By now, we’re sure everyone is well aware that 2023 marks Porsche’s 75th anniversary. We’ve already had plenty of amazing announcements from the Zuffenhausen-based marque this year, with the outrageously cool Mission X being the latest glimpse into Porsche’s future, but now RM Sotheby’s are celebrating the fantastic cars from their back catalogue with their upcoming two-part auction. The Carrera Collection Part 1 will take place on July 7th in Switzerland, while Part 2 will follow shortly after on July 12th in Italy. Amazingly, every single lot is being sold without reserve, meaning you could snap up quite the deal! We’ve already been obsessing over the lots, so let’s take a look at some of the tastiest rear-engined morsels we’ve found so far!
1959 Porsche 356 Carrera 1600 GT Coupé
This stunning little sports car is one of the earliest road-going Porsches to come from factory with a little extra spice. Aft of the cabin, you’ll find a Type 692 engine, a larger and more powerful development of the ‘Carrera’ engine that was adapted from those used to power Porsche’s 550 race cars on circuits all around Europe in the mid 1950s. Being a GT model, this gorgeous Silver Metallic 356 boasts reduced sound deadening and aluminium bucket seats, doors, engine lid, and bonnet. Endowed with lightweight parts and more power, this 356 established a winning recipe that would become common practice for Porsche’s GT department in later years.
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring
This, ladies and gents, is where the RS story began. One of just 1,308 examples specified in the roadgoing M472 Touring configuration, this Light Yellow Carrera RS offers the purest driving experience you can find in any of Porsche’s Rennsport models. Featuring a highly developed version of the 911’s iconic flat six, the 2.7-litre engine found in this Carrera RS even borrows Nikasil cylinder liners first developed for the legendary 917. Of course, the Carrera RS would prove to be highly successful on track in its own right, dominating Group 3 and Group 4 during 1973. However, despite the close ties to motorsport, being a Touring package car, this Carrera RS features a more comfortable interior, combining the best of both worlds to create what we would consider the ultimate classic daily.
1995 Porsche 911 GT2 R
By the 1990s, Porsche’s GT department had grown substantially, as did their trophy cabinet. In fact, Porsche’s 959 and 961 race cars had proven so successful that AWD technology was banned in the GT2 category. Undeterred, Porsche decided to capitalise on their freshly-developed 993 platform to produce one of the most powerful air-cooled Porsches ever, the wide and wild 911 GT2 R. Featuring a 3.8-litre flat six equipped with two massive KKK turbos, larger intercoolers, and a bespoke ultra-light exhaust, the GT2 R (or “Rennversion”) boasted a whopping 450 horsepower from factory. As one of just 78 GT2 Rs built, this 911 is offers an incredibly rare and exhilarating driving experience.
2010 Porsche 911 GT2 RS
Fast forward 15 years and we arrive at this, the iconic 997-generation incarnation of the now infamous GT2 lineage. This GT Silver Metallic example is number 187 of only 500 cars built and remains in outstanding condition with just 7,500 km on the odometer. Equipped with a 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged, four-cam six-cylinder engine pushing out a whopping 620 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, this GT2 RS is still outrageously fast, even by 2023’s crazy standards. 0-60 is dispatched in just 3.3 seconds, while this GT2 RS will comfortably waltz past the 200mph mark. If you’re brave enough to handle 992 GT3 RS-beating power in the 997’s much smaller form factor, then step this way!
2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Finally, we reach the mighty 991-generation GT3 RS, finished here in an obscenely cool rendition of the psychedelic “Hippie” livery worn at the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans by Porsche’s 917 racer. This example is as new as they come, with only 137 kilometres on the clock, meaning its 4.0-litre, 500 horsepower flat six probably hasn’t even been broken-in yet. This example was blessed with an assortment of tasty factory options, including an extended-range fuel tank, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, the Sound Package Plus, and more Alcantara than you can shake a stick at. Considering that this is one of Porsche’s greatest hits from the 2010s finished in one of their most iconic liveries, you could hardly do better than this GT3 RS.
Langenthal, 7 Jul
Milano, 12 Jul
