Porsche to auction 911 Speedster for charity

PORSCHE Cars North America has announced it is partnering with renowned auction house RM Sothebys to raise funds to fight the COVID-19 crisis, by putting up the final 991-generation 911 supercar up for auction.

If sporting the final 991-generation serial number wasn’t enough, the 911 in question is also the highly desirable and limited-run 911 Speedster, which was strictly limited to 1948 units when it was revealed at last year’s New York motor show.

The one-week auction will be held via RM Sotheby’s Online Only auction platform, with the winning bid set to be well north of the $604,888 asked by Porsche Cars Australia for the Speedster.

Along with the vehicle, the winning bidder will be also invited to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Porsche AG Weissach headquarters including experiencing the test track, while a unique book illustrating the assembly and completion of the final vehicle will also be included.

The winning bidder of the Speedster will also score a letter of authenticity from Porsche that confirms the chassis number being the final one to pass down the serial production line.

The final 911 Speedster example is finished in GT Silver metallic paint, and is replete with the racing-influenced ‘88’ decals on the bonnet and doors.

Porsche has also created a bespoke Swiss-made Heritage Design Chronograph for the 911 Speedster, a watch that incorporates the model’s design features, such as a strap made from the same cognac leather as the car’s interior and a silver winding rotor that matches the car’s alloy wheels.

Created on the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen production line in December, the final Speedster has not been previously owned, remains unregistered and features just 20 miles (32km) on the odometer.

The Speedster is underpinned by the same 4.0-litre aspirated flat-six engine from the GT3 and GT3 RS, tuned to produce 375kW/470Nm, driving the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.

Sitting 25mm lower to the ground than the regular 911, the Speedster also comes equipped with rear-axle steering, adaptive damping, Porsche torque vectoring and a stainless-steel sports exhaust.

The most distinctive aspect of the Speedster is its unique styling, notably its convertible top compartment lid that features a single piece of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic that the brand claims is the largest and most complex component used on any road car to date.

Porsche 911 and 718 product line vice president Frank-Steffen Walliser said the Speedster was the culmination of years 911 development.

“Not only does this mark the end of what, for me, was a special era but it’s especially rewarding that the last car to reach the end of the line should be the ultimate – the Speedster combined everything we learned and is the 991 in its purest form,” he said.

“I hope this really unique car can make a big difference to those who need help right now – and that the fortunate buyer enjoys it and drives it as we always intended.”