Within the realm of uncommon Porsche 911s, some sit in a league completely of their very own. Of all of the manufacturing 911s created over the a long time, the 964 Carrera 4 Light-weight – or Leichtbau – should rank among the many rarest. Simply 22 examples had been ever produced, all born of the imaginative and prescient of Le Mans winner and legendary Porsche engineer Jürgen Barth. This automotive, chassis 964 001, is the very first: a museum-grade prototype with distinctive, one-off particulars that set it aside even amongst this rarified group.
Barth, then head of Porsche Buyer Racing, found a cache of spare four-wheel-drive methods from the 953 Paris-Dakar rally automobiles sitting within the motorsport division. These methods had been superior for his or her time, permitting for lively adjustment of front-to-rear torque distribution and on-the-fly manipulation of the rear limited-slip differential’s lock-up. Barth noticed a possibility to create a light-weight, all-wheel-drive 911 for buyer motorsport use.
Porsche chosen customary 964-series physique shells, faraway from the primary manufacturing line, and subjected them to seam welding for elevated rigidity. Commonplace panels had been changed with lightened options. The drivetrain from the 953 Dakar automotive was put in, mated to a short-ratio five-speed gearbox and paired with a naturally aspirated 3.6-litre flat-six producing 265bhp – the identical engine that may go on to energy the Carrera RS. The ensuing automotive weighed simply 1070kg and delivered extraordinary efficiency, with understated styling that hid its motorsport potential.
Chassis 001 is essentially the most vital of the 22. Because the manufacturing unit prototype, it features a wealth of distinctive, one-off options. These embrace early prototype gauges and labelling, a bespoke Matter roll cage, and particular 934-style ‘lollipop’ seats – which might go on to affect designs utilized by RUF – trimmed in period-correct new previous inventory materials. Most of the engine and auxiliary system fixtures differ from the manufacturing automobiles, providing a singular perception into Porsche’s improvement course of.
Even the four-wheel-drive management labels seem handmade, with embossed tape straight from a Eighties stationery drawer. From its uncommon fittings to its understated character, 964 001 exemplifies the experimental creativity of Porsche’s motorsport division at its greatest.
This automotive has recognized possession from new and an impeccable provenance. It was initially bought to Kerry Morse, a detailed good friend and collaborator of Barth himself. It later handed by means of the fingers of notable American collectors together with Frank Gallogly of Englewood, New Jersey; Dr. William Jackson of Denver, Colorado; the Ingram Assortment; and Matthew F. Ammirati of Bridgehampton, New York.
Acquired by the present proprietor in 2017 and imported into the UK in 2022, the automotive has lined simply over 1,000 miles from new. Its odometer stays in kilometres. The drivetrain is completely authentic and matching, the paint stays factory-applied and in glorious situation, and the inside structure is full and proper. Although the unique seats had been retrimmed, they use the precise appropriate materials and patterns.
In 2024, the automotive underwent a full service at Richard Tuthill, together with new Bridgestone tyres.
As a part of the sale, the automotive comes with a bespoke report by Jürgen Barth himself, compiled after a private go to to see chassis 001 once more within the UK. Reunited with the machine he helped create, Barth recounted the story of its improvement and its journey. These recollections at the moment are captured in a doc that provides much more weight to this automotive’s already historic standing.
In brief, chassis 001 isn’t just the primary and most interesting of the Carrera 4 Leichtbau automobiles. It’s a reference instance – pure, authentic and storied. A cornerstone in any Porsche assortment, and a once-in-a-generation alternative. It’s presently being provided on the market with Kiklo Areas within the UK.
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