Barrett-Jackson Previews Porsche Perfection In Palm Beach

For their Palm Beach auction weekend coming up April 8th-10th, Barrett-Jackson has compiled a handful of real-deal collector-grade Porsche lots for your consideration. Over the last couple of years, it would seem that they have really increased their efforts to attract Porsche enthusiasts. There are definitely some Porsches heading to the Florida auction that shouldn’t be discounted and nearly half of them are selling without reserve. It should be noted that, unfortunately, Barrett-Jackson does not make a habit of publishing pre-auction estimates. If you follow our other auction coverage, however, you’ll likely be up to speed on how these cars should be valued.

A Tale Of Two Turbos

As we’ve been saying for a couple of years now, the 993 Turbo has rapidly vaulted to among the most collectible Porsches ever. Cars like this have been trading hands in the 6 figures for a while, and the best of the best are exceeding $200,000 bids. Barrett-Jackson didn’t just bring one 993 Turbo to their Palm Beach sale, they found two good-looking examples for you to choose from. My personal choice would be the understated classic look of a black Turbo. Just look at it, it’s gorgeous. That said, I wouldn’t kick either one out of my garage for leaking oil.

Lot 396 – 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo

That’s not to say that this red example is any less deserving. Perhaps, though, it lies a bit more toward the ostentatious side of the scale. This would be a difficult choice now that I think on it. There is something to be said for sliding by under-the-radar in a hot turbo like the black one, but every once in a while, you want to catch everyone’s eye when you drive by, and the red car would be perfect for that. It’s amazing how different the personalities of two cars can be with just a change of paint color. Both are perfectly suited to providing driving excitement, not to mention the fact that they are both highly desirable these days. Phenomenal cars, these Turbos. This example has only 38,000 miles, and looks like it has been kept in quite good shape. Drive it on sunny weekends, and keep it stored and beautiful during the week.

Lot 452 – 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo

As mentioned above, the simple and understated beauty of a black 993 Turbo is hard to match. This car has only traveled 28,000 miles in its life, and based on the photographs, this motor has really been pampered over the last 20 years. The interior especially, shows a veritable lack of wear, and even the engine compartment is shiny and clean. This car could show well in most collections, as it was optioned well from new, and still has all of its original documents, tools, and inflation kit. If you’re a turbocharged Porsche enthusiast, it would be difficult to beat this car for authenticity, originality, and beauty. And that’s no mention of the exquisite driving experience provided by four driven wheels, a pair of intercooled turbochargers, and 6 manually-selected gears.

A Carrera GT Smorgasbord

The Porsche buffet has been laid out by Barrett Jackson this week, and you’re walking down the table line, filling up your plate. When you get to the main course, they’re serving up a powerful selection of beautifully aged Porsche Carrera GT. Now, if I know you like I think I know you, Mr. Porsche Enthusiast, you’d like to take a double helping, wouldn’t you? Belly up to the table, because there’s a gorgeous pair of them, one Guards Red, one GT Silver, with your name on them.

Lot 400 – 2005 Porsche Carrera GT

The curved flanks of a Carrera GT never seem to age. The car look spectacularly futuristic in the mid 2000s when it was produced, and yet more than ten years on and this Porsche still looks as though it could have been produced yesterday. Only about 600 of these were produced for US consumption, so if you want one, you’ve got to get one while the getting is good. This red beauty only has 2800 miles on the odometer, and it looks brand new as a result. The values on these cars have more than tripled in the last 5-years or so, and the market doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. Like the 993 Turbos above, if you want ostentatious, you bid on the red one, but if you are looking for something more subdued, you only have to wait 28 lots for the GT Silver Metallic example below to come across the dais. Because the CGT is such an ostentatious car to begin with, I’ve always preferred them in bright and loud colors like this Guards Red or the spectacular Fayence Yellow. What’s your preference? Let your bidding paddles answer that question for you.

