After an incredible price garnered by a mid-engine four-cam Porsche at the Scottsdale auctions in January, we expect February’s Paris sale to continue the incredible trend of highly collectible Porsches fetching big dollars. While there was really only one major showcase Porsche in Arizona, the Paris sale has a handful that are quite exciting and we can’t wait to see how the bidding shakes out. The Retromobile auctions take place during the show from February 7th to the 11th. Here’s a break down of the listings and details on a few of our favorites.
Artcurial
Artcurial is still the relative new kid on the block in the major collector car auction market, and while the Paris sale is definitively the jewel in their crown for the year, it’s still surprising to see them come out swinging with some incredible motor cars. Their Porsche contingent this year in France is better than market stalwarts Bonhams and RM, so we expect to see them getting quite a large crowd of P-car fans in the doors to throw up paddles. Keep an eye on this one, they’re going places.
Lot 35 – 1964 Porsche 904 GTS – Est. $1,720,000 – 2,200,000
Chassis #904-104 Engine #99057
This is a quite rare four-owner Porsche 904 coming from the long-time collection of Jean-Claude Miloe. This 904, featuring side inlet air scoops, and wider wheels, was among the final 904s built in the car’s 50-unit production run. It was raced for a number of years in the mid-to-late 1960s before retirement. It’s most significant achievement, perhaps is a 6th position finish at the 1964 Tour de France.
This car is sold with a Fuhrmann four-cam engine of the correct type, however the original engine (99089) was lost to time. The car has made use of a 6-cylinder engine for some time, and is currently fitted with a 2.7-liter (engine number 6290446). The car comes with a correct type 587/3 four-cam engine (99057) which was sourced for the car’s restoration. 99057 was originally fitted to 904-059 by the factory, before being swapped into 904-019 when its engine blew. This engine has been in as many 904s as this car has had owners. The car still has its original gearbox, currently fitted with a Le Mans gear set, as well as a spare which is fitted for sprint and rally type events.
The car was originally sold to Eddy Meert of Belgium in 64, who ran the car through 1967 when he sold it to Robert Dutoit of France. In 1970 it was sold again to a man named Consten who registered the car for the road in France with the reg plate 241 BD 92. It was Consten who swapped in the 2.4-liter six-cylinder engine, presumably from a contemporary 911, and presumably for reliability purposes. Consten owned the car through 1994 when he sold it to the current owner and seller, Mr. Miloe.
The car was restored by a European specialty shop shortly after that in 1995. There are unsubstantiated rumors that the car had a rusty chassis and the shop fabricated a new chassis, as well as a new fiberglass body for the car. The auction listing states that it was at this time the car was ‘fitted with a discrete roll-cage that doesn’t impete access to the passenger compartment”. We have no way of knowing how true this claim is, but if you are interested in bidding, that may be something to track down, as it may affect the car’s originality.
Above is a quick onboard video of the car during a vintage race at Monthlerey in France a number of years ago, sporting 6-cylinder power.
Lot 36 – 1963 Porsche 356B Carrera 2 GT – Est. $980,000 – 1,470,000
Lot 37 – 1959 Porsche 356A Carrera 1600 GS Cabriolet – Est. $980,000 – 1,470,000
Lot 38 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 – Est. $675,000 – 800,000
Lot 40 – 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet – Est. $172,000 – 220,000
Lot 41 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster – Est. $196,000 – 245,000
Lot 80 – 1970 Porsche 911 T 2.2L Targa – Est. $73,500 – 98,000
Lot 97 – 1954 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Bent-Window Coupe – Est. $220,000 – 343,000
Lot 105 – 1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1300 Coupe – Est. $540,000 – 637,000
Lot 107 – 1984 Porsche 911 Turbo – Est. $135,000 – 172,000
Lot 111 – 1972 Porsche 911 S 2.4L Targa – Est. $159,000 – 196,000
Lot 121 – 1997 Ruf CTR2 – Est. $588,000 – 760,000
RM Sotheby’s
It isn’t often that a Porsche we’ve never heard of comes up for sale, but RM has managed to surprise us this year (read on to find out more). Their offerings aren’t quite as as exciting as the ones found across town at Artcurial, but there are a couple of seriously awesome Porsches available for bidding here. The 914 and 993 below are a couple of our favorites.
Lot 131 – 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT – Est. $270,000 – 319,000
This car, in a way, is the 914R that Porsche never built. In its period, the 914-6 GT was a phenomenal racer that was down just a bit on power to the 911s it competed with. In 1971 this Porsche was delivered as a bone-stock 914-6 to Friedrich Graepel, who immediately had it updated to GT specification for entry in a German rally championship called Deutche Rallye Meisterschaft (DRM). As homologated, the car was equipped with a chassis stiffening roll cage, fiberglass bolt-on panels, aluminum calipers, and a twin-plug 2-liter flat-six engine. Just last year, that engine was rebuilt and upgraded to full 906 Carrera 6 specification (with a massive 218 dyno-proven horsepower). We cannot imagine how amazing this Porsche must be to drive. We love a properly set-up 914, so this monster is just incredible.
