” was one of two built and was raced in North America by Ted Field and Danny Ongais. It’s a very fast piece of history! ▲
1960 Porsche 356 B Super 90 Coupe by Reutter ($190,400) Both race-prepared and street-legal, this beautifully-restored 356 B Super 90 Coupe was a competitor in the modern-day La Carrera Panamericana long-distance rally. ▲
1959 Porsche Diesel Junior 108 K ($51,520) An anomaly among the exotic Porsche cars, this tractor was one of 125,000 built by Porsche over a 15-year period beginning in 1953. This Junior 108, the most popular model, was powered by an air-cooled, one-cylinder, 822-cc engine with Bosch diesel injection. ▲
1970 Porsche 914/6 ($95,200) Also an anomaly among the 911s of the era, was the lower-priced Porsche 914/6, a mid-engined replacement for the 912 that was built by Karmann and shared its body with Volkswagen, which offered a four-cylinder version. ▲
1965 Porsche 911 ($246,400) This unrestored first-generation 911, from the model’s first year of production, still features its original engine, gearbox and Polo Red paint. ▲
1985 Porsche 959 Prototype ($1,000,000) Joining its price-topping Paris-Dakar sibling in the million-dollar club, this 959 was one of 12 prototypes for the iconic model used for testing and development, of which only three or four still exist. ▲
Martini & Rossi Café Umbrella ($480) At the opposite extreme of the price scale, this Martini & Rossi Café Umbrella, representative of one of the marques major long-term racing sponsors, may have been the bargain-buy of the auction. ▲
1956 Porsche 356 A Training Chassis ($112,000) This 356 rolling chassis, which was built and used for training purposes, sold for $112,000. ▲
2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 ($566,000) Built in collaboration with Porsche Exclusive for Jerry Seinfeld, this end-of-line 997-generation GT3 is said to be the last and most expensive RS 4.0 produced and arguably the most desirable example of its kind in existence. ▲
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight ($1,022,500) Another million-dollar seller, this 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is one of just 200 lightweight “Sport” versions built and boasts a racing history at Hockenheim. ▲
2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS ($583,500) This lightweight GT2 was the final iteration of that model before the switch to the 991 architecture. With 620 horsepower, the 997 GT2 RS is still the highest-horsepower manual-transmission model ever built by Porsche. ▲
2018 Porsche 911 Turbo Classic Series “Project Gold” ($3,415,000) The second-highest price paid went for this one-off, hand-built modern construction of a 993 – the last air-cooled Porsche, which ceased production 20 years ago. Strictly a show car, it can’t be licensed for road use. But who cares! ▲
Keyword: Exclusive 70th Anniversary Porsche Auction brings big bucks!