Lot 156A in the COYS “Legende Et Passion” auction coming up next weekend features an amazingly clean and well preserved 924 GTR race cars that has never been raced. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the absolute pinnacle of 924 development, and as rare as these are, it’s 1 of 17 built, you’d be a fool to not be excited about the prospect of owning one. This beastly turbocharged transaxle car has only traveled about 65 miles in its lifetime, and while that is a travesty, this Porsche remains showroom fresh in as-delivered condition. Collectors should be climbing over themselves to get a chance at this 924.
The 924 GTR was built with racing in mind, and built on the progress of the previous Carrera GT and GTS. The Porsche features a front mount intercooler and a large turbocharger, helping the diminutive 2-liter Audi-derived engine produce a massive 375 horsepower and 300 lb/ft of torque! With a weight of only 930 kilos, the GTR could sprint to 60 mph in under 5 seconds, and run up to 180 mph at the top end. Don’t forget the brakes, which are 935-derived with four-piston calipers and rotors over 12 inches in diameter.
Porsche used a 924 GTR at Le Mans in the early 1980s and the team even managed to score a prestigious class win at the famous circuit. The Porsche being sold here, however, has never seen competitive racing. This was one of two 924 GTRs shipped to Japan in 1981. The car was stored by the importer for two years before being sold to a local businessman who was an avid car collector.
This Porsche racing car has never been used on the road and has never been registered. The owner did take the car out to a handful of lapping days at Suzuka and Fuji over the first seven years of ownership. After covering 109 kilometers, the Porsche was then moved into permanent storage.
A multi-storey garage was built to house this collector’s favorite cars, and the 924 was given a centralized location on the second level of the garage, accessible by lift. Every year since 1990, this 924 has been treated with kid-gloves. On the same day every year, the GTR has been taken down from its lofty living quarters, placed gently in an enclosed trailer, and been completely serviced before being returned to its place to await the next year’s birthday celebrations.
From 1981 to 2006 the car was serviced by Tomei Car Service, and from 2007 onward by Garage Tool Box, both of which are well-known Japanese Porsche specialists. The engine has been started and run regularly, though no additional miles have been added to the odometer since 1990. The owner kept near-religious record of this car and everything that was done to it. This is the single-best example of the ultimate 924.
Coys doesn’t list a pre-auction estimate, but I’d imagine this car will set a new record for 924s, which shouldn’t be all that difficult, honestly. If you have trouble paying big bucks for a 924, just remind yourself ‘One-Of-Seventeen’ and look at those amazing ‘turbofan’ wheels, it will all be okay.
View Comments (2)
What's the point of doing this to a car, ie. never driving it?
Many collectors do it. They buy "special" cars and basically mothball them as investments. To me, that's the biggest difference between a collector and an enthusiast. An enthusiast drivers the cars in their collection.