This 1957 Porsche 356 Race Car Could Fetch $1.2 Million at Auction

Without question, Porsche’s magnum opus to date is undoubtedly the 911, at least in the road-car realm—a model that lands at No. 4 on Robb Report’s subjective list of the “50 Greatest Sports Cars of All Time.” Yet the catalyst that triggered and accelerated the marque’s ballistic rise to prominence was its initial 356, which premiered in 1948. Next month, collectors will have an opportunity to own one of the scarcest, race-focused versions of the seminal model when a 1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera GT/GT Lightweight Coupe is offered through Broad Arrow Auctions.

“Whenever you have a truly standout example of a commonly understood, well-loved, and widely available model like the Porsche 356, you get something perhaps even more special and sought-after than a rarer or limited-edition car,” says Jakob Greisen, senior car specialist at Broad Arrow.

Just over seven years after the 356 premiered, the 356 A iteration was introduced. Unlike the original, which features Volkswagen’s 1.1-liter four-cylinder boxer engine—making roughly 34 hp—the next generation came with a choice of five power plants, ranging in output from about 43 hp to 98 hp. The cars that were fit with the latter mill and tuned for optimal performance were given the “Carrera” moniker. Of those, Porsche utilized numerous lightweighting measures in 1957 to develop a small number intended for motorsport. One example of the result is what will be crossing the auction block at the two-day Broad Arrow event, taking place August 13 and 14 as part of Monterey Car Week.

“The 1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera GT/GT Lightweight Coupe offered at our Monterey Jet Center Auction is a factory-built, race-ready version of a very common model, most comparable to a lightweight Jaguar E-Type,” explains Greisen. “There was somewhere in the realm of 75,000 356 examples built overall, but only about 26 of these lightweight racers for 1957—making it appealing to the most seasoned Porsche collectors.”

The example being presented, chassis No. 100913, was sent directly to New York–based U.S. importer Hoffman Motors. Broad Arrow references the car’s “Reutter Certificate of Production and factory Kardex warranty card” when providing details of the vehicle in its lot description. These specifications include a sport-exhaust system that boosts the four-cylinder engine—one designed by Porsche’s Ernst Fuhrmann—to 110 hp, a weight-saving body by coachbuilder Reutter, and Plexiglas for all windows. The interior eschews unnecessary heft by leaving out any use of such extravagances as undercoating, a heater, and backrests on the rear seats. Improved handling dynamics are aided by wider front brakes and a limited-slip differential.

As for its race résumé, chassis No. 100913 reportedly made its initial appearance on any starting grid at what happened to be the first competition to take place at Virginia International Raceway, held August 3 and 4, 1957. Behind the wheel of this 356 A was “The Flying Dentist” himself, Dr. Dick Thompson, going against a field that included Carroll Shelby, who won the contest in a Maserati 450S. Thompson, under the banner of Hoffman Motors, went on to compete with the car throughout the remainder of the year, with a third-place finish his best result in it.

In 1958, Michael Cappiello took possession of the car and raced it for around seven months before it began a new ownership journey that comprised eight known stewards in a 30-year period. Among those was racer and concours judge Glenn Herman, who sold the car to Mike Curnow in 1988. The car remained mostly tucked away until 2018, when its present owner rousted it from hibernation and had it undergo a three-year restoration.

According to Broad Arrow, that project included the matching-numbers engine being rebuilt by Connecticut-based Speedsport Tuning. In addition, various teams of restoration experts focused on refurbishing the body, the instrumentation, the transaxle, and the interior trim. The work paid off, as chassis No. 100913 has subsequently garnered class wins at the Amelia Island, Radnor Hunt, and Hilton Head concours—all in 2021—along with the 2024 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance and this year’s ModaMiami.

“These lightweights were raced hard, and many were damaged in period, however, the car we have on offer has been spared from any serious accidents and retains its original bodywork and, incredibly, its intricate and delicate four-cam engine—something nearly unheard of in this segment, says Greisen, who also notes “it is eligible for some of the most exciting events you can do in a 1950s sports racing car, including the Mille Miglia and the Le Mans Classic.”

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As far as its usability is concerned, Greisen assures that this classic Porsche “is just as capable as a grocery getter as it is on the track, making it the perfect hybrid right at the fork between road and race car.” Yet while that sentiment speaks volumes for this 68-year-old vehicle’s performance window, the fact that it carries a high-end estimate of $1.2 million makes the thought of it being used as a daily driver admittedly distressing.

Click here for more photos of this 1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera GT/GT Lightweight Coupe.