This Ultra-Rare Classic Porsche 934 Is Headed to Auction

This eye-catching coupe is the first of only 31 911-based racers ever produced.

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

Gooding & Company, a Santa Monica-based auction house that specializes in selling sought-after classic cars like these rare Ferraris and this 1997 Land Rover NAS Defender 90 Limited Edition, is putting the first Porsche 934 ever made on the block. 

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

Introduced in 1976, the 911-based 934 was the German marque’s Group 4 GT racing variant of the turbocharged 930. Its exterior shares similarities with that production vehicle, with the addition of riveted GRP fender flares, a prominent front air dam, and center-lock BBS wheels.

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

Beneath its shell are 917-type disc brakes, a rear coil-spring suspension, a full-aluminum roll cage, a four-speed manual transmission, and a 485-horsepower turbocharged flat-six that was capable of propelling the the 934 to 100 mph in 12 seconds and a max speed of nearly 190 mph. That’s impressive by even today’s standards, especially when considering that the its top end was right up there with that of the recently announced 2021 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

This particular model, chassis number 0151, made a number of podium appearances in various races between 1976 and 1979, when it was retired from motorsport after placing 3rd in its class and 19th overall in 24 Hour of Le Mans. It changed hands a few times before it was sold to its current owner in 2003.

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

Soon after acquiring the vehicle, the consignor commissioned his in-house restoration shop, RennSport Racing New Orleans, to perform a ground-up restoration, though the retro ride was found to be in unusually good shape. After being completely disassembled and stripped to its bones, it was carefully brought back to its factory condition with a head-turning India Red livery and all period-correct components.

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

The racy coupe is offered with a substantial documentation file that includes period photographs, an album of restoration photos, and original correspondence previous owners. 

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Josh Hway.

Only 31 Porsche 934s were ever made. Being the first, chassis number 0151 is expected to fetch between $1.25 and $1.6 million at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island, Florida auction on March 6.  

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