For Porsche’s 991-gen 911 Speedster, there’s ‘bigger demand than supply’

• Last 911 Speedster hammered for $500,000 at RM Sotheby’s online auction in April
• Porsche North America matched winning bid, handed all proceeds to United Way’s COVID-19 relief funds 
• 911 Speedster visually linked to 356 “No. 1” Roadster from 1948, the first Porsche sports car 

The 991 generation of the Porsche 911 is officially over. This series has been the most successful 911 generation to date, with 233,540 units produced. And, suitably, it was a glorious Porsche 911 Speedster that rolled off the assembly line as the final 991 ever built. 

Advertisement

Available in 1,948 examples, the 991-generation 911 Speedster honored 70 years of Porsche sports cars (the production number is a nod to the year in which Porsche’s first sports car, the 356, was certified for the road). 

Following a seven-day bidding period in April, an online auction hosted by RM Sotheby’s saw the last 911 Speedster hammering for $500,000, easily eclipsing its pre-auction estimate of $311,940. Porsche Cars North America then decided to match the winning bid to raise the total proceeds to $1 million. The amount was donated to United Way Worldwide to aid its work for COVID-19 relief in America.

Handing over the 911 Speedster to the winning bidder was Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. In a recent interview, Zellmer shared the last 991 happened to be allocated to the US market, making the car a “treasure” that could inspire people to help in United Way’s COVID-19 efforts. He noted the 911 Speedster is actually in “bigger demand than supply.” 

“When we began this project, I wanted to use our voice to help raise awareness and funding for the incredible work of United Way. I’m pleased to have helped draw attention to their efforts and I’m deeply appreciative of the generosity and kindness of all the participants and the winning bidder. We are joining in that spirit by making our own donation on top of the winning bid for this special part of our history. We can now look forward to the funds raised making a direct difference to those who need it most right now,” Zellmer said.

The 991 generation was launched in 2011 as one of the biggest development steps in the history of the 911, with nearly 90% of its components newly designed or substantially modified. For its part, the 991-generation 911 Speedster embodies the original virtues of Porsche—lightweight construction, efficiency, purity and driving pleasure. It packs a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six making 502hp, which is matched to a six-speed manual gearbox and a high-performance sports chassis. 

Based on the 911 R and 911 GT3, the 911 Speedster is also visually linked to the forebear of all Porsche sports cars, the 356 “No. 1” Roadster from 1948. The 911 Speedster celebrated its world premiere as a concept vehicle in 2018 at the “70 Years of Porsche Sports Cars” anniversary in Zuffenhausen, Germany. Examples of this very special model are available in Porsche Centre Philippines.