Image credit: © conceptcarz.com (Reproduction Or reuse prohibited).
'Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.' That may be clear nowhere better than with the Porsche 956 - winner of LeMans in its first appearance - with its derivatives the 962 and 962C, arguably the most successful single series of endurance racing cars ever built with more than 120 victories over a 13-year span.
This example, chassis number 956-003, was the single most successful of the 956/962 series. It was driven to second place in the 1982 24 hours of LeMans (winning by only 63 seconds after crossing the line with a nearly seized engine) by Vern Schuppan, Jochen Mass and Jackie Ickx, and won its next four races that year, driven by Ickx/Mass in three and by Ickx and Derek Bell in the other. In 1983, this car won at Spa, Fuji, Brands Hatch and a breathtaking victory at LeMans, driven by Vern Schuppan, Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood, covering a then-record distance of 3,136 miles. Porsche 956-003 has the best record of all the factory 956/962 chassis; responsible for more points than any other 956 and Porsche's 1982 World Endurance Championship and Ickx's Driver championship and - most important of all - the overall winner of the 1983 LeMans 24 hour race. It is an essential part of the bedrock foundation of the Porsche endurance racing legend.
On March 5th of 1986, 956-003 was sold to Vern Schuppan in whose hands it had twice raced and has had only four owners since then, all recognized collectors who have carefully maintained and preserved this singularly important piece of racing history. It has the 620 horsepower, 2649cc intercooled twin-turbo, dual overhead camshaft, four-valve per cylinder boxer six, with air cooled cylinders and water-cooled heads. Altogether 124 of these 956/962 series racers were built by Porsche and somewhere around 56 others were built by privateers.
This example, chassis number 956-003, was the single most successful of the 956/962 series. It was driven to second place in the 1982 24 hours of LeMans (winning by only 63 seconds after crossing the line with a nearly seized engine) by Vern Schuppan, Jochen Mass and Jackie Ickx, and won its next four races that year, driven by Ickx/Mass in three and by Ickx and Derek Bell in the other. In 1983, this car won at Spa, Fuji, Brands Hatch and a breathtaking victory at LeMans, driven by Vern Schuppan, Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood, covering a then-record distance of 3,136 miles. Porsche 956-003 has the best record of all the factory 956/962 chassis; responsible for more points than any other 956 and Porsche's 1982 World Endurance Championship and Ickx's Driver championship and - most important of all - the overall winner of the 1983 LeMans 24 hour race. It is an essential part of the bedrock foundation of the Porsche endurance racing legend.
On March 5th of 1986, 956-003 was sold to Vern Schuppan in whose hands it had twice raced and has had only four owners since then, all recognized collectors who have carefully maintained and preserved this singularly important piece of racing history. It has the 620 horsepower, 2649cc intercooled twin-turbo, dual overhead camshaft, four-valve per cylinder boxer six, with air cooled cylinders and water-cooled heads. Altogether 124 of these 956/962 series racers were built by Porsche and somewhere around 56 others were built by privateers.
2015 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $7,000,000-USD $9,000,000
Sale Price :
USD $10,120,000
2007 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona
High Bid (Lot was not sold)
USD $2,000,000
Recent Sales of the Porsche 956
(Data based on Model Year 1982 sales)
1982 Porsche 956 Chassis#: 956-003 Sold for USD$10,120,000 2015 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours | |
1982 Porsche 956 Group C Sports-Prototype Chassis#: 956-004 Sold for USD$3,179,431 2014 RM Auctions - Paris |
Porsche 956s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1982 Porsche 956's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1982 Porsche 956 Group C Endurance Racing Coupe | 956-003 | 2007 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona | $2,000,000 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $6,649,716 range.
1938 BUGATTI TYPE 57C ARAVIS 'SPECIAL CABRIOLET' Chassis#:57768 Sold for $6,605,000 2024 Gooding & Co: Selections From The Mullin Collection Auction | |
1966 Ford GT40 MkI Road Car Sold for $6,930,000 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III by Pinin Farina Chassis#:1305 SA Sold for $6,605,000 2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1960 FERRARI 250 GT SWB BERLINETTA COMPETIZIONE Chassis#:2021 GT Sold for $6,697,357 2022 Gooding & Company : London Auction | |
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina Chassis#:0963 GT Sold for $6,825,000 2022 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing Chassis#:198.043.5500332 Sold for $6,825,000 2022 RM Sothebys : Arizona | |
2002 Ferrari F2002 Chassis#:219 Sold for $6,643,750 2019 RM Sothebys : Abu Dhabi | |
2017 Pagani Zonda Aether Chassis#:ZA9C820C110F76131 Sold for $6,812,500 2019 RM Sothebys : Abu Dhabi | |
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet Chassis#:0789 GT Sold for $6,800,000 2019 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 'Bond Car' Chassis#:DB5/2008/R Sold for $6,385,000 2019 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta Chassis#:0905 GT Sold for $6,600,000 2018 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1959 Aston Martin DB4GT Prototype Chassis#:DP199/1 Sold for $6,765,000 2017 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1952 FERRARI 340 AMERICA SPIDER COMPETIZIONE Chassis#:0196A Sold for $6,380,000 2017 Bonhams : Scottsdale, AZ | |
1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen Chassis#:408383 Sold for $6,600,000 2017 RM Sotheby's : Arizona Auction | |
1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans Chassis#:0060 M Sold for $6,490,000 2016 Gooding & Company : The Scottsdale Auction | |
1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Chassis#:09413 Sold for $6,400,000 2015 Rick Cole Monterey | |
1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pinin Farina Chassis#:1945 SA Sold for $6,380,000 2015 RM Sotheby's : Amelia Island | |
1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype Chassis#:GT/108 Sold for $6,930,000 2014 RM Auctions at Monterey | |
1958 FERRARI 250 GT SERIES 1 CABRIOLET Chassis#:0759 GT Sold for $6,820,000 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction | |
1962 FERRARI 250 GT SHORT-WHEELBASE SPECIALE AERODINAMICA Chassis#:3615 Sold for $6,875,000 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction |
1982 Porsche 956
• Additional valuation insight and sales data• History
• Specifications
• Image gallery
• Other Porsche 956 model years