Robb Report - USA (2019-08)

PORSCHE: STAUD STUDIOS (RM SOTHEBY’S);

FERRARI 312T: MIKE MAEZ; MERCEDES: MATHIEU

HEURTAULT (GOODING & COMPANY)

Dream Machines | WHEELS

72 AUGUST 2019

While January’s car auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz., set the mood

for the coming year’s collector market, it’s the August sales

held during Northern California’s Monterey Car Week that

usually bring out the heavy artillery, often with record prices

realized. Every year has its star cars; a Ferrari GTO here, a

Mercedes SSK there. For 2019, the field is even more formida-

ble thanks to the following rarities on offer. Robert Ross

The First Porsche

RM Sotheby’s (rmsothebys.com) has

caused quite the commotion with a unique

and precious prize this August. It’s one

thing for a car to be one of one, but to

be the first of all is unrepeatable. To crib

Porsche’s tagline, “there is no substi-

tute” for the very first car to ever wear

a Porsche badge (above and left). This

is the Adamic automobile of the German

marque, the patriarch from which every

356 descended, which in turn begat the

911 and every other Stuttgart-crested

creation. Made in 1939, the Type 64

Berlin-Rome was essentially a tear-

drop-shaped, aerodynamic aluminum

body wrapped over a Volkswagen beetle

chassis and drivetrain, hot-rodded to all

of 32 hp. Ferdinand Porsche and his son

Ferry designed the car to compete in the

proposed 1,500 km race between the two

cities to promote Germany’s autobahn

system and to celebrate the launch of the

Best on the Block

in Monterey

The patriarch

from which

every 356

descended,

which in turn

begat the 911

and every other

Stuttgart-

crested

PORSCHE: STAUD STUDIOS (RM SOTHEBY’S); creation.

FERRARI 312T: MIKE MAEZ; MERCEDES: MATHIEU

HEURTAULT (GOODING & COMPANY)

Dream Machines | WHEELS

72 AUGUST 2019

WhileJanuary’scarauctionsinScottsdale,Ariz.,setthemood

forthecomingyear’scollectormarket,it’stheAugustsales

heldduringNorthernCalifornia’sMontereyCarWeekthat

usuallybringouttheheavyartillery,oftenwithrecordprices

realized.Everyyearhasitsstarcars;aFerrariGTOhere,a

MercedesSSKthere.For2019,thefieldisevenmoreformida-

blethankstothefollowingraritiesonoffer.RobertRoss

The First Porsche

RM Sotheby’s (rmsothebys.com) has

caused quite the commotion with a unique

and precious prize this August. It’s one

thing for a car to be one of one, but to

be the first of all is unrepeatable. To crib

Porsche’s tagline, “there is no substi-

tute” for the very first car to ever wear

a Porsche badge (above and left). This

is the Adamic automobile of the German

marque, the patriarch from which every

356 descended, which in turn begat the

911 and every other Stuttgart-crested

creation. Made in 1939, the Type 64

Berlin-Rome was essentially a tear-

drop-shaped, aerodynamic aluminum

body wrapped over a Volkswagen beetle

chassis and drivetrain, hot-rodded to all

of 32 hp. Ferdinand Porsche and his son

Ferry designed the car to compete in the

proposed 1,500 km race between the two

cities to promote Germany’s autobahn

system and to celebrate the launch of the

Best on the Block

in Monterey

The patriarch

from which

every 356

descended,

which in turn

begat the 911

and every other

Stuttgart-

crested

creation.