Air|Water returned to Costa Mesa, California for the third annual all-Porsche celebration of new and old, race and street, polish and patina. Introduced as an extension of the world-class Luftgekühlt event series, which focuses strictly on early air-cooled models, Air|Water runs the gamut from the earliest racers to the latest EVs, and everything in between — from a 1954 bent window 356 to gleaming new 2026 911s. Photographer Robert Kerian, who last summer shot Monterey Car Week for Maxim, on top of capturing breathtaking images of the Bugatti Tourbillon, was there to gather snapshots of the automobile industry’s latest and greatest vehicles, including hypercars, sci-fi-worthy concepts, track day weapons and more.
Stars of the show included Alain Prost’s championship-winning McLaren MP4/2B powered by the Porsche-TAG turbo engine. There was also an art installation by Joshua Vides, known for his work with Cincoro Tequila, and the latest twin-turbo 963 LMDh prototype racer. Porsche even thrilled visitors with high-speed rides in the newest 911 models on a handling course, all as visitors dodged unexpected April rain. But perhaps the highlight was the the Broad Arrow live auction, in which a super rare 1989 RUF CTR Yellowbird was brought to the podium. Just how much did this automotive unicorn sell for? Read on to find out.
This 1985 McLaren MP4/2B was powered by 1.5-liter turbocharged V6 turbo engine jointly developed by Porsche and McLaren with support from TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde). Driven by legends Alain Prost and Niki Lauda, it scored the Frenchman’s first of four famous championships, dominating the ’85 season with five wins to claim the title by 20 points over Michele Alboreto’s Ferrari. With assistance from Lauda, the MP4/2B also won the Constructor’s Championship thanks to six wins from 12 races.
Gunther Werks brought its Project Tornado Turbo to Air|Water 2025. The 4.0L engine develops 750hp. The company also introduced its GW9-904 magnesium monoblock wheels shown on a 992 GT3 RS.
Following a recent five-day exhibition in Los Angeles, Vides brought his unique artwork to Air|Water. Working with A|W’s Creative Director Jeff Zwart, they created a unique installation celebrating Porsche’s air- and water-cooled heritage. Vides’ “Check Engine Light” solo show graces New York City May 1-6.
Singer Vehicle Design brought three of its reimagined Classic Turbo models, demonstrating the precise attention to detail that imbues each vehicle. Finished in an elegant color palette, the display reinforced the impenetrable position Singer holds in the Porsche resto-mod movement. Broad Arrow hosted another live auction, which surpassed the $15.6 million in total 2024 sales with an initial estimate of $18.5 million this year. To achieve that lofty goal, the assembled collection of cars included a 1-of-29 RUF CTR Yellowbird, complete with desirable W09 designation and RUF Zertifikat. Famed for its record-breaking 213-mph top speed, the numbers-matching CTR boasted a 469hp 3.4-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine and RUF six-speed manual transmission.
Price estimates were $4.5-5.5M and it sold for $4,680,000. There was also a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach in Martini livery (estimated value $2.7-3M, sold for $2,590,000), 2005 Carrera GT (sold for $1,650,000), 1966 Porsche 906 ($1,528,500), 1990 Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer ($1,006,000), 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6 X88 ($555,000), 2012 RUF Rt 12 S with factory-fitted R-spec engine ($480,000), 2019 911 Speedster ($461,500), and more.
This 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera was extensively restored and modified by Makellos Classics in Escondido, CA.
A 1977 Porsche 911 with 935 Moby X conversion by Bisimoto utilizing “Moby Dick” 935 Long Tail bodywork was created from the original Andial Porsche racing molds. The car features a custom single-drive AC three-phase electric induction motor, generating 403 volts with an 18,500 RPM Redline. Its 640 horsepower is modulated by an AEM VCU200 controller tuned by Bisimoto, which also built dual boxes to accommodate LG Chem 32KwH batteries.
A #912 Porsche 911 RSR was driven by Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor, Mathieu Jaminet in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It raced with its sister car in the 2018 Petit Le Mans 24 Hours in a livery inspired by the 1998 Le Mans-winning 911 GT1.
A total of six examples of the Schuppan 962CR were built by Reynard Motorsport from 1992-1994 by Australian driver Vern Schuppan as a tribute to his 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans victory. These very rare cars have a carbon fiber monocoque, mid-engine 3.3-liter Type-935 flat-6 twin-turbo engine producing 600 hp and claimed top speed of 230 mph. The cars cost $1.5 million in 1994.
AO Racing displayed its Rexy and Roxy Porsche 911 GT3 Rawr together for the first time in public at Air|Water. The green Rexy will be replaced at the next IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round by Roxy, giving it a chance to score a class win of its own.
The 1988 Texaco Havoline Porsche 962 (chassis 962-139) was designated a 962C with short-tail bodywork and was campaigned by Bayside Disposal Racing Team. It placed third overall at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona with drivers including Klaus Ludwig, Bob Wollek, Jochen Mass, and James Weaver. The car was powered by a 700 hp 3.0L flat-6 twin-turbo motor.
The 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT (chassis #1017) is one of about 25 cars built by Porsche Motorsport. It famously won its class win at the 1971 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing seventh overall. Sponsored by Sunoco of Canada, it was co-driven by owner Jacques Duval.
The Porsche 906 Carrera 6 was built in 1966 as a street-legal racer for Group 4 competition, replacing the 904. It was constructed from glass fiber to reduce weight, tipping the scales at around 1,300 lb. It was powered by a 210 horsepower six-cylinder engine.
Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.