Image: 1961 Porsche RS61 (Estimate: $4,000,000 – $5,000,000)
Photo copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Image by Mathieu Heurtault.
Catalogue Now Live! 1961 Porsche RS61, 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach, and the Porsche 991 Motorsport Collection Represent the Best of Stuttgart at Amelia Island
Competition veteran Porsche RS61 with impeccably documented provenance from new leads pack of Porsches at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island Auctions, including a custom-specification Gulf-liveried Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach and a collection of 991 sports cars.
The entire catalogue for Gooding & Company’s highly anticipated Amelia Island Auctions is now live on goodingco.com, revealing a slew of remarkably collectible Porsches through the eras, led by a race proven 1961 Porsche RS61. The Amelia Island Auctions will take place on Thursday, February 29 and Friday, March 1 at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, with remote bidding capabilities facilitated by the company’s website, mobile app, and telephone. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to register to bid and contact the auction house for inquiries on available lots ahead of the event.
“Every year we strive to present an exciting selection of Porsches at Amelia Island, where we have always found a great appreciation for the marque,” said David Brynan, Gooding & Company Senior Specialist. “This year is no exception, with a fantastic arrangement of Porsches from every era, from the four-cam-powered Speedster and the competition thoroughbred Spyder, to classic air-cooled models and the latest factory-built racing cars. Every Porsche fan should find something to look forward to at our Amelia Island Auctions."
1961 Porsche RS61 (Estimate: $4,000,000 – $5,000,000)
Unveiled in January 1960, the RS60 was the ultimate evolution of Porsche’s iconic sports racing aluminum-bodied, four-cam Spyder. The RS60 was essentially a refined version of the highly successful works RSK built for the 1959 racing season, featuring Wendler coachwork and Porsche’s potent Type 547/3 four-cam engine. A sophisticated, highly efficient sports car perfectly suited for technical circuits and open road races, the RS60 possessed exceptional roadholding, braking, and acceleration capabilities. It was truly the first racing Porsche that posed a real threat to the large-capacity sports racers that competed for outright wins. In 1960, Porsche built 18 RS60s, four of which were retained by the works team. For the 1961 season, they built another 14 Spyders destined for customer delivery, designating these as the RS61. Identical to the RS60 in all but the name, the RS61 was the last of the legendary four-cam Spyder, the original line of sports racers that earned Porsche its reputation as a competition powerhouse.
The 1961 Porsche RS61 presented here, chassis 718-076, boasts successful period racing history and remarkably well-documented provenance, with history known from new. Completed in February 1961, 718-076 was finished in typical silver and equipped with a Type 547/3 four-cam engine. Delivered new to Austrian racing driver Hermann Müller, it was immediately put to use, campaigning in numerous hill climbs and circuit races through 1963. For the 1963 season, Müller updated the car with a more modern Kamm-tail design and painted it to resemble the Austrian flag, capturing a class win in the Trophée d’Auvergne, an FIA World Sportscar Championship at the French Charade circuit. Following Müller’s time with the car, the RS61 was sold to Dr. Dawie S. Gous, a South African enthusiast who had been actively racing Porsche 356 Carreras and Spyders since 1958. Dr. Gous was virtually indomitable in his new RS61, and in 1964, he won the South African Sports Car Championship.
In 1965, 718-076 passed to fellow South African racer Clive van Buuren, who campaigned it under the Ecurie Tomahawk banner, winning the South African 6 Hours outright and capturing back-to-back Top 10 results at the Kyalami 9 Hours. In the late 1970s, 718-076 was sold to California Porsche-Audi, Inc. of San Francisco, and exported to the US. Around 1987, the RS61 was acquired by Jeffery Keiner of Orlando, Florida, who restored the car and then entered it in numerous historic races and concours. It later sold to A. Dano Davis, owner of the famous Brumos Collection in Jacksonville, Florida before joining the California-based Porsche collection of Stanley Gold in the mid-2000s. Under the care of Mr. Gold, the RS61 saw active use on the vintage racing circuit, including Le Mans Classic, Rennsport Reunion, and the Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
Since 2013, 718-076 has been a fixture in one of the premier North American Porsche collections, benefiting from expert care and maintenance by the consignor’s in-house team. It presents beautifully in all respects, looking very much as it would have when first raced in 1961. Despite its history as one of the finest thoroughbred racing cars of its day, the RS61 is also a thrilling, road-going sports car, and surprisingly user-friendly with its full windscreen, relatively spacious two-seat cockpit, and performance precision. As one of less than 30 examples that survive today, this RS61 is eligible for the most exclusive rallies, vintage races, concours d’elegance, presenting a very exciting opportunity for collectors to acquire one of the most important, sought-after competition models in the history of the Porsche marque.
2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach (Estimate: $2,500,000 – $3,000,000)
Featuring an innovative hybrid drivetrain, otherworldly performance, and low-fuel consumption with long electric range, the 918 Spyder combines classic Porsche qualities with cutting-edge technology. Just 918 examples rolled off the marque’s assembly line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen from 2013 through June 2015, with most offered to the company’s most loyal clientele. The 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach on offer here is one of just 28 examples believed to be allocated for the Canadian market, and is one of two cars ordered new by the consignor in iconic Gulf Oil livery. A specification not offered by the Porsche factory, the consignor was granted special permission by Gulf Oil itself to have his 918 pair finished in their world-famous livery. The two cars were completed in late 2015, distinguished from each other by slightly different striping and interior trim.
