There’s more to Porsche than the 911 and modern hits like the Taycan and Cayenne. The German automaker has a long history of producing both icons and rarities.
From its roots in post-War Germany to its current status as one of the world’s leading performance car manufacturers, Porsche has evolved considerably over the decades. While its iconic 911 model has remained in production for the majority of the company’s existence, other models have come and gone, with their success dictated partly by ever-changing buyer tastes. Models like the Cayenne and Macan have proved to be major financial successes in recent years, helping the company keep its cashflow steady and giving it the ability to continue investing in its less mainstream models.
While both of those SUVs play an important role in the company’s portfolio, they’re not exactly the best looking Porsches ever designed, and they aren’t the most interesting to enthusiasts either. Instead, most enthusiasts are drawn to the brand through its rarer, motorsport-linked models, some of which have only ever been produced in double-digit or even single-digit numbers. Those limited-run Porsches also often command the highest prices among collectors, with many of the most expensive Porsches ever sold also being among the rarest. A significant number of the priciest Porsches are race cars, but not all of its rare, coveted cars are limited to the track. These five are among the brand’s rarest cars ever built, and they all qualify for a licence plate.Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion
The GT1 sports car category of the ’90s is responsible for producing a number of intense homologation specials, including the Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion. Only 21 examples of the car were built, with the goal of homologating Porsche’s 911 GT1 Evolution race car in time for the 1997 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the heart of the car sat a 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine, the same one that could also be found in the Le Mans car, albeit slightly detuned for road use. Still, with 537 hp on tap, the 911 GT1 Strassenversion was one of the most powerful road cars of its day.
The car’s styling is a mix of two other Porsche models, the regular roadgoing 911 and the 962 race car. As such, it was instantly recognizable as a 911 from the front — particularly with its distinctive “fried egg” headlights that were shared with the then-freshly unveiled 996 — but the rear looked very different. The combination of race car looks, rarity, and near-competition levels of performance has ensured that the 911 GT1 Strassenversion remains a very highly sought after collectors’ car today, and it commands seven figure sums at auction.