Lot 137 – 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet ‘Porsche Exclusive’ – Est. $765,000 – 890,000
‘A 993 Turbo Cabriolet?‘, you may be saying to yourself. We never thought this existed either, but here is one for sale. We’re not sure how we missed this Porsche Exclusive run of special cars, but the fact that they only made 14 of them might have something to do with it. Technically this never existed, as Porsche didn’t ever offer them for sale, but thanks to a contract with Fritz Gaberl, owner of MAHAG Porsche in Munich, just over a dozen were made. When the 993-generation Cabriolet model was launched, Haberl suggested a limited run of turbocharged Cabs. Because Porsche was hurting for money at the time, and MAHAG’s good relationship with the brand, they agreed on the condition that he order at least 10 of them to make the work worth it.
Porsche, at the time, simply fitted the outgoing 964 Turbo engine and transmission to the 993 body. Rated at 360 horsepower, Porsche knew that they needed to fit these cars with more tire, which explains the car’s Turbo-width rear quarter panels. each of the cars also received the X93 option package front lip spoiler from the 964 Turbo S. Allegedly, the 993’s multi-link rear suspension allowed it to be much more stable and responsive to the power than the 964 had been, despite the open roof.
This car was allegedly ordered by Willi Weber, manager of Formula 1 ace Michael Schumacher. It is presented today in original black paint over black leather with a maroon soft top. Inside, the 911 was fitted with a full accompaniment of carbon fiber accents. Outside, the wheels are color keyed to the paint, which is an excellent look, in our opinion. This Porsche was sold to its current owner in 1997, and he claims to have spared no expense in the car’s maintenance.
Fourteen cars in all were ordered at an incredible 240,300 DeutschMarks, which was about a 50% increase over the standard cost of a 993 Cabriolet. Making this one even more rare, this 993 Turbo Cabriolet was fitted with RUF’s fascinating EKS Clutchless Manual transmission. We don’t even want to know what the extra cost was for Weber to order the transmission from RUF and have it shipped to Porsche Exclusive for them to install. That lone option, however, makes this car a truly one-of-one collector-grade piece of Porsche history. That pre-auction estimate might be a little low, if we’re being honest.
Lot 108 – 1988 Ruf CTR Clubsport – Est. $337,00 – 399,000
Lot 109 – 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster – Est. $370,000 – 405,000
Lot 113 – 1971 Porsche 911 S 2.2L Coupe – Est. $98,000 – 122,500
Lot 114 – 1965 Porsche 356C Cabriolet – Est. $178,000 – 214,500
Lot 118 – 2005 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR – Est. $276,000 – 398,500
Lot 133 – 1965 Porsche 912 ‘Barn Find’ – Est. $49,000 – 86,000
Lot 147 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo – Est. $184,000 – 215,000
Lot 153 – 2002 Porsche 911 GT2 – Est. $123,000 – 184,000
Lot 154 – 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 Clubsport – Est. $184,000 – 215,000
Lot 155 – 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6L – Est. $307,000 – $368,000
Lot 156 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster – Est. $337,000 – 399,000
Lot 157 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI Silver Anniversary – Est. $306,500 – 430,000
Lot 168 – 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet – Est. $430,000 – 552,000
Bonhams
Four 356s and five long-hood 911s doesn’t speak much to Bonhams interest in the vintage Porsche market for this particular sale. There’s a Carrera RS, which is cool, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the rest of the Porsches available at other Paris sales.
Lot 361 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring – Est. $790,000 – 1,000,000
Chassis #911 360 0738
This is a Porsche fit for a royal. In fact, the original owner of this Touring was the one and only His Royal Highness, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Delivered as presented in Light Ivory bodywork with Pumpkin Pepita cloth over black interior, this car was optioned with the Touring package, headrests, sport seats, and an electric sunroof. The prince was a fan of Porsche, and it was commonplace for him to purchase a new one each year, covering no more than 5000 kilometers. In keeping with that tradition, this car was traded in on a brand new 1974 Carrera 2.7 MFI.
The 911 traded hands a number of times since then, and was purchased by the current owner in 2015. Since then, the Porsche has been treated to a complete restoration to what Bonhams is calling ‘concours standard’. Porsche Centre Geneva is a Porsche accredited restorer, and they did work to the tune of about 315,000 US dollars. Andy Prill states ‘prior to the rebuild’s commencement this car was one of the most original he had ever seen and thus the ideal basis for such a restoration‘. The Porsche’s engine number is not listed, however the listing claims “numbers matching”. If that is the case, we’re sure the bidding will be rapid for this one.
Lot 355 – 1961 Porsche 356B 1600 Coupe – Est. $92,000 – 100,000
Lot 359 – 1965 Porsche 911 2.0L – Est. $180,000 – 240,000
Lot 371 – 1956 Porsche 356A Speedster – Est. $410,000 – 460,000
Lot 377 – 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster – Est. $320,000 – 410,000
Lot 384 – 1964 Porsche 356 SC Cabriolet – Est. $130,000 – 160,000
Lot 385 – 1967 Porsche 911S 2.0L Coupe – Est. $160,000 – 220,000
Lot 386 – 1968 Porsche 911S 2.0L Coupe – Est. $120,000 – 180,000
Lot 387 – 1973 Porsche 911S 2.4L Targa – Est. $170,000 – 220,000