2022 Gooding Amelia Island Sale (Porsche 904/6 Annoucned)

A works 1965 Porsche 904/6 with in-period racing history is on sale in the Gooding Amelia Island 2022 classic car auction.

Silver 1965 Porsche 904/6 on sale in the Gooding Amelia Island 2022 classic car auction — © Gooding

Gooding Amelia Island 2022 Auction

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Amelia Island Record (2016) © Gooding

Gooding & Company: Amelia Island Auction on March 4, 2022, at the Racquet Park, Omni Amelia Island Resort, Florida, USA.

2022 was the most successful Amelia Island auction ever for Gooding with $69,209,480 earned in sales and a 94% sales rate from 93 out of 99 lots sold. The average price per car was $744,188.

In 2021, Gooding held an online auction in place of the regular Amelia Island sale.

In 2020, Gooding earned $20,785,080 at the Amelia Island auction by selling 83 of 89 lots with a sell-through rate of 93%. The average price was $250,422.

In 2019, Gooding earned $22 million at Amelia Island selling 78 of 89 lots offered for a respectable sell-through rate of 88%.

In 2018, Gooding earned $35.5 million with a high 94% sell-through rate – 81 of 86 lots were sold. In 2017, Gooding gained $30.5 million with a sell-through rate of 78% with 69 of 88 lots offered sold. However, Gooding earned a record $60 million at Amelia Island in 2016, when the sell-through rate was 87%. The 2016 sale memorably included 14 Porsches from the Jerry Seinfeld Collection.

1965 Porsche 904/6

The 1965 Porsche 904/6, chassis 906-011, estimate: $2,500,000 – $3,250,000, heading for Gooding Amelia Island 2022 classic car auction was a works racing car that was raced in period by Porsche in Europe and as a private entry in SCCA events in North America.

Designed by F.A. “Butzi” Porsche, the groundbreaking 904 was a state-of-the-art sports car featuring a boxed steel chassis, lightweight fiberglass body, four-wheel disc brakes, five-speed transaxle, and race-tuned Type 587/3 engine. With a design uniquely purposed for outstanding aerodynamic qualities, the 904 proved to be an extremely successful race car, capturing a stunning 1-2 finish at the Targa Florio, and clocking class wins at Goodwood, Le Mans, Monza, and more. This remarkably versatile car was also the last Porsche developed as a true dual-purpose car, equally at home on the road or on the track.

For the 1965 season, Porsche built 12 new cars for factory use, including several ultra-lightweight hillclimb cars, as well as updated six-cylinder versions called the 904/6, or Carrera GTS6. Just six of these 904/6 coupes were built, and they came equipped with a competition-ready version of the new Type 901 six-cylinder engine, along with distinguishing rectangular-shaped air intakes on the rear deck, a centrally located fuel filler, and short doors with pull-up windows.

The 1965 Porsche 904/6, chassis 906-011, on sale at Amelia Island made its debut at the Le Mans test weekend in April 1965, and later that year was entered in the Mont Ventoux Hillclimb and the Grand Prix of Solitude. After this season, the car was retired from Porsche’s racing department, and in 1967–1968, sold to Southern California-based Porsche dealer and racer Vasek Polak, who campaigned the Porsche in various SCCA events through 1972.

After trading hands several times, 906-011 underwent a complete restoration by Gunnar Racing in 1985, when it was refinished in its correct silver livery and fitted with a proper two-liter, six-cylinder engine rebuilt by Porsche specialist Jerry Woods. Since then, 904/6 has been owned by knowledgeable American collectors, successfully campaigned in historic races, and carefully maintained by the renowned Emory Motorsports. Beautifully presented and mechanically unmatched, this 904/6 represents the ultimate evolution of this landmark Porsche model.

Several special racing Porsches have already been announced for the Gooding Amelia Island 2022 sale including duo of 1979 Porsche 935s, two 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSRs, and a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK. A 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder is on offer at Bonhams Amelia Island 2022.

A 1964 Porsche 904 owned for a decade by Robert Redford sold for $1.5 million at Bonhams Paris 2022 but 904/6 or 904 GTS cars generally achieved over $2 million at recent auctions.