Anticipating some flexibility in the approval rules of the GT competition cars including the demonstration that their models are based on commercial vehicles, Porsche designs directly the 911 GT1 for racing.
The technology restarts in a fast development generating very small series of vehicles with similar designations but increasing performances. The Porsche 911 GT1-98 won the first two places at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1998.
Porsche does not forget however that some customers expect high-performance cars. Such a project is useful to the prestige of the brand even if the profitability is lost in advance. After two prototypes required in 1996 for road homologation, Porsche realizes the 911 GT1 Strassenversion in 20 units which are sold to customers selected in advance by the brand.
This road legal model created high desires by its limited series, by its very high performance worthy of a winner of Le Mans and by the fact that it has never been offered new on the open market. A Strassenversion made in 1998 with less than 5,000 miles from new is for sale on March 10 by Gooding at Amelia Island, lot 042. Here is the link to the press release.
Its price is difficult to anticipate. A 1997 911 GT1 Evo competition car was sold for € 2,8M including premium by RM Sotheby's on May 14, 2016. Also keep in mind the $ 8.5M including premium recorded on August 17, 2013 by Gooding on a 1997 road legal McLaren F1 with less than 14,000 miles from new.
Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
SOLD for $ 5.7M including premium
Top Gear: These ultra-rare racing Porsches being offered at The Amelia Island Auction - via @BBC_TopGear https://t.co/sKIUcIdqob #Porsche
— Gooding & Company (@goodingandco) January 10, 2017