Race Winning Porsche 956 For Auction
Daily Slideshow: The only Porsche 956 race car to take victory in the US is up for auction at the Porsche 70th Anniversary sale by RM Sotheby's.
One-of-a-Kind
A legendary Porsche race car is going to be sold this fall as a part of an auction event by RM Sotheby's held in celebration of Porsche's 70 years of brilliance. The 956 Group C racer will be part of a collection of valuable Porsches for sale. Given the fact that this specific 956 carries a part of Porsche racing history, it's arguably the most valuable of the bunch.
Winner in America
One of only nine privateer race cars built in 1983 by Porsche, the car with the chassis number 956-110 was raced in the World Endurance Championship that year by the Fitzpatrick racing team. The 956 made its race debut at the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race in '83 and was driven by John Fitzpatrick, David Hobbs, and Dieter Quester. A mechanical failure brought the team's race to a premature end on that day, but they would go on to snatch their first win later in the season at the Can-Am Road America.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
Podiums Galore
In the races that followed, the team's run of form continued as they grabbed multiple back-to-back podiums. They took third place overall at Can-Am Mosport, they won the 1,000 KM at Brands Hatch in England, and they followed that up with even more success at Imola, Silverstone, and again at Le Mans in 1984.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
Pioneering Porsche
The 956 is not only among the most successful Porsche race cars in history, but it was also the very first Porsche racer to use a monocoque architecture (where the chassis is integral with the body) and ground effects. The car began its path of domination in only its second race, taking a 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in '82. And the success continued for a few years to follow.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
Set for Auction
The car was sold to a private collection shortly after its participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in '84. It had two other owners before becoming part of the current owner's collection for the past 16 years. It wears its original 83 Le Mans livery today, which makes it as original as it gets. RM Sotheby is estimating it to be sold for around the $6-million mark.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
70th Anniversary Sale
The auction will be held in the North American home of Porsche in Atlanta, GA this fall. RM Sotheby's has organized the event as a nod to Porsche's 70th anniversary and will feature about 70 unique and valuable Porsches. Registered bidders will be able to view the cars on Friday and Saturday, the 26th and 27th of October.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
What is on Offer
The long list of Porsches for sale includes awesome examples such as a 1958 Porsche 356 A 'Super' Speedster, as well as one of only 33 lightweight spec 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, and Jerry Seinfeld's own special 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0, among others.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
Late October
The 956 Group C race car was on display late August at Monterey Car Week in California and the auction officially takes place on October 27th in Georgia. Keep an eye out for how much this unique Porsche sells for, and for more information about the event itself, check out rmsothebys.com.
>>Join the conversation about the Porsche 956 Group C race car up for auction right here!
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