Genuine Porsche RSK goes to auction in US

At Gooding & Company's January 18-19 Scottsdale Auction, a well-presented, US-delivered example will be auctioned, which has racing history, and incredibly, is still a matching numbers example.

One of Porsche's most significant and beautifully-designed, open race cars, the RSK evolved from the marque's highly-successful 550 Spyder series. The RSK racing program served Porsche well in the late 1950s, repeatedly seizing class wins at Le Mans, Targa Florio, and the European Hill Climb Championship.

One of 37 built, this RSK was delivered new to the Miami-based sports car enthusiast Roy Schechter, who first raced the car that same year in Cuba at the 4 Hours of Alamar where it finished in fourth place. From that point on, this extraordinary, privateer racer was positioned for greatness.

At the Courtland Sports Car Races, Schechter and his RSK took home a significant overall win, beating both Jim Hall's Maserati 450 S and E.D. Martin's Ferrari Monza. Soon after, the RSK participated in the Nassau Speed Week in the Bahamas, racing in the Governor's Trophy, Porsche Trophy and the Nassau Trophy.

Since its retirement in 1960, it has been restored and inspected by Porsche Historian Jurgen Barth, who appreciated its rare, overall originality, early racing history, and matching-numbers engine. A rarity indeed, the RSK's estimate is $2,800,000 - $3,200,000.

The RSK will join a wide variety of collectables, including a 1957 Maserati 150 GT Spider prototype, 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 and 2003 Ferrari Enzo that will be offered over two days during the annual Arizona automotive auction week. At last year's Scottsdale Auctions, Gooding & Company sold 116 out of 118 cars, realizing $39.8 million in gross sales and 13 world records.

Further details at www.goodingco.com

Images: Mike Maez, copyright Gooding & Company