Porsche 991-gen 911 run ends with a bang on the auction block

MANILA: When the hammer fell for the very last brand-new Porsche 911 Speedster, the highest bid at RM Sotheby’s online auction in April came out to US$500,000. In celebration of the occasion, Porsche North America matched the happy bidder’s sum and handed the US$1 million to United Way Worldwide’s kitty for COVID-19 relief.

With that, the run of the 991-generation Porsche 911 has come to an end. Porsche reports that this series “has been the most successful 911 generation to date, with 233,540 units produced. And, suitably, it was a glorious Porsche 911 Speedster that rolled off the assembly line as the final 991 ever built.” Only 1,948 991-gen units of the Speedster were built, and these additionally paid homage to the 70 years of the Stuttgart-headquartered brand.

Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, himself handed over the 911 Speedster to the winning bidder. The executive, in an interview, stressed that the line’s demand is bigger than its supply — making it a “treasure.”

He noted, “When we began this project, I wanted to use our voice to help raise awareness and funding for the incredible work of United Way. I’m pleased to have helped draw attention to their efforts and I’m deeply appreciative of the generosity and kindness of all the participants and the winning bidder. We are joining in that spirit by making our own donation on top of the winning bid for this special part of our history. We can now look forward to the funds raised making a direct difference to those who need it most right now.”

First launched in 2011, the 991 generation is considered one of the biggest development steps in the history of the 911 with nearly 90% of components newly designed or substantially modified.

The 991-generation 911 Speedster in particular boasts “lightweight construction, efficiency, purity and driving pleasure.” Powering it is a 4.0-liter flat six good for 502hp and 470Nm. It redlines at 8,400rpm. Performance is accessed via a six-speed manual gearbox and a high-performance chassis.

The vehicle cuts a flatter profile, and viewing it from the rear makes obvious its dynamic streamliners located on the rear lid. These give the effect of extending the headrests to the tail of the car. Speaking of which, it has two central tailpipes there and lightweight rear aprons with additional air outlets.

Predicated on the 911 R and 911 GT3, the Porsche 911 Speedster is also “visually linked” to the 356 “No. 1” Roadster of 1948. The 911 Speedster was premiered on the world stage as a concept vehicle in 2018 at the “70 Years of Porsche Sports Cars” event in Zuffenhausen, Germany.

Examples of this very special model are available in Porsche Centre Philippines. For more information, visit porsche.com.ph, follow porschecentrephilippines on Facebook and porsche_philippines on Instagram, or call +63 917 880 0328 or +027 8 727 0381.

Photos from Porsche Centre Philippines

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