Photo: goodingco.com
Porsche’s unachieved goal to conquer Le Mans this year is of little importance. What does matter though is the Germans have made their comeback and, with a little time measured on their chronographs, they’ll bring that champagne in. Porsche’s return is, of course, sparking a host of other moves on the market and we’re here to talk one that’s as Le Mans-ish as possible.
More likely not as a coincidence, the 1969 Porsche 917K Steve McQueen drove in the movie Le Mans has shown up on the classic car market. The endurance racer, which is as special as its breed gets, is set to swap the checkered flag for the auction hammer this August, when it goes on sale at Pebble Beach.
Wearing the Chassis Number 024 under its all-too-famous Gulf livery, this rather compact container of Porsche essesnce will be auction off by Santa Monica-based Gooding & Company. The specialist is expecting the Porsche 917K to set not one, but two financial records.
The Porsche should surpass the company’s previous most expensive auction, a title that went to the a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR, which traded hands for US$ 16.4 million (EUR) back in 2011. Moreover, 027 here may just become the most expensive Porsche to have ever went under the hammer.
This Porsche would be just as cool even if deprived of its official record. Its 12-cylinder, air-cooled engine delivers 560 horses in the purest way possible.
Still, we haven’t gone into the depths of its history yet. The racer emerged as a barn find back in the early 2000s. And history books gift it with more than a movie role. No. 027 was the first 917 to enter the motorsport arena, having made its debut at the 1000 km Spa in 1969. One year later, it spelled “performance” by setting the fastest testing time at 24 Hours of Le Mans, being manhandled by Brian Redman. Just think of all the possibilities of a potentially lethal crash this car has eluded.
Wearing the Chassis Number 024 under its all-too-famous Gulf livery, this rather compact container of Porsche essesnce will be auction off by Santa Monica-based Gooding & Company. The specialist is expecting the Porsche 917K to set not one, but two financial records.
The Porsche should surpass the company’s previous most expensive auction, a title that went to the a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR, which traded hands for US$ 16.4 million (EUR) back in 2011. Moreover, 027 here may just become the most expensive Porsche to have ever went under the hammer.
This Porsche would be just as cool even if deprived of its official record. Its 12-cylinder, air-cooled engine delivers 560 horses in the purest way possible.
Still, we haven’t gone into the depths of its history yet. The racer emerged as a barn find back in the early 2000s. And history books gift it with more than a movie role. No. 027 was the first 917 to enter the motorsport arena, having made its debut at the 1000 km Spa in 1969. One year later, it spelled “performance” by setting the fastest testing time at 24 Hours of Le Mans, being manhandled by Brian Redman. Just think of all the possibilities of a potentially lethal crash this car has eluded.
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