Porsche Collection Offered at Gooding Amelia Island 2012

The Porsche Collection of Matt Drendel will be offered at the 2012 Gooding and Company Amelia Island Auction, scheduled for Friday, March 9th in Amelia Island, Florida.

The Drendel Family Collection consists of both road and race cars spanning 25 years of Porsche history from 1973 – 1997, with 10 of the 18 lots being offered without reserve. In addition, Gooding Amelia Island 2012 sale marks the first time many of these historically-important racing stars will have ever been presented at auction.

Gooding & Company has moved the start time of its Amelia Island Auction to 11 a.m. on Friday, March 9th, 2012 to accommodate the extensive 18-car collection, as well as to accommodate the schedules of its guests at the daytime auction.

“The result of well-developed connoisseurship and deep passion, Matthew Drendel built what has become the world’s most significant private collection of turbocharged Porsches,” says David Gooding, President and founder of Gooding & Company. “It’s a very rare occurrence when a refined, single-marque collection of high-quality road and race cars is offered to the public. We feel privileged to have been selected to present the Drendel Family Collection in Amelia Island.”

A Passion for Porsche

Matthew Drendel was attracted to Porsche automobiles from an early age. Although his personal racing successes were primarily associated with normally-aspirated 911 Cup cars, it was the legendary turbocharged Porsches that most interested him as a collector. His collection began with a single 930 road car and later expanded to the 18 cars it is today.

“Matthew Drendel maintained a reputation for collecting the very best cars and, therefore, has always been respected in the Porsche community,” says Gooding & Company Specialist David Brynan. “The overall scope of the collection and focus on factory team cars reflect his tremendous dedication and knowledge of the marque.”

Detailed below are seven of the most significant collector cars being offered as part of the Drendel Family Collection:

1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder, Chassis 917-30-004, Estimate: $3.25 – $4 million – The Porsche 917 racing program was one of the most successful in the history of motor sport and the 1973 917/30 Can-Am Spyder represents its pinnacle. With a 1,000 hp turbocharged flat-twelve, American racing champion Mark Donohue’s 917/30 was so dominant that the Can Am Challenge Cup was disbanded and the other manufacturers withdrew due to their inability to compete.

One of four examples completed at the Porsche factory, 004 was intended to be the 1974 Penske-Sunoco team car but was instead sold to Australian Porsche Importer Alan Hamilton. Later purchased by the Porsche factory, this car is now the centerpiece of the Drendel Family Collection. Meticulously restored and presented in the iconic Penske-Sunoco livery, this 917/30 has been raced at the Monterey Historics and has been displayed at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and Rennsport Reunion.

1974 Porsche RSR Turbo Carrera 2.14, Chassis 911 460 9016 (R9), Estimate: $1.75 – $2.25 million – The Carrera RSR Turbo 2.14 represents a turning point in the history of competition Porsches when it introduced the use of turbocharged engines in production-based race cars. Used by the factory for development, this hand-built experimental 911 was campaigned as a Martini & Rossi Porsche Works entry in the 1974 season at Nürburgring, Imola and Zeltweg. Few racing cars of this caliber have remained so correct and untouched, making this car an extremely important piece of Porsche history.

1985 Porsche 962, Chassis 962-HR1, Estimate: $900,000 – $1.2 million – During its career, this Porsche achieved 11 overall wins and 19 podium finishes, as well as 2 IMSA GTP Drivers Championships and an IMSA GTP Manufacturers Championship. Along with its Holbert Racing sister car, 962-103, this 962 is one of the most significant 962s in history. Fresh from restoration, 962-HR1 was displayed at RennSport Reunion IV in 2011.

The remaining cars of the Drendel Family Collection, 10 offered without reserve, are listed below:

1980 Porsche Indy Car, Chassis 0031, Estimate: $350,000 – $550,000, Without Reserve – Intended as Porsche’s return to open-wheel racing, the company’s ground-breaking program was cancelled a month before the Indianapolis 500 s a result of last-minute USAC rule changes.

1987 McLaren-Porsche MP4/3 Formula One, Chassis MP4/3/1, Estimate: $450,000 – $600,000, Without Reserve – The first MP4/3 built and the only example in private hands.

1981 Porsche 924 GTP “Le Mans”, Chassis 924-005, Estimate: $375,000 – $450,000, Without Reserve – Factory prototype and development car, built to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

1992 Porsche 968 Turbo RS, Chassis WPOZZZ96ZNS820065, Estimate: $250,000 – $325,000, Without Reserve – Factory prototype with Le Mans and Sebring race history.

1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6, Chassis WP0AC2965RS480276, Estimate: $75,000 – $90,000, Without Reserve.

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup, Chassis WP0ZZZ95ZGN154076, Estimate: $65,000 – $85,000, Without Reserve.

1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S, Chassis WP0AA2957JN151272, Estimate: $50,000 – $65,000, Without Reserve.

1994 Porsche 968 Turbo S Clone, Chassis WP0AA2961RS820772, Estimate: $45,000 – $55,000, Without Reserve.

1991 Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet, Chassis WP0CB2949MN440106, Estimate: $25,000 – $30,000, Without Reserve.

Gooding & Company will conduct its 3rd annual Amelia Island Auction on March 9, 2012 at 11 a.m., at the Racquet Park located at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation at 6800 First Coast Highway in Amelia Island, one mile south of the Amelia Island Parkway. Guests may preview the cars on Thursday, March 8th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, March 9th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. An auction catalogue for $75 admits two to the viewing and auction. General admission to the viewing and auction can be purchased at the tent for $30 per person.

For more information, visit www.goodingco.com or phone (310) 899-1960.

[Source: Gooding and Company]