This year has been a bountiful one for those with healthy wealth and a penchant for old Porsches. It doesn't matter whether it's former racing warriors, undriven examples, or Porsches rebuilt to look like other Porsches — they've gone under the hammer all over the world.
But this, perhaps, is the proverbial motherload.
Run by Silverstone Auctions in the UK, 'The Porsche Sale' is fast becoming a date to remember for lovers of the marque. 2017's edition (scheduled for this Saturday) is the third event in three years, and again promises an enormous amount of cars up for grabs — 59 of them, to be exact.
As you would expect, the list of cars includes plenty of supposed 'garden variety' 944s and 911s; from S2s and Turbos to Carreras and convertibles. There's even a tractor from Porsche's early years. But, there are plenty of interesting and jaw-dropping cars bolstering the list, too.
The most notable car on the list could well be this 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S. Painted in Ocean Blue and wearing some delicious yellow brake calipers, the 993-generation benchmark is probably one of the best nick examples around, and comes with the added rarity kicker of being one of only 26 built to right-hand drive specifications.
Packing 335kW, the twin-turbo air-cooled flat six could hit 100km/h in less than four seconds with ease. On paper it didn't seem a huge whack quicker than its standard Turbo cousin, but the exclusivity of the machine (not to mention the added kudos of being 'the best of the best', and the muted reception for its 996 replacement) has helped ensure its value. In the case of this car, that 'value' is estimated at between £245,000–£285,000 — or $450,000–$535,000 in Kiwi speak.
Personal tastes? Well, they probably lie closest with this 1973 Porsche 911 2.8 RSR.
No, it's not a 'real' RSR, but very few of the ones we see at race tracks around the world really are. Only 49 from this early generation were ever built, and they're each worth an absolute bomb to buy. So many Porsche enthusiasts instead build their own examples; cars like this one.
Initially modified from a Porsche 911T some seven years ago, the German owners and builders swapped out the original engine for a 197kW 2.8-litre unit with twin ignition and mechanical fuel injection. That might not sound too powerful ... hell, most toasters develop more kilowatts these days. But, it's in keeping with the spirit of the original RSR and the original 911 in general — the handling and the synergy of experience is king. Not frying tyres or quarter miles.
The best thing about this 'RSR'? While it's kitted out as a race car, it's also road registered in the UK. That's right ... he's road legal, and expected to sell for between £80,000–£100,000 (NZ$147,000–$184,000).
The last we'll name drop before leaving you to check out the incredible wish list of German machinery in full is this; a 1981 Porsche 924 Carrera GT.
No no no, I'm not referring to Porsche's hypercar from the mid-noughties. This is instead the homologation special they engineered based around perhaps their least popular model; the 924. For many, it's known as the Porsche that "came with a van engine", and was priced towards the bottom end of the market in the hopes of cracking the American market. And though they were handy sellers, regulation 924s are now a dime a dozen. Even with that crest on the bonnet.
But the 924 Carrera GT is no 'regulation' machine (or, maybe it is?). It was put together as a road package to appease Group 4's regulations on the race track, and as such it ditched a lot of its standard tech for a much tastier combination of parts. A dog-leg 5-speed box and limited-slip diff are linked to turbocharged 2.0-litre four banger, helping the red rocket scamper from zero to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds.
And the bodywork was just as racy. The sleek, inoffensive lines on the basic 924 are interrupted by huge fenders that mask the car's growing footprint. Four vents up front between the pop-up headlights show it means business, as do the bonnet vent and the rear spoiler.
It's a great little Cinderella car, and is expected to fetch between £50,000–£60,000 (NZ$92,000–$110,000).
To view all 59 Silverstone Auctions Porsches, click here.