To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Shift Online: Europe and Middle East event, 23 - 28 April 2025.

• Debuted by Derek Bell in the 24 Hours of Daytona; notable drivers include Emmanuel Collard, Tim Sugden, and Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke
• Delivered new in 2000 to EMKA Racing, the team founded by O’Rourke
• Contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, plus the Nürburgring 1000 Km
• Scored two FIA GT class victories in 2003 at Enna-Pergusa and Anderstorp
• Upgraded to RSR specification in 2005 by accomplished GT team GruppeM Racing; features updated styling, wider arches, and six-speed sequential transmission
• Subject to a €54,000 engine rebuild by RS Tuning of Kirchhaslach, Germany in 2015
• Ideally suited to a variety of popular historic endurance racing series

It is reported that Porsche Motorsport built just 66 examples of its new 996-generation GT3 R for the 2000 model year. Of those, the car offered here was originally bought by Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke. Under the banner of his EMKA Racing team the 911 made its competition debut in that year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, where it was driven by none other than Derek Bell. The five-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner teamed up with O’Rourke, Stephen Day, and sportscar racing stalwart Tim Sugden.

Later competing in the FIA GT Championship, Sugden would partner Martin Short and Emmanuel Collard to snare N-GT class wins at Enna-Pergusa and Anderstorp in 2003. Following O’Rourke’s death at the end of the year, the 911 was sold to Ian Khan. Alongside Sugden and Ian Smith, he entered the 2004 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to finish 10th in class. The year after, Sugden himself bought the Porsche as he helped create the successful GruppeM team, which upgraded the car to RSR specification courtesy of new bodywork and the headline installation of a six-speed sequential transmission.

A final front-line outing for the Porsche came in a damp Silverstone 1000 Km in August 2005. There, Sugden was briefly blinded at Luffield by a bright trackside TV screen and crashed. Please note that the damage required the 911 to be reshelled. Subsequently given a new lease of life the rebuilt 911 was bought by Pedro Morera, who sporadically entered hill climb events. The car was then sold to five-time Spanish hill climb champion José Antonio López-Fombona before an engine failure prompted the 3.6-litre flat-six to be overhauled by famed prototype sportscar builder ORECA in Magny-Cours, France.

The 911 has been owned by the Munich, Germany-based consignor for the past 10 years. They commissioned a second engine rebuild, which was completed during the summer of 2015 by RUF ‘Yellowbird’ engineer Reingold Schmirler’s RS Tuning operation at a cost of €54,000.

Presented today in matte black and wearing a set of BBS wheels, the next owner might wish to dress this 911 in one of the many eye-catching liveries worn during its competition heyday. It should also be noted that the car has not been driven since its engine rebuild and will require mechanical inspection prior to returning to racing. Thereafter, the car could make for a welcome entry on the grids of the variety of popular historic endurance racing series it is eligible for across Europe and the United States.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/0125/.