Porsche Classic Partner sits alongside the regular Porsche brand that we all know and love, with one aim – to keep your air-cooled legend alive, offering parts, servicing and advice. It’s a great idea.
So it’s no surprise that Porsche Classic have all the know-how and expertise to be able to build a stunning old-school Porsche itself. The Porsche Project Gold is just such a vehicle, resplendent in a retro metallic golden-yellow with matching accents on the black alloys. The car itself is based on the 993 – a 911 Turbo that’s based on an original bodyshell.
The autumnal hued Golden Yellow 993 made its debut appropriately enough at the beginning of autumn at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca, USA. The car’s short-term schedule was to be shown and auctioned one month after its premiere by Sotheby’s in Atlanta at the Porsche Experience Center just before Halloween, with all proceeds going to Ferry Porsche Foundation. This foundation was developed and founded by Porsche this year as part of the company’s 70th anniversary celebrations, supporting young people’s education and social issues.
Naturally enough, the Project Gold was one of the stars of the show at the Rennsport Reunion on September 27 – after all, everyone loves a classic; especially a new one. But how much would this beautiful car make at auction in these austere times?
With the first Porsche electric vehicle, the Taycan, due to appear on the horizon soon, the Project Gold is certainly good pre-marketing for Porsche, showcasing the company’s prestigious air-cooled past as it heads confidently into the future.
The air-cooled wonder is made up of 6,500 genuine parts – all of these parts Porsche Classic have readily available for customers who may have their own 993 gen Porsche in need of some attention. The number makes up a percentage of an eye-watering 52,000 classic parts available at the centres in general.
Over one and a half years, Project Gold began to take shape, with the bodyshell getting the same anti-corrosion treatment and paint technology that the modern Porsche gets. It even has a brand new air-cooled 431lb ft torque, 450hp (thanks to a WLS II power kit) 3.6-litre flat-6 engine developed for the project and brand ‘new’ 6-speed gearbox. Attention to details is great, with a hand-stamped chassis number in sequence from the last 993 manufactured in 1998 and matching gold stitching on the leather interior.
The Project Gold even inspired Porsche Classic to add two new parts to their catalogue as well (presumably due to unavailability) – an aluminium fuel tank cap and black tail pipe.
So to the Sotheby’s auction. The classic restomod featured on Sotheby’s specialist Porsche 70the Anniversary Sale amid much anticipation, and the Project Gold 993 finally sold – after a mere 37 bids – for a cool 2.7 million euros. Although Porsche say the car is not road legal, this is surely a very fine vehicle for someone to have in the garage.
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