Lot 226: 1985 Porsche 924 ‘Carrera GTR’-Specification Competition Coupé

A road model with competition potential, the luxuriously equipped Carrera GT version of the Porsche 924 was launched at the 1979 Frankfurt Show. Easily distinguishable from lesser 924s by virtue of its bonnet air intake and widened wheelarches, the Carrera GT was built in limited numbers - around 250 are thought to have been made - to gain homologation for rallying and Group 4 events. The standard version came with 210bhp, but this could be boosted to well over 300bhp for racing. Three cars were entered by the works in the 1980 Le Mans 24-Hour Race, finishing 6th, 12th and 13th. For 1981, in the February of which year the 100,000th 924 left the factory, two more limited edition derivatives of the Carrera GT were offered. Produced for that season only, these were the GTS and GTR, the former being a 245bhp lightweight variant, although still road legal to comply with homologation regulations, while the latter was an even more powerful (375bhp+) competition car intended for racing and rallying, only 17 of which were constructed.
This left-hand drive Porsche 924 was manufactured in the USA in 1984/85 to approximately Carrera GTR specification as an IMSA-regulation evolution of the 1980 Le Mans factory racers, and is believed to have raced only once or twice before being ‘retired’ to a private collection. In the current owner’s hands for the past 15 years, the car was restored to ‘concours’ condition in 2000 and the engine and transmission rebuilt by leading marque specialists G-Force Motorsport, of Aylesbury, Bucks. The vendor advises us that the 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine produces approximately 400-425bhp at 7,500rpm, and that since completion the 924 has remained within his private collection and been used only for track days at Donington Park and Silverstone.
The car’s tubular spaceframe chassis incorporates a host of endurance racing components including Porsche 962-type centre-lock hubs, air jacks all round, cockpit-adjustable brake balance, adjustable turbo boost, ATL 120-litre bag tank, twin 12-volt batteries, Lifeline automatic fire extinguisher, split-rim racing wheels, ventilated disc brakes, 4-pot brake calipers, quick-release steering wheel and new Willans racing harnesses.
A substantial quantity of valuable spare parts is offered with the car to include a set of bodywork panels and body moulds; spare engine and block; con-rods, new camshafts and pistons; hubs, suspension components and brake discs; gearbox internals and alternative ratios; driveshafts, wheel rims and several crates of miscellaneous spares. Presented in excellent condition, this highly developed 924 represents an ideal opportunity to acquire a car capable of bossing any track day while also affording the possibility of a competitive drive in either Porsche-specific or multi-make historic sports car racing series.