JEFF ZWART AND PATRICK LONG WEIGH IN ON
THE OLDEST CAR TO WEAR THE PORSCHE NAME
THE OLDEST CAR TO WEAR THE PORSCHE NAME
NEW CAR: RM SOTHEBY’S ADDS
PORSCHE 718 RS 60 TO MONTEREY AUCTION
PORSCHE 718 RS 60 TO MONTEREY AUCTION
The Porsche Type 64, chassis no. 38/41 is the antecedent of Porsche’s historical evolution. The first and sole remaining example of a believed three completed cars, this was the personal car of the Porsche family, driven by both Prof. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry. Owned and raced for 46 years by successful private racing driver Otto Mathé, the Type 64 carries a 70-year documented chain of a mere three private owners since the Porsche family.
The car is extremely original, and its resemblance to the marque’s evolution through the years, right up to today’s 911 model range, is easily discernable. This is the first car to ever wear Porsche’s iconic wide-font script name and is without a doubt the most historically important Porsche ever offered for public sale. The Porsche Type 64 is estimated to bring in excess of $20 million when it crosses the block during the Saturday evening session of RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale this August.
Joining RM Sotheby’s exceptional Monterey lineup of no less than 20 Porsche models, is a fantastic example of the decades-later development of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche’s first racing efforts seen in Type 64—a 1960 Porsche 718 RS 60 by Wendler, chassis no. 718-044. The final example of just four Works cars built, the 718 RS 60 was campaigned by the Porsche factory for the 1960 and ’61 seasons. With technical advances over the privateer version of the car, the Works 718 RS 60 was the first Porsche racer capable of threatening larger displacement classes, often competing for outright wins against perennial favourites such as Ferrari.
Chassis no. 718-044 made its factory team debut at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, piloted by Jo Bonnier and future motorsports triple crown holder Graham Hill. It would go on to contest the 1961 12 Hours of Sebring, the Targa Florio, and the Nürburgring 1000 KM at the hands of such renowned names as Hans Hermann, Dan Gurney, Sir Stirling Moss, and Edgar Barth. Following its Works career, the Porsche was dispatched to North America and entered by Porsche Cars at the 1961 Mosport Player’s 200, where Jo Bonnier finished second overall. Under subsequent private ownership, the RS 60 was driven by none other than Bob Holbert to two overall victories and a class win during the Bahamas Speed Week in late 1961.
The Porsche has since been fastidiously maintained under the care of several major private collections, making noteworthy appearances at numerous historic events, including the inaugural Le Mans vintage races, Porsche Parade, Goodwood Revival, and Rennsport Reunion just last year following a three-year restoration by marque specialists. Presented wearing its Sebring livery in race-ready condition, and with the other three Works cars held in long-term private ownership, unlikely to be available anytime soon, this RS 60 presents an exceedingly rare opportunity to acquire the ultimate iteration of Porsche’s factory aluminium spyder race cars (Est. $5,750,000 - $7,750,000).
The Porsche Type 64 and 718 RS 60 highlight RM Sotheby’s 2019 Monterey auction. Held during the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance motoring week, RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale has been the pinnacle of collector car auctions for more than 30 years, leading the field and raising the bar with its consistent, record-setting results. This year’s three-day Monterey sale will once again present more than 180 of the world’s most important motor cars in the ultimate collector car destination.
Additional information and an updated list of all cars set for RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale is available at rmsothebys.com.