Lot 428 – 2004 Porsche Carrera GT

With every advancing year, we see increasingly impressive technology in cars and speed. Take a look at the 918 Spyder and you’ll see what I’m talking about. A shedload of computers manage everything on that car, and the driver has little to worry about in the pursuit of speed. Hybrid motors, a dual clutch transmission, all wheel drive, and every electronic nanny you can think of are all conspiring to take the driver out of the driving experience. Just a decade prior, however, Porsche built what was possibly the most involved and involving driver’s supercar ever. The Carrera GT was at the bleeding edge of speed and tech in its time, but the driver really had to work at it to extract that speed. Get a wheel wrong, and you might be facing backwards before you can even say “Momma”. Get a shift wrong, or put in too much steering angle, or apply too much power, or generally do anything incorrect, and you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. This is a finicky and demanding car that isn’t for the less-than-skilled driver, but if you get everything right and make all of the right inputs, the output is insane speed and intense mutual respect. Is it the car for you? Are you ready for what the Carrera GT can dish out? Luckily there are two for sale, so get one!

Two Very Different 964 Experiences

Do you want a rare special iteration of Porsche’s oft-derided 964 chassis platform? If you’re seated in the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction audience this weekend, you’ll have a very interesting choice to make. Do you want calm, cool, relaxed top-down cruising, or do you want fire-spitting power, insane power drifts, and one of the most intense turbo experiences the car world has ever produced? Both the 964 Speedster and the 964 3.6 liter Turbo are rare and valuable, but though they share a chassis and a bit of visual similarity, the two cars could not be any more different. Are you a Dr. Jeckyl or a Mr. Hyde? Civilized or monstrous? Comfy cruiser or speed demon? You decide.

Lot 404 – 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Turbo 3.6L

In 1994, walking onto the lot of a Porsche dealership, if you saw this menacing widebody Turbo sitting there in the showroom, it would be hard not to grab the keys and cut a check for the down payment, wouldn’t it? Everything about this Turbo screams excitement and just begs you to take it out to the nearest curvy driving route for a proper caning. The Speedline wheels and the engine lid wing, and the stretched flanks, I’ll be damned if they all don’t work together as an orchestra of details. The standard 964 has long been derided because of its somewhat stodgy and dated appearance, especially in period, but the same could not be levied on the Turbo. It’s just so much fun to look at.

This particular example has been well cared for over its life, having only traversed 23,000 miles in that time. This is an all-original example, with the exception of a Billy Boat performance exhaust. Having been behind the wheel of a few turbocharged Porsches, and having some intimate experience with a few Billy Boat-equipped cars, I will say that this is hardly a mark against the car. Those exhaust systems are well crafted and sound like heaven. On a car like this, it’ll fit perfectly. Don’t believe me, just take it for a drive.

Lot 434 – 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Speedster

Outside of the 964 Turbo, the Speedster is probably the most sought-after version of the chassis, and it is easy to see why. This Porsche looks fast just sitting still. The low, raked back windscreen is a thing of beauty, and the speedster humps are just icing on the cake, toss in a set of widened flares, and you’ve got a recipe for a design that has aged nearly as well as Heidi Klum. This Speedster is a rare bird, and many Porsche fanatics want to add one to their collection. The only slight against this car is a spate of, perhaps, questionable bright yellow leather interior trim bits (shift boot, handbrake handle, door handles, door pulls, and gauge surrounds). Otherwise, I’d say this appears to be quite a good example of Porsche’s mid-1990s Speedster.

Other Barrett-Jackson Porsche Lots For Sale

Lot 108 – 1977 Porsche 911 Custom Slant-Nose Cabriolet

Lot 113 – 1983 Porsche 911 Custom Slant-Nose Cabriolet

Lot 224 – 1999 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera Cabriolet

Lot 309 – 1999 Porsche Boxster (986)

Lot 398 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0L

Lot 417 – 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Factory Slant-Nose Cabriolet

Lot 425 – 1984 Porsche 911 Turbo ‘Design Und Plastik’ Ex-Bode Miller

Lot 444 – 1973 Porsche 911T Targa

Lot 446 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0L

Lot 490 – 1990 Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 2 Cabriolet Tiptronic

Lot 682 – 2002 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 2 Cabriolet

Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Palm Beach auction takes place this weekend, April 8th through the 10th at the “South Florida Fairgrounds”. For more information on the sale, or to register to bid, visit barrett-jackson.com.