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These Are the Most Expensive Porsches Ever Sold at Auction

In January 2022, a low-mileage Porsche Carrera GT in Guards Red became the most expensive of its kind, crossing the block for a whopping $1.9 million. That's a lot of hard-earned cash for a car that's not yet a classic, but the Carrera GT is miles away from being the most expensive Porsche ever.
1970 Porsche 917K 11 photos
Photo: Gooding & Company
1970 Porsche 917K1970 Porsche 917K1972 Porsche 917/101972 Porsche 917/101983 Porsche 9561983 Porsche 9561985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar1985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar1956 Porsche 5501956 Porsche 550
And you may find it surprising, but the iconic 911 is not among the most expensive Porsches ever auctioned either. That's because Stuttgart's priciest and most sought-after vehicles are of the racing variety.

Here are the five most expensive Porsches ever sold at auction as of 2022.

1972 Porsche 917/10 Spyder - $5.83 million

The Porsche 917 became a legend in 1970 when it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It did it again in 1971 and helped Porsche win its second and third consecutive World Sportscar Championship.

1972 Porsche 917/10
Photo: Mecum Auctions
But as new regulations made the 917 uncompetitive in Europe, the Germans developed an open-cockpit version for the North American Can-Am series.

The 917/10 you see here featured a turbocharged 12-cylinder engine good for 850 horsepower and won the championship in 1972. The racer run by Penske Racing crossed the block in 2012.

1985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar - $5.94 million

The 959 is widely considered Porsche's first supercar but many don't know that it was actually born as a race car.

The 959 was originally conceived as a Group B rally car, but development took longer than expected and the series was phased out before Porsche could join in on the fun.

1985 Porsche 959 Paris\-Dakar
Photo: RM Sotheby's
Instead, the Germans entered a few cars in the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally. Porsche won the competition in 1984 with a development car (essentially a modified 911) and in 1986 when a pair of full-blown 959s scored a 1-2 finish.

This six-million racer is one of the three cars that Porsche created for the 1985 Paris-Dakar Rally and one of only two 959s in private hands. It was auctioned off in 2018.

1956 Porsche 550 Rennsport Spyder - $6.1 million

Introduced in 1953, the Porsche 550 quickly became a track icon by winning its maiden race at the Nurburgring. Later that year, it also won the Carrera Panamericana and scored a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A dominant force in small-displacement classes, the 550 became known as the "giant killer."

1956 Porsche 550
Photo: Bonhams
The example you see here was never restored and it's the best-preserved 550 in existence. It's not surprising that it changed hands for a whopping $6.1 million in 2016.

1982 Porsche 956 - $10.12 million

Porsche built many successful race cars, but none was as dominant as the 956 and 962 pair that raced in the 1980s. The 956 made its debut in 1982 and took a commanding win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a 1-2-3 finish.

But that was only the first of four consecutive wins for the 956 at Circuit de la Sarthe. And the race car was so quick and reliable that it took all top eight spots in 1983 and the first seven positions in 1984.

Its successor, the 962, would go on and add two more consecutive Le Mans trophies in Porsche's showroom.

1983 Porsche 956
Photo: Gooding & Co
One of only 10 factory-raced 956s, this Rothmans-liveried beast won at Le Mans in 1983 and took second place in 1982. It also scored victories at Spa, Fuji, and Brands Hatch and it was driven by aces like Jochen Mass, Vern Schuppen, Jacky Ickx, and Derek Bell. It changed hands in 2015.

1970 Porsche 917K - $14.08 million

But the 956 is not the world's most expensive Porsche. That title goes to the 917K. Yup, it's the second 917 in the top five, but this one's one of the earlier, closed-top versions.

Unlike the 956 above, this 917K did not win any races, but it was used extensively in the production of Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" film. It was restored down to the last bolt and sports the iconic blue-and-orange Gulf livery.

While this 917 didn't take any checkered flags, the nameplate is responsible for having scored Porsche's first two victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1970 and 1971. This 917K became the world's most expensive Porsche in 2017.
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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