AN ULTRA-rare Porsche 911 in immaculate condition, with just 1,000 miles on the clock, has hit an auction for an eye-watering price.
The modified classic car, made from original 1974 bodywork, was commissioned by its owner – making it entirely unique.
And now, auctioneer Bonhams has listed the one-of-a-kind vehicle for the sum of £200,000.
Images show the immaculate Porsche 911 finished in iconic blue and orange Gulf livery with matching Replica Group 4 Campagnolo wheels – and a duck-tail spoiler at the rear.
Meanwhile, interior pictures reveal a Gulf-inspired tartan fabric interior, a MoMo Prototipo Black Edition steering wheel and a leather-trimmed dashboard top-roll.
The car was designed by Rindt Vehicle Design to celebrate the year of the owner’s birth – 1974.
The listing reads: “It was to Berkshire-based Rindt that the lady vendor turned to for this G-Series example, which dates from 1974, the year she was born.”
There is a burgeoning market for modified classic Porsche 911s – with many restorers having taken up the challenge over the years, according to Bonhams.
The listing adds: “For many enthusiasts the quintessential sports car, Porsche’s perennial 911 has appeared in countless variations over the course of the last 60-plus years, many of the more recent issuing from the Stuttgart factory’s Sonderwunsch ‘Special Wishes’ department.
“In parallel with bespoke offerings from the factory there have been notable contributions to the expanding ‘restomod’ (restored/modified) scene from independent specialists such as Ruf Automobile, Singer Vehicle Design, Tuthill Porsche, Lanzante, and Rindt Vehicle Design.”
It then explains how the parts were painstakingly sourced and restored to their former glory.
“Rindt started by sourcing a suitable donor car: a basket-case example minus engine and gearbox, which was purchased from Northern Ireland in need of complete restoration,” it says.
“Such was the poor condition of the bodyshell that it spent four months undergoing renovation on Rindt’s body jig, receiving fresh metal where required and being modified to ‘2.7 RS’ specification, which included shortening and narrowing it, flaring the wheelarches, and fitting a duck-tail spoiler at the rear.
“Replica Group 4 Campagnolo wheels, finished in Gulf livery, complete the exterior picture.”
Under the hood is a 3.2-litre engine -as opposed to the original car’s 2.7-litre capacity – along with a Jenvey Dynamics fuel injection kit and programmable ECU.
The gearbox has also been “beefed up” to accommodate the increased power, the listing states.
On the interior, the car boasts a blend of period luxury with modern technology.
It has heated and electrically operated seats from a Type 964, at the request of the owner, a Kenwood touchscreen infotainment, satellite navigation system, Classic Retrofit air conditioning and Gulf-inspired tartan fabric interior embellishment.
Also contributing to the car’s stylish interior are a MoMo Prototipo Black Edition steering wheel, orange and blue stitching to the Linen leather seats, Quickfit Safety custom seat belts, twin Smiths stopwatches, leather-trimmed dashboard top-roll and personalised dials featuring the owner’s initials.
And it isn’t short of modern tech, with Apple CarPlay, a reversing camera display and front and rear parking sensors.
Meanwhile, Rindt’s logo is visible on the interior, exterior, and even one of the cooling fan’s blades.
The listing adds: “Since completion this unique Porsche 911 has attended numerous events, including Salon Privé earlier this year, never failing to turn heads and attract favourable attention.
“Only a trifling 1,000-or-so miles have been covered since the rebuild was finished and it is certain that a similarly personalised example would cost considerably more than the guide price to build today.”
In August, Rindt founder Brian Richardson elaborated on the inspiration for the car.
Speaking to the Classic Porsche Magazine, he said: “Our customer was adamant that she wanted a bespoke 911 based on a car originally manufactured in the year of her birth.
“She had specific requirements beyond age of the donor vehicle, though.
“For example, despite the competition-inspired look, which obviously takes heavy influence from Gulf livery worn by the JW Automotive 917s fielded five decades ago, she explicitly stated that she wanted a 911 built to touring specification, ideally with an automatic transmission.”
The one-of-a-kind Porsche 911 will be sold as part of the Bonhams Bond Street Sale on December 12.