Unlike the vinyl-wrapped 918s, this Spyder was meticulously painted by Porsche, with great care applied to the stripes and logos, creating a stunning and evocative presentation. Equipped with the desirable Weissach package specified on only 230 of the 918 examples built, its interior also has a matching Gulf theme, with orange piping and stitching on black leather seats that have the Gulf emblem embossed into the headrests. Also optioned with the front-axle lift and Burmester Surround Sound system, this is possibly the most elaborate 918 in existence. With less than 400 miles on the odometer, this 918 Spyder Weissach is easily among the most collectible in the world, presenting a likely unrepeatable opportunity to own a factory Gulf-liveried 918.
From the Porsche 991 Motorsport Collection, Offered Without Reserve
Gooding & Company is proud to present a trio from the Porsche 991 Motorsport Collection, all one owner, as-delivered 2019 cars offered without reserve. The leading car of this grouping is the rare and ultra-exclusive factory-built 2019 Porsche 935 (Estimate: $1,500,000 – $1,750,000, Without Reserve), a tribute to the venerable 935. Presented in as-new condition with delivery mileage, it wears optional factory-applied gray paint-protection wrap with iconic Martini livery. It also features a $44,300 spare parts package consisting of an extra front spoiler, rear body paneling, two sets of additional wheels, and braking components. Also offered is a 2019 Porsche 991 GT2 RS Clubsport (Estimate: $550,000 – $650,000, Without Reserve), one of only 200 examples of the ultimate track-only 991 GT2 RS variant built by Porsche Motorsport. Collector owned from new and never tracked, the GT2 RS Clubsport is finished in Pure White without a livery, and was ordered with a $25,000 spares package. Finally, a potent, factory-built track-only 2019 Porsche 991 GT3 Cup (Estimate: $250,000 – $350,000 Without Reserve) rounds out the collection. Also finished in Pure White, this pristine GT3 Cup comes with delivery mileage and unused condition throughout.
1957 Porsche 356 A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster (Estimate: $1,300,000 – $1,500,000)
Less than a year after the introduction of the 356 Speedster, Porsche built the first example equipped with the competition-derived four-cam Carrera engine in 1955. In 1957, Porsche began to offer a GT option for the 1500 GS Carrera model, the GS/GT, equipped with competition features such as an extended-range, 80-liter fuel tank, and 60 mm racing front brakes with vented backing plates. Between 1955 and 1959, Porsche built just 151 Carrera Speedsters, accounting for only 3% of total Speedster production. From this limited supply, fewer than 90 Carrera Speedsters were produced in GS/GT specification, the ultimate sporting expression of Porsche’s 356. This car, chassis 83319, is a stunning example completed in May 1957, originally finished in white over black vinyl upholstery and delivered new to official US importer Hoffman Motors in New York. Although little is known about its early history, it was discovered in the Philadelphia area in the early 1980s by Porsche specialist Richard Koenig. As the car was in derelict condition, Mr. Koenig commenced a comprehensive restoration spanning three decades, utilizing rare OEM and new old stock components when possible. Finally completed in 2012, 83319 made its post-restoration debut at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Shortly thereafter, it was sold to noted Porsche collector Jörg Ineichen of San Diego, California that same year. Now offered on behalf of a noted American Porsche enthusiast, it remains in exquisite concours-quality condition in all respects. Offered at public auction for the first time, this exceptionally rare 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster is surely among the finest restored examples of a highly sought-after four-cam Porsche.
Additional highlights at the Amelia Island Auctions include a 1990 Porsche 964 Carrera 4 Reimagined by Singer ‘Classic Study’ (Estimate: $1,100,000 – $1,300,000, Without Reserve), dubbed the “Amsterdam Commission.” Seldom offered for public sale, this air-cooled 911 is one of a handful of Singer projects to ever come to auction, presenting a rare opportunity for collectors. Finished in Fashion Grey Pearl over Olive Green leather, it showed a mere 3,343 km at the time of cataloguing. A limited-production 1994 Porsche 964 Turbo S Flachbau X83 (Estimate: $1,000,000 – $1,250,000, Without Reserve) is also offered, one of only 10 Japanese-specification Turbo S Flachbau X83 examples. This collector-quality 964 Turbo is finished in Polar Silver Metallic over a black leather interior.
Another enticing 964 offering is the 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS N/GT (Estimate: $600,000 – $800,000, Without Reserve) finished in Maritime Blue. One of only 290 examples built with the M003 package, this pristine, time capsule Porsche displays just 54 km, or 34 miles from new. Lastly, a collector-grade 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS (Estimate: $400,000 – $500,000, Without Reserve) is also presented, tastefully finished in Midnight Blue Metallic over black and tri-tone gray leather.
Amelia Island Auctions
Dates: Thursday, February 29 at 3 p.m. EST, and Friday, March 1 at 11 a.m. EST
Location: Racquet Park, Omni Amelia Island Resort
Public Preview: Wednesday, February 28 through Friday, March 1
Auction Catalogue: $120, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auctions
General Admission: $50, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auctions
Bidder Registration: www.goodingco.com/register
Live Auction Broadcast: www.goodingco.com
