2018 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale (Porsche 908 K Announcement)

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A 1968 Porsche 908 Works Short Tail Coupe racing car is the first lot announced for the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 classic car auction.

1968 Porsche 908 K Front
Robin Adams © Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s announced a works race entry 1968 Porsche 908 K racing coupe for the Monterey 2018 classic car sale in August in California, USA.  The Porsche 908 K raced for Porsche System Engineering at the 1968 Spa 1000 KM race but slipped off the track in the rain. It never campaigned competitively in period again but has been a regular at historic races in the USA during the past decade.

RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 Classic Car Auction

1956 Aston Martin DBR1 Sold
Remi Dargegen ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 classic car auctions are scheduled for 24 to 25 August 2018 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California, USA.

In 2017, RM Sotheby’s earned $132,993,810 with a sell-through rate of 88%. RM Sotheby’s sold 32 cars for over a million dollar. The top result was $22,550,000 paid for a 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 – a marque and British-made car record.

Highlights from The Pinnacle Portfolio
Patrick Ernzen © 2015 courtesy RM Sotheby’s

In 2016, RM Sotheby’s grossed $118 million from just over 100 cars – 21 cars were sold for over a million dollar including three that sold for over $10 million and setting new marque records: a 1955 Jaguar D-Type, 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Lungo Spider and a 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra CSX2000 – the most-expensive American car ever.

The world’s single auction record remains RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 when three days of auctions grossed $172.7 million and million-dollar results for 35 cars.

1968 Porsche 908 K Works Team Racing Coupe

1968 Porsche 908 K
Robin Adams © Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The 1968 Porsche 908 K, chassis 908-010, announced for the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 sale is a rare surviving short-tail prototype. This “short-tail” coupé (K was used as abbreviation for Kurzheck) was powered by a 3-liter, flat 8 engine producing 350 hp.

Rather disappointingly, chassis 908-010 competed only once in period. Porsche System Engineering entered the car as a works entry into the 1968 Spa 1000 KM race. It raced as car no 6 with Vic Elford leading multiple times during the first 32 laps. However, co-driver Jochen Neerpasch slipped off the wet track and crashed on his second lap.

1968 Porsche 908 K Profile
Robin Adams © Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The 1968 Porsche 908 K, chassis 908-010, would not raced again in period. It was sold to private hands and remained unseen for two decades in Switzerland.

In the late 1990s, the Porsche was sold in the USA and restored by John Corsen for Bill Ferren in time to participate in the 2004 Rennsport Reunion at Daytona. Since then, the 908 frequently raced in historic and vintage events in especially the West Coast including Rennsport Reunion II, III, IV and V.

1968 Porsche 908 K rear side
Robin Adams © Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

Details on the car are still scarce but the 1968 Porsche 908 K, chassis 908-010, retained its original chassis repaired after the Spa accident. It is powered by a “fresh, recently serviced factory 908 engine” so it presumably not the original.

RM Sotheby’s has not released any price estimate yet but the last two Porsche 908 sold at auction achieved around $3.5 million but these were completely different body styles from chassis 908-010 and of course with completely different histories.

Monterey Classic Car Week Auctions 2018

Monterey 2018 Auction Results

Auction Previews:

Pre-Sale Announcements

1911 Mercedes 28/60 Tourer
© Bonhams

Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018:

Gooding Pebble Beach 2018:

Mecum  Monterey 2018:

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT – Patrick Ernzen © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018: