Amelia Island is one of the go-to spots for automotive exhibitions such as Concours d’Elegance, as well as various auctions for rare and classic vehicles. Following the rescheduled from March to May Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2021, Gooding & Company’s classic car auction has been rescheduled for March 4th, 2022. Moreover, Gooding and Company auction will return with a bang, as it brings a stunning array of iconic Porsche models, among which a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK, which is expected to be the main attraction, at the auction.

Gooding & Company is making a return with a total of four iconic Porsche models, each of them set to carry a hefty figure at the Amelia Island classic car auction. The most attainable of the bunch is expected to fetch at least $1.6 million. In addition to the 1959 Porsche 718 RSK, you will also see a 1993 Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8, a 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau, and a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.

1959 Porsche 718 RSK

The auction house describes the 718 RSK as one of the most influential Porsches of all time. It was introduced in 1957 and was designed to be the ultimate, lightweight sports racing car. The 718 RSK follows a similar formula to the 1953-1956 Porsche 550 Spyder – another iconic lightweight model – which it replaced. The 718 RSK was more aerodynamic, had better chassis, and upgraded suspension.

The Porsche 718 RSK boasts proved capable in motorsports, while competing at LeMans, Sebring, and the Targa Florio. In 1958, the 718 RSK became an overall winner at LeMans and in 1959, it won the Targa Florio. Porsche made only 34 examples of the 718 RSK.

The 1959 example, presented by Gooding & Company is chassis number 718-018 and has been in the possession of the same family for over 50 years. The car was purchased new by a California privateer racer and Porsche-Volkswagen dealer Emile Pardee. The 718 RSK comes with proven racing history and participated in various SCCA events. Among the car’s achievements (and Pardee’s) are 10 class wins between 1959 and 1961, including three overall wins.

The car eventually made it to the East Coast and in 1970, the consignor’s father purchased it from a South Dacota physician. Since that time, the car has remained in the consignor’s family. Chassis number 718-018 remained in static storage until 2014, which was followed by a fully documented (photos included), ground-up restoration.

Involved in the 718 RSK’s restoration was renowned Porsche four-cam specialist Ray Morgan of Vintage Motorcar Restorations in Jasper, Georgia. The restoration was performed with meticulous attention to detail, which was followed by the 718 RSK’s selective appearances, at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The 1959 Porsche 718 RSK is expected to fetch between $2.5 and $3.5 million.

1993 Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8

The 1990s did not give us a Porsche 911 GT3, but the 964 Carrera RS 3.8 came pretty close. This 1993 example is accurately described by the auctioneer as a motorsports thoroughbred. The 964 Carrera RS 3.8 was engineered for optimized performance and racing prowess, without having to resort to forced induction, like the 911 Turbo and later, the 911 GT2 models.

Largely responsible for the creation of the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 is engineer and racing driver, Jürgen Barth, who proposed a 964-based racing car. The car quickly became successful, taking wins at LeMans, Sebring, Spa, Nürburgring, and Daytona, in RSR trim. In order to homologate the 964 RSR, Porsche had to build a number of road-going cars, which is where the Carrera RS 3.8 came in.

Porsche made just 55 964 Carrera RS 3.8, from which only 11 had the optional Clubsport package with option code M003, which brought the car even closer to the RSR version. In addition to being one of the 11 Clubsport models, this 964 Carrera RS 3.8 is a one-off, specially made for Tobias Hagenmeyer, CEO of Getrag Group, Porsche’s transmission supplier.

This particular 964 boasts seven unique features, not found on any other Carrera RS 3.8. The car comes in a unique spec, with black exterior finish, yellow brake calipers, yellow seatbacks, and yellow model designation, to name a few.

FAQ

Q:

The base price of the said car is $101,100 which is very similar to the price of the BMW M850i.

Q:

It depends on your needs. The LC 500 Coupe is a bit cheaper compared to the convertible and that might be a differentiating factor for some.

Q:

It is both yes and no. Yes, because it is super rare and might gather a lot of attention while taking it for a spin downtown. No, because it is not as advanced as the 8 Series Convertible in terms of raw performance and cabin tech.

Q:

The EPA has rated the said convertible with 15/25/18 for City/Highway/Combined.