Photo: Mecum Auctions
One of the only two remaining examples of the Porsche 365B/912 Prototype built as a development bench is heading to auction at the Mecum event in Kissimmee. This prototype was sent to the U.S. to introduce the American dealer network to the new 912 and is expected to rake in more than $500,000 for the seller.
The car market is in a crazy bubble right now, and this goes for new, used, and classic cars alike. Prices are going through the roof, especially in the case of classic cars, and nothing can predict where the market is heading next. Take this Porsche Carrera GT for instance, sold for nearly $2 million at Bring a Trailer, although the estimated price was only half that. The car sold new at $450,000 only 15 years ago.
Even so, there is nothing that special about a Porsche 912, or so it seemed. The car was introduced in 1965 as an entry-level model below the mighty 911, a Boxster of sorts. Even a car with complete documented history barely earned $140,000 last year. That’s precisely why the example that goes under the hammer in Kissimmee on Saturday raises an eyebrow with its $400,000 - $500,000 estimate.
To be sure, this is no ordinary 912, but a prototype built with the four-cylinder engine inherited from the 356, one of only six built by Porsche. And the fact that only two of them survived makes it a lot more valuable. The car on auction is believed to be the demonstrator vehicle at the July 1965 Porsche Factory Tour arranged for the United States dealer network. It even bears the “1st U.S. Porsche Dealer Tour-Stuttgart-19-22-July 1965” on the rear engine grille.
The prototype’s history is incredible, serving as a testing mule for the 912. It had the engine and transmission from the outgoing Porsche 356 while sharing the body with the 911. It bears the serial number 13415, a five-digit number. This contrasts with the production version of 912 and 911 cars that had six-digit serial numbers. This is exactly what gave it away when it was discovered by accident and was actually bought as a parts car.
Other signs of its uniqueness are the aluminum door hinges and the body-matching dash paint, both absent from the production 912 models. The car had its original numbers-matching engine and that was enough to grant it a Certificate of authenticity. The new owner started the process of disassembly and restoration while adhering to a strict protocol with each piece being carefully examined and cataloged.
It’s said that Hans Peter Porsche, head of Porsche Production in 1965, saw the car at the 2014 Porsche Parade in Monterey, California, and vividly remembered it at the factory back in the day. He revealed Porsche sold the car in 1966 to a new owner in Stuttgart, Germany.
This history-laden car will go under the hammer this weekend in Kissimmee, Florida, and is expected to sell for a price above the half-million mark. This is your chance to grab a piece of Porsche history that is also a piece of American Porsche history.
Even so, there is nothing that special about a Porsche 912, or so it seemed. The car was introduced in 1965 as an entry-level model below the mighty 911, a Boxster of sorts. Even a car with complete documented history barely earned $140,000 last year. That’s precisely why the example that goes under the hammer in Kissimmee on Saturday raises an eyebrow with its $400,000 - $500,000 estimate.
To be sure, this is no ordinary 912, but a prototype built with the four-cylinder engine inherited from the 356, one of only six built by Porsche. And the fact that only two of them survived makes it a lot more valuable. The car on auction is believed to be the demonstrator vehicle at the July 1965 Porsche Factory Tour arranged for the United States dealer network. It even bears the “1st U.S. Porsche Dealer Tour-Stuttgart-19-22-July 1965” on the rear engine grille.
The prototype’s history is incredible, serving as a testing mule for the 912. It had the engine and transmission from the outgoing Porsche 356 while sharing the body with the 911. It bears the serial number 13415, a five-digit number. This contrasts with the production version of 912 and 911 cars that had six-digit serial numbers. This is exactly what gave it away when it was discovered by accident and was actually bought as a parts car.
Other signs of its uniqueness are the aluminum door hinges and the body-matching dash paint, both absent from the production 912 models. The car had its original numbers-matching engine and that was enough to grant it a Certificate of authenticity. The new owner started the process of disassembly and restoration while adhering to a strict protocol with each piece being carefully examined and cataloged.
It’s said that Hans Peter Porsche, head of Porsche Production in 1965, saw the car at the 2014 Porsche Parade in Monterey, California, and vividly remembered it at the factory back in the day. He revealed Porsche sold the car in 1966 to a new owner in Stuttgart, Germany.
This history-laden car will go under the hammer this weekend in Kissimmee, Florida, and is expected to sell for a price above the half-million mark. This is your chance to grab a piece of Porsche history that is also a piece of American Porsche history.
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