Porsche has made numerous legendary cars throughout history. After all, racing was and still is in their blood. Each of the cars on this list has influenced the automotive world in one way or another. Another common ingredient with all these cars? All of these are extremely rare, and all were powered by a boxer or a flat engine, which is a signature engine configuration for Porsche even to this day. As such, the cars on this list have been auctioned at staggeringly-high prices, and we understand if the prices of the cars on this list will leave your mind blown.
1 1970 Porsche 917K - $14,080,000
The iconic 917K is the absolute most expensive Porsche ever sold in history and in an auction. This racecar dominated Le Mans from 1970 to 1971 due to its sheer performance. A 5.0-liter flat-twelve, which was made by combining two 3.0-liter flat-six engines, produced 630 hp and 434 pound-feet of twist. It was enough to bring this racecar from 0-62 mph in an eye-watering 2.7 seconds, which is unheard of during its time and even today. And then we have to mention the "K" part in its name. K means Kurzheck or "short tail". This was due to the original 917 being unstable at high speeds, but with the 917K having a shorter, less upswept tail and vertical fins, its stability was unparalleled at the time even at 200 mph. It also certainly helps that its aluminum spaceframe chassis only weighs 93 pounds, and as a result, the entire car actually tipped the scales at just 1,763 pounds. Combined with the fact that this is also one of the rarest Porsches on the planet right now - with only 12 ever built - it's no surprise that the 917K fetched a record price at the Pebble Beach Auctions in 2017.
| Engine | 5.0-liter, flat-12 |
| Horsepower | 630 horsepower |
| Torque | 434 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | 2.7 seconds |
| Top Speed | Excess of 200 mph |
2 1982 Porsche 956 - $10,120,000
Of course, everyone's familiar with the Nürburgring Nordschleife, but what does that have to do with the Porsche 956? That's because this racecar completed the 12.93-mile racetrack in just 6 minutes and 11.13 seconds, which was a record that was held for a staggering 35 years until another Porsche racecar, an unrestricted 919 Evo took the lap record. Clearly, the Porsche 956 was way ahead of its time. Its engine, a 2.65-liter turbocharged flat-six produced 620 horsepower, and with its strong downforce thanks to its underbody tunnel, the Porsche 956's speed and stability were unheard of during its time when it achieved 217 mph at the Mulsanne Straight of Circuit De La Sarthe. This led the racecar to have an attractive resume, letting Porsche win all FIA World Sportscar Championship driver and manufacturer titles between 1982 and 1984. This particular example was sold at Gooding & Company for $10,120,000.
| Engine | 2.65-liter turbocharged flat-six |
| Horsepower | 620 horsepower |
| Torque | 442 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | N/A |
| Top Speed | Excess of 218 mph |
3 1956 Porsche 550 Rennsport Spyder: $6,100,000
The Porsche 550 Rennsport Spyder was first unveiled in 1953, and only 90 of which were made. Its 1.5-liter flat-four engine produced 110 horsepower and considering that at its heaviest it weighed merely 1,301 lbs, it would later have a reputation on racetracks as the "giant killer". With this racecar, 0-62 mph happens in 10 seconds, which is actually unheard of during its time. Its top speed is 137 mph is also impressive during those days, especially for a car with just a 1.5-liter engine. This particular unit, a 1956 model-year vehicle, did not actually compete on the track. Still, it managed to sell for $6,100,000 at Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival.
| Engine | 1.5-liter flat-four |
| Horsepower | 110 horsepower |
| Torque | N/A |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | 10 seconds |
| Top Speed | 137 mph |
4 1985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar - $5,945,000
The Porsche 959 is one of the first all-wheel drive (AWD) sports cars to be ever made, and its history is rich in capability and technology. It was a technological tour de force for Porsche, and when it was released, it became the fastest street-legal production car with a top speed of 197 mph. But did you also know that this was actually a homologation vehicle for Porsche to enter the world of rallying? Before the actual road car came out, we had the Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar rally car, This specific model we see here is just 1 of 7 prototypes and one of only 3 to enter the 1985 Paris-Dakar rally, making this one of the rarest Porsche vehicles ever made. Powered by a twin-turbo flat-six that produces 400 horsepower (which is 44 less than the production car) on all four wheels, it dominated the Paris-Dakar rally in 1986. This particular vehicle was sold at RM Sotheby's for $5,945,000.
