1964 Porsche 904 GTS

The 1960s was, without doubt, one of the golden ages of the automotive industry and there were so many mesmerising vehicles that emerged during the decade – not least this absolutely stunning 1964 Porsche 904 GTS which is going under the hammer at RM Sotherby’s Paris auction. This glorious looking machine was formerly owned by Raymond Touroul and Alain Salat and this means it will be a highly sought after lot when the auction begins.

The 1964 Porsche 904 GTS from RM Sotheby’s has a guide price of between €1.6m and €1.8m so it definitely doesn’t come cheap but when you consider the history and immaculate condition of this stunning vehicle, it becomes more understandable and this will be the central piece to some luxury car collector’s line up in 2020.

A Racing History

This majestic looking Porsche comes with a Type 906 Carrera 6 engine which delivers an exceptional performance and comes equipped with a unique dashboard and seats. As you can see, it is in remarkably good condition and this is because it has been painstakingly restored by a marquee specialist who is well versed in what it takes in breathing new life into vintage cars.

The 1964 Porsche 904 GTS from RM Sotheby’s is one of the first to boast an aerodynamic and lightweight glass-fibre bodyshell. Its powerplant was the highly accomplished quad-cam, air-cooled, as opposed to the four-cylinder engine which carried over from the 356 Carrera. Finished in Signal Red with a blue cloth interior, this chassis was fitted with engine number P99045 (Type 587/3) and gearbox number 904061 (Type 904/0).

Around 1969 the car was acquired by noted French driver Raymond Touroul and he raced it at a handful of events in period the 60s, including with co-driver