356 Speedster Barn Find Sells for $605,000
A few years back, when Porsche prices began their meteoric rise, the sudden interest in the brand by collectors was seen as an unsustainable bubble. A rising tide raises all ships, and as prices of the marque’s rarest and most desirable models edged ever closer to the stratosphere, so too did the prices of more pedestrian Porsches (if any Porsche can truly be considered pedestrian).
Recently, several no-sales and low auction prices have prompted some to say that the bubble has popped. However, this past weekend, a 356 Speedster exceeded all expectations and sold for $605,000 at Auctions America’s Hilton Head Island auction.
The Speedster is without question the most iconic iteration of the 356, and among the most valuable. While the phrases “barn find” and “patina” get thrown around a lot these days – my more cynical side sees them as a convenient way to romanticize rust and neglect – this example is the real deal, hiding a beautiful, carefully preserved original car under a substantial layer of dust.
The original owner only drove this Speedster during the summer months, and he stored it in an air and water-tight storage unit in suburban Chicago, where it was parked for good in 1975. It’s about as complete as it gets, and still wears its original (and rare) Aquamarine Blue Metallic paint.
It might represent one of the most original examples of the breed out there – which would explain why it nearly tripled its pre-auction estimate of $200,000 to $250,000.
So, at least for now, it looks like the Porsche market is still quite strong. Wouldn’t you say?
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
Via [Yahoo]