| Engine | 2.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six |
| Horsepower | 400 horsepower |
| Torque | N/A |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | N/A |
| Top Speed | 130 mph |
5 1972 Porsche 917/10 Spyder: $5,830,000
The Porsche 917/10 was a dominant force in the Can-Am series. Its 5.4-liter twin-turbo flat-twelve engine is capable of producing more than 1,150 horsepower and does 0-100 mph (yes, that's 100) in an eye-watering 2.9 seconds, which even to this day is unheard of not just for production cars, but even racecars. This particular vehicle we see here was driven to victory by George Follmer, in 1972. Due to its sheer performance, it was considered "the car that killed Can-Am racing". It eventually hit Mecum's auction block in 2012 for $5,830,000.
| Engine | 5.4-liter twin-turbo flat-twelve |
| Horsepower | Excess of 1,150 |
| Torque | N/A |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | N/A |
| 0-100 mph | 2.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | N/A |
6 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion - $5,665,000
The Porsche 911 GT1 was built in order for them to compete at the FIA GT Championship, which is arguably one of the golden eras of Le Mans. That's because, one of its rules is that, its racecars had to resemble road cars. Similar to what Mercedes-Benz did with the CLK GTR, Porsche released a road-legal version of the 911 GT1 called the Strassenversion. Literally the German for "street version", the 911 GT1 Strassenversion had a run of approximately 20 copies, making this one of the rarest Porsche vehicles. Its twin-turbo flat-six engine is a slightly detuned version of the racecar in order to meet European emissions laws. Still, with 536 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual, it can sprint from 0-62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. This particular model, finished in Arctic Silver, sold for $5,665,000 through the Gooding & Company auction.
| Engine | 3.2-liter twin-turbo flat-six |
| Horsepower | 536 horsepower |
| Torque | 443 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| 0-62 mph | 3.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 191 mph |
FAQ
Q: What's The Difference Between A 911 Turbo And Turbo S?
Apart from a few minor trim and equipment differences, the nearly $30,000 price gap between the two variants is all due to performance. It still uses the same engine as the 911 Turbo S, but this is detuned to 572 horsepower and 553 pound-feet. This makes both the coupe and cabriolet versions of the 911 Turbo 0.1 seconds slower than their respective Turbo S versions. Its top speed is also lower at 198 mph. Additionally, the 911 Turbo models don't come with the Sports Exhaust, and even the Carbon Ceramic Brakes, and these also affect the performance of the 911 Turbo.
Q: What's The Most Expensive Porsche SUV?
The most expensive Porsche SUV would be the Porsche Cayenne. The 2022 Cayenne has a base price of $72,200, but this could nearly triple to $188,700 for the Cayenne Turbo GT Coupe, which swaps the base model's 3.0-liter turbo V-6 in favor of a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that produces 631 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, letting this heavy SUV sprint from 0-62 mph in just 3.3 seconds.
Q: Why Are Porsches Expensive?
Porsche makes a plethora of vehicles, but all of them, regardless of whether it's an SUV or a sports car, have a driving signature that's distinctly sporty. Its sports cars are expensive for obvious reasons, as they pack a lot of performance and handling that's one of the best in the industry. On the other hand, SUVs and luxury sedans are heavy, and in order to make them handle as well as their sports cars requires a lot of engineering in their platforms.
Q: What's The Most Expensive New Porsche You Can Buy Right Now?
The most expensive new Porsche you can buy right now is the cabriolet body style of the 911 Turbo S, starting at $228,900. It's Porsche's highest-performing sports car, and it has the performance to match its price tag. Its 3.7-liter twin-turbo flat-six produces 642 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of twist, with power sent through all four wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. 0-60 happens in just 2.7 seconds, and if you get the coupe, this drops to 2.6 seconds. Top speed, on the other hand, is 205 mph.