Ex-Works Porsche 908 announced as early headliner for RM Sotheby’s in Monterey

Its flagship Monterey sale might be six months away, but that hasn’t stopped RM Sotheby’s from putting in the early groundwork to ensure its catalogue is the best of the bunch — the Canadian auction house has just consigned this ex-Works 1968 Porsche 908 Coupé…

One-hit wonder

Just the 10th 908 Coupé built by Porsche System Engineering, and one of a handful of ‘Short-Tail’ examples entered by the Works known to remain, 908-010 was raced at the 1968 Spa 1000KM by factory drivers Vic Elford and Jochen Neerpasch. Alas, the race was to be the car’s first and only competitive outing, as Neerpasch succumbed to the treacherous conditions and destroyed the car in an accident. It was subsequently sold and remained in storage in Switzerland until the 1990s, when American marque authority Dale Miller located the car and took it to the US to be comprehensively restored.

In rude health

Having stayed in the same family for the last 12 years, 908-010 — complete with its original (repaired) chassis and a box-fresh flat-eight engine — will now be offered by RM Sotheby’s at its Monterey sale on 24–25 August 2018. If RM’s wonderful short film of the 908 at Willow Springs is anything to go by, the car is still in rude health. Representing the genesis of one of Porsche’s most successful, celebrated, and enduring long-distance racers, 908-010 has an attached pre-sale estimate of 2.3–2.8m US dollars.