It’s the 1980s. Ronald Reagan at the helm, the first Macintosh personal computers are being rolled out, and Porsche’s Group C IMSA 956 and later 962 race cars are dominating the competition so badly that by the start of the new decade they’d be outlawed. Bad news for Porsche, good news for those seeking to own some of the wildest street cars ever built.
Courtesy of ISSIMI
With well over 100 examples of Porsche’s top tier racers given their walking papers, essentially all dressed up with nowhere to go due to the rule changes, some outfits set out to convert them to road-going versions of their former competitive selves. This 1991 C62 was built by the experts at Koenig-Specials and it’s available for purchase for a cool $995,000 via ISSIMI—the automotive collectables specialist founded in 2018 and with global ambitions.
Some of you are saying to yourselves, “big deal, throw on a rear plate, some street tires, wire up some turn signals, and call it a day,” but the reality is, Koenig-Specials put in significant work to recreate the 962’s aura while providing a street-friendly package. Well known at that time for their work with luxury cars and high-performance Ferraris that included twin turbo and widebody aero treatments, the Munich-based tuning firm took no shortcuts with their C62 street car program.
An Involved Conversion
A 3.4-liter, twin-turbo 911 engine is at play complete with large plenum-topped ITBs and Motronic fuel-injection—taking the place of the full-race Type 935 engine used in the competition 962s. With a full exhaust system that includes appropriate catalytic converters and just under 15 psi of boost, this C62 belts out 550 hp at the rear wheels. By today’s standards, that’s not a huge number, but in the early ’90s it was breathtaking, especially given the car’s light curb weight. The use of standard, obtainable Porsche engine parts meant the car could be maintained and serviced over time by any experienced Porsche technician. Updated suspension that wouldn’t damage your kidneys over road bumps were added, as were street brake pads to accompany the race-spec Brembos.
Courtesy of ISSIMI
Though it looks almost identical to the screaming 962 that you’d see shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow IMSA competition, the Koenig version used new body panels that are not compatible with the actual race cars. Both the fenders and headlights are positioned higher to meet regulations, and additional changes underneath were added to assist with the car’s aero balance, given its newly formed arches.
Still wearing its original red paint applied over its composite Kevlar panels, the overall condition is exceptional with the only blemishes being minor paint cracks and chips as well as requisite lip damage that comes with the territory when maneuvering a car this low on the street. Lighting is of course fully functional, and the headlights have been modernized with HID.
Courtesy of ISSIMI
As you might expect, there aren’t any seat heaters or cup holders inside the cockpit, nor are there any plastic panels or carpet. There is however, a passenger seat and a very thin layer of leather separating the pilot and co-pilot from the harsh reality of rigid carbon fiber bucket seats. Battery and power cut off sources are mounted on one side of the cabin, while a compressor to power the pneumatically assisted door latches and clutch resides on the other. A switch panel in the center controls various functions including a functional air conditioning system.
Courtesy of ISSIMI
They’re Not Giving It Away
The price tag of just under a million dollars reflects its ability, components, and most importantly, its rarity. While Koenig-Specials intended to build 30 of these works of art, in the end only a trio were produced, this being the second of that batch. Completed in 1991, it would go on to spend most of its life in Japan until 2019, when it crossed the pond to the U.S.
If the money from that NFT you just sold is burning a hole in your cargo short pockets, this ultra-rare Koenig-Specials C62 in excellent condition is available for purchase through ISSIMI.
Keyword: This 1991 Porsche Koenig-Specials C62 Is a Barely Streetable Race Car