Happy 60th birthday, Porsche 911! In fall 1963, Porsche unveiled a new sports car, at first called “901,” as a successor to its first model, the 356. The new car entered production a year later and not long after got a badge change to “911.” This sports car icon remains in production, in much evolved form and with a choice of 25 variants this year. To celebrate 60 years, Porsche is offering a new pinnacle 911 model, called “S/T,” after a lightweight race-prep 911 from the early Seventies. Porsche will build 1,963 of these special 911s, with a starting price of $290,000.
If you’re keeping up with the Porsche 911 family, there are currently 28 different versions showing in the Porsche U.S.A. website configurator. (Yes, 28!) Not a single 911 could ever be considered middle-of-the-road, but sitting around the middle of the lineup you’ll find five versions of the 911 Carrera GTS. Hotter than the Carrera S but not as extreme as the GT3 track machine, the GTS delivers a wallop of supercar performance while remaining street-friendly for everyday driving if you please. The intense fun starts at around $152,000.
The letters on your modern car’s trunk lid might have no real meaning, but the “S” on the back of a classic Porsche 911 signified a major performance upgrade over the standard car. Porsche’s marketing for the original 911S cautioned, “This is no car for a novice.” The 911S rewarded skilled drivers while being known to put a scare into those unfamiliar with its handling traits. RM Sotheby’s is offering a rare concours-restored 1968 911S at no reserve at its Amelia Island auction in March. Expect hot bidding.
It’s a sure sign of Spring when four legendary marques roll out their new supercars. Here’s what to look as the flowers begin to bloom: Maserati’s MC20, Porsche’s 911 Turbo S, the Lotus Eletra (“the world’s first hyper SUV EV), and Ferrari’s Purosangue. Get all the details here.
Lime Rock Park boasts one of the most beautiful natural settings of any race track, precisely because it’s located in the beautiful Northwest Corner of Connecticut. Rich Taylor of Vintage Rallies’ favorite loop will take you throughout Litchfield County, into neighboring New York State and the Berkshire Mountains of southwestern Massachusetts.
A Porsche enthusiast picked up a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera that has been beautifully preserved at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction. It only has 41,000-miles, is painted in Guards Red and sold for $137,200. This version of the 911 Carrera was a critical link in the 911’s evolution that contributed to the model’s ongoing success.
At the Amelia Island Concours auctions this month, Bonhams has a 1971 model Mercedes-Benz 280SL up for grabs, with an older restoration and a pre-sale estimate of $90k-$110k.
On Friday March 6, 2020, the 4th annual Werks Reunion Amelia Island will present an amazing array of rare classic Porsche automobiles and current models. The day includes judging, a corral of cars, viewings and events. Best of all, the PCA Werks Reunion is free for spectators to attend!
The 2005-2006 Ford GT was an homage to Ford’s 1960s endurance racecars, but intended for the street. One is currently up for auction in Scottsdale at Gooding & Company, featuring Carroll Shelby’s signature on the dashboard.
