Broad Arrow Auction: 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera RS

Tony’s Take: You can thank 959 modder and racer Bruce Canepa for the Show or Display law that allows “special” cars into the U.S. Vehicles that don’t conform to NHTSA regs, produced in limited quantities (under 500), subject to mileage restrictions, There’s another exception, that applies to the 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera RS up for auction at Broad Arrow.

If the car in question is over 25 years old, it can immigrate to The Land of the Free and ply American roadways. In this case, it’s a “get out of Japanese jail” free car for a Porker built to satisfy the homologation requirements of the N-GT (Series Grand Touring Cars) eight-maker race series, which ran for four years (2000 – 2004).

Unlike the 1999 Lamborghini Diablo GTR I price-predicted earlier, the race version of this 993-bodied 911 RS competed – and won three out of the four championships! The last of the air-cooled Porkers had plenty of power.

The first Porsche 911 to come with a 3.8-liter VarioRam engine, the 993 RS featured the Type M64/20, an engine specific to the RS, with a strengthened valve drive mechanism and bigger intake and exhaust valves. With its cylinder bore increased, the RS now displaced 3746 cc and produced an additional 28 horsepower over the standard 993.

Broad Arrow

Yeah, this one goes some.

Only 226 of the 1014 civilian RS’s were built with the M003 Club Sport aerodynamic package: sculpted front bumper, deeper chin spoiler and gigantic fixed wing with integrated intakes). The Broad Arrow car’s got it, with 18,348 miles on the clock.

Last three transactions

Sale prices overall

Over the last 10 sales, two white 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera RS sold on the market – this car was one of them. Of that batch, the three yellow cars brought the money. Even so, I say this car rings the bell!

On May 22, 2021, RM Sotheby’s sold this exact car – listed as a “1995” with 17,848 miles (500 miles less) – for $379k. Since then, rare Porsches values have appreciated by 20 percent. That would put this car at $454,800.

Broad Arrow doesn’t think they can repeat RM’s good fortune. They’ve predicted $350k -$400k with fees. I say higher by $54k. Downside: if you’re a well-fed American, you won’t fit, and modifying the seats would destroy the value.