Please note that this lot will need to be collected in Markgroningen, Germany. After the auction closes, the car will be kept by the restorer to be serviced prior to delivery to the winning bidder. Please contact an RM Sotheby’s specialist with any questions
By 1953, the German auto company founded by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, still in its infancy, had moved from an old sawmill in rustic Gmünd, Austria, to Zuffenhausen, a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Stuttgart, and established itself as a serious manufacturer of high-quality automobiles. By then, Porsche had succeeded in cracking what would become its most important export market – the United States – with the help of the entrepreneurial Max Hoffman. Although production numbers remained somewhat miniscule, new Porsches in both coupe and convertible form could be seen occasionally on the streets of Manhattan, Los Angeles, and in between.
According to its accompanying factory Kardex, chassis number 60651 is a desirable Pre-A cabriolet. Finished in Silver Metallic paintwork, it was completed by the factory on August 9, 1954 and then shipped to Max Hoffman’s famed Porsche distributorship in New York City. Although the car’s early history is unknown, it stayed in the U.S. through the early 1990’s, being noted as owned by a Mr. Boor in Orlando, Florida from December 1988 through February 1992.
Later that year, the car was exported to Germany by a previous owner and it was purchased by the consignor, a Stuttgart-based enthusiast in 2013. Over the course of the last few years, the car has been fully restored in its original Silver Metallic paintwork over a red leather interior. Importantly, the car retains its original 1,500 cc engine and is accompanied by a previous U.S. title.
Presented in beautiful condition in a high attractive color scheme, this would be an excellent addition to any collection of early Porsches.