2016 Gooding Pebble Beach Sale (Press Release: Porsche)

Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935
Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935 © Gooding ] Co

The 1979 Porsche 935 raced by Paul Newman at Le Mans is the leading Porsche entry at the 2016 Gooding Pebble Beach sale at the Monterey classic car week. Further top Porsches on offer include a rare original Rothmans 1984 Porsche 911 SC/RS, a low-mileage 1994 Porsche Turbo 3.6 S Flachbau, a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RSH and a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort.

Porsches at Gooding Pebble Beach 2016

Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® will have its annual The Pebble Beach Auctions on August 20 and August 21, 2016, at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center.

The value of Porsche cars, especially successful racers and limited production cars, has increased noticeably at recent auctions. Gooding traditionally does well with Porsche cars and will have a number of historically important cars on offer at the 2016 Monterey classic car week.

“We have seen significant interest in the Porsche market, especially for competition and limited production vehicles,” says David Gooding, President and Founder of Gooding & Company. “We are presenting examples that embody a connoisseur’s quest for exceptional provenance and distinction with these remarkable Porsches.”

The Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935

Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935
Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935 © Gooding ] Co

The Paul Newman 1979 Porsche 935 (Estimate: $4,500,000-$5,500,000) is the leading Porsche at the 2016 Gooding Pebble Beach auction.

The Porsche 935, a car with a dominating legacy of over 150 worldwide race wins through 1984, is one of the most important models in Porsche history. The 1979 Porsche 935, chassis 009 0030, was driven by legendary actor and racer Paul Newman at his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut on June 10, 1979, alongside co-drivers Dick Barbour (team owner) and Rolf Stommelen.

The Dick Barbour team did not disappoint with a strong second-place finish overall in front of the largest crowd in Le Mans’ history to date drawn by the 54-year-old Newman. During the 1980 campaign, the car was sponsored by Apple Computers and remains the only racecar the tech company has ever supported.

The Porsche 935 continued its racing success winning first overall at the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona with drivers Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman and Bob Garretson, as well as first overall at the 1983 12 Hours of Sebring with drivers Wayne Baker, Jim Mullen and Kees Nierop.

This car was restored in 2006 by Porsche specialist Paul Willison to its 1979 Le Mans “Hawaiian Tropic” livery and went on to win Best in Class at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

1984 Porsche 911 SC/RS

1984 Rothmans Porsche 911 SC/RS
1984 Rothmans Porsche 911 SC/RS © Gooding

The 1984 Porsche 911 SC/RS (Estimate: $1,400,000-$1,800,000) is one of six prepared for Rothmans to compete in the FIA European Rally Championship.

Following the success of the Rothmans Porsche 956 cars in Group C competition in 1982 and 1983, the principal sponsor struck a deal with Porsche to put together a team of rally-spec 911s for the FIA European Rally Championship and the newly formed Middle East Championship. Six of the twenty Porsche 911 SC/RS cars built were prepared for Rothmans in the UK by David Richard’s Autosport for these events, and delivered excellent results, with Saeed Al-Hajri capturing the 1984 Middle East Rally Championship for the team in its first year.

The 1984 Rothmans 911 SC/RS, chassis 110 008, was campaigned by Henri Toivonen and Juha Kankkunen in four European championship events in 1984, with wins in the Ypres 24 Hours and Madeira Rally for Toivonen, before the 911 became Al-Hajri’s main steed within the team. The “King of the Dunes” piloted 110 008 in nine events from 1985 to 1987, with wins in the Jordan Rally in 1985, as well as the Qatar and Kuwait Rallies in 1987.

This Porsche is one of the most original Rothmans 911 SC/RS in existence along with serious race history and iconic livery. In addition, this rally car comes with a trove of Porsche/Rothmans documentation including notes on competition, testing and team organization.

1994 Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 S Flachbau

1994 Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 S Flachbau
1994 Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 S

The 1994 Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 S Flachbau (Estimate: $1,400,000-$1,800,000) comes with only 40 miles on the clock – a bit sad and value will drop like a stone if the new owner decides to actually drive the car.

In August 1993, as production of the 964 was nearing its close, Porsche informed its dealer network of a final and limited series of special Turbo S Flachbau models to be built under the auspices of the factory’s Exclusive Department. At the time, it was the most expensive factory 911 you could purchase, and only 39 of the 76 exclusive Flachbau examples Porsche built were offered to the US.

The car offered is in showroom condition with its original window sticker still affixed. It has traveled less than 40 miles since new. This car was desirably optioned with gorgeous Rootwood trim on the dashboard, shift knob and brake handle, and is one-of-two US-spec Flachbaus finished in Grand Prix White.

This Turbo S Flachbau was purchased new by a renowned collection and was in its loving care for nearly two decades. This time-capsule Porsche has been recently serviced, as well as fully documented by Mark Smith, the creator of the comprehensive Flachbau registry and proprietor of Concours by Appointment. A Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, along with service receipts, original factory tools, car cover and other original accoutrements are included with this best-of-category Flachbau.

Additional top modern Porsche entries already announced for the Gooding Pebble Beach 2016 sale include:

  • 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RSH (estimate: $1,300,000-$1,500,000)
  • 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort (estimate: $1,300,000-$1,500,000)
  • 2011 Porsche 997 GT2 RS (estimate: $550,000-$650,000)
  • 1997 Porsche 993 Turbo S (estimate: $525,000-$575,000)