The first month of the new year is usually a very eventful one in the automotive world, normally beginning with NAIAS(North American International Auto Show). With the show now being moved to its new date of June, however, I guess we have RMSotheby’s to help us kick the new year into gear. That takes us to Arizona, their first auction of the year. This time around, there were quite a lot of interesting Porsches going up to the auction block, most of them vintage, with some interesting exceptions. This post is meant to summarize my thoughts on the cars that I found the most interesting, and how their sale prices reflect on the real market prices of the vehicles. Do note that not all cars that went up for sale are listed in this post. The full list of cars can be seen by clicking on the link here.

1. 2019 911(991.2) Turbo S Exclusive Series Cabriolet – Sold For $280,000

The 991 Turbo and Turbo S market has been following the typical depreciation curve since the cars were new, though certain examples may be able to hold their value based on their level of uniqueness. That aside, the Turbo S Exclusive Market has been more on the upside. I normally see these cars for sale at over $100K more compared to regular Turbo S prices. Given that the average of the Exclusive Series market is about $300K, the new owner of this beauty got themselves a good deal, specially given the fact that this example only has 19km from new. Hopefully she sees some racking up of kms.

2. 1987 930 Turbo Coupe – Sold For $165,200

Out of all of the air-cooled 911s, I find that the classic, G-Model, and 930 markets have been the most flexible over the last couple of years. By this I mean that their prices are dependent on mileage and condition, unlike the 993 and 964 markets, which are more dependent not only on mileage, but also specification. Don’t get me wrong, options do have their part on the 930 market, but that isn’t always the case. This one is finished in classic Guards Red over Beige interior, and only has 7,591 miles. Given that most 930s for sale in the $160-170K range have approximately twice the mileage that this one does, if not more, it could be said it was a steal for the owner.

3. 1989 930 Turbo Flatnose Cabriolet – Sold For $280,000

Flatnose 930s are somewhat a rarity in today’s used Porsche market, and normally command a premium over regular 930s. If the car is a cabriolet, then that’s the cherry on top of the pie. A Porsche can’t get anymore 80s than that. With this example having 7,605 miles, way less than most cars I have seen for sale, it is a fair sale price. My reasoning for this is that I have seen Slantnose Cabriolets at around the $200K mark, and that’s for cars in the 25-35K miles range. That being said, the asking price for this car would have been much higher had it been sold at a dealer. Sometimes, bidders can be lucky to be one of very few individuals with interest in a particular car. Despite this, I hope this car does not end up becoming a garage queen.

4. 2005 Carrera GT – Sold For $786,000

This is a car that I was curious to see how it performed on the auction block, given its famous person ownership(the original owner of this car was IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan). In the end, it stayed parallel to the current state of the Carrera GT market today. You could add that given the Black on Dark Grey colour combination of this car, the new owner got a very good deal. I look up Carrera GTs for sale on a frequent basis, and I’ve found that Black, just like Fayence Yellow, is an exterior colour that doesn’t pop up for sale as much as it did in the past, so If you are interested in such a car, you have to be ready to seal the deal.

5. 1979 930 Turbo – Sold For $390,000

At auctions, there are two types of road cars that cross the block, those which have seen normal use throughout their lives, and then there’s the low mileage relics. This car is the latter. For that reason, it is no surprise that its final sale price is higher compared to those of the other cars. Condition wise, this car has a lot to say. Not only does it have 34 original miles, but it also came with its unopened toolkits and owners manuals. Being a 1979 model year car, it was one of the last U.S -spec 930s before they were temporarily discontinued in the U.S and Japan due to emissions regulations in those countries(it returned to those markets for the 1986 model year). Like the aforementioned Flatnose Cabriolet, this car could well be offered for a crazy price by a dealership. In all, for a time capsule such as a 930, it is a fair price. It is highly likely, however, that this car will remain a garage queen.

6. 1976 914 2.0 – Sold For $53,200

Now, I don’t exactly follow the 914 market as I do the 911 market, but I’ve always seen the 914 as a very accessible car to Porsche aficionados. I am well aware of the fact that a lot of these cars get modified for track use and there are also cars that undergo restomods, but this car is like nothing else in the market. It was owned by its original owner from new, and it was only in 2016 that it underwent a restoration using OEM parts. Add to this the fact that this is a desirable 2.0 model, which matched the 914-6 in terms of torque, yet it was a lighter car. With various types of 914s for sale at around the $50K range, this car was a steal for the buyer, given its rich ownership history and exceptional condition. This car could only increase in value.

In conclusion, this year’s Arizona auction by RMSotheby’s brought some very interesting cars to the auction block, yet some were cars that are commonly seen for sale. While most sale prices reflect the current market state of those particular cars, it should be noted that there is a chance that the right persons were not present in the room. It can be for this sole reason alone that the prices of some of the cars were lower than expected. Another important point that should be taken into consideration is that the very interesting and rare Porsches tend to be taken to RMSotheby’s Amelia Island Auction held every March, as it guarantees the presence of owners with high levels of interest in these vehicles. I myself know for a fact that some of these cars, such as the ’79 930 would have sold for a higher price had they been offered at the Amelia Island auction instead. You can expect auction results for that auction once the results come in during the month of March. But before that, we have some very important automotive events and other auctions to cover, so recaps on those events will be coming.

Best Regards,
Juan Reyes-Abreu

Credit goes to:
RMSotheby’s for the photographs and information on the cars offered at the auction.