Will the Real 1973 Porsche 911 RSR Prototype Please Stand Up
Two people claim to own Porsche 911 RSR Prototype #7, and now a legal battle aims to settle this multi-million dollar dispute.
The 1973 Porsche 911 RSR is, without a doubt, one of the rarest and most coveted vehicles on the planet. Porsche built just 8 prototypes in 1973, and each one is obviously quite special. When one of these amazing machines crosses the auction block, you know that millions of dollars are going to change hands. So it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are plenty of copycats running around.
And that, it seems, is the controversial center of a lawsuit filed by California vintage car racer Jacob Shalit, as the New York Post has learned. Shalit claims that he purchased 911 RSR Prototype #7 back in 2008, then proceeded to restore it. Problem is, art dealer and car collector Kenny Schachter believes that he actually owns car #7, too. That’s obviously a problem, especially since Shalit is now trying to sell his car. The real #7 is obviously worth a lot of coin, especially since it once finished 4th at Le Mans.
So which RSR is real? Well, nobody knows. Schachter claims that his example was authenticated by Porsche mechanic Norbert Singer. Schachter also says that Shalit was sold “a box of pieces,” as he told the New York Post. Shalit, on the other hand, claims that Schachter is “peddling a fake” as the real deal. It’s quite the conundrum indeed, with millions of dollars at stake.
The 911 RSR Prototype is certainly an important car in Porsche history, if nothing else. It helped them continue their dominance of the European GT Championship, shedding weight and gaining power in the process. And of course, who can deny that iconic shape? The RSR’s fat fenders and highly stylized rear are the stuff of legend. Even today, this is a spectacular looking thing that continues to draw stares everywhere it goes.
Thus, it will certainly be interesting to see how this legal battle pans out. It’ll obviously be difficult to determine exactly which car is real, and Porsche themselves might even have to intervene. And when the dust settles and the truth emerges, we imagine the loser will be feeling some serious pain. Both in their heart and their bank account!
Photos: New York Post, Instagram
