Rare Porsche 356A set to dazzle at Race Retro auction

By Lizzie Pope

| 14 Feb 2019

Classic & Sports Car – Porsche 356A to dazzle at Race Retro auction

A matching-numbers 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster in rare right-hand drive form is set to go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale later this month.

The 356A was delivered new to America, to the famous dealer Hoffmans of New York, and remained in the US for most of its life.

Its current custodian bought it at a Pebble Beach auction in 2015, then imported it to the UK and commissioned JD Classics – now Woodham Mortimer – to convert it to RHD.

That alone is enough to mark it out as relatively special: although some 76,000 356s were produced in total, only a few thousand came in 356A Speedster form, and far fewer than that were RHD.

As you might expect, that rarity comes at a premium, and its guide price ahead of the 23 February sale is £280-320,000.

Rarity aside, the vehicle in question is a superb example of the breed.

Although it has been restored, the accompanying Porsche Kardex confirms it’s still painted and trimmed in its original hues. It also has its original 1582cc flat-four engine and four-speed gearbox, and will be sold with a CD documenting its restoration, the original owner’s manual, its tools and its jack.

This is one of around 555 356A T2 Speedsters that rolled off the production line in 1958, an iteration that has a low, removable windscreen, a two-spoke steering wheel, lightweight, bucket-style seats and a leather-wrapped upper dash, among other features.

Now UK registered, it’s been professionally stored and scarcely used in recent years; maybe its new owner will put it back on the road.

“This is one of the best examples of a genuine Porsche collector’s car that we have had the pleasure to offer at auction,” says Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions.

“Over the past few decades the 356 Speedster has become an automotive icon and is very much sought-after by enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

“These days, replicas are popular with enthusiasts, but there’s nothing like an original, which is what we have here.”

The Race Retro Silverstone Auctions sale takes place at Stoneleigh Park on 23 February. You can view the full lot list here.

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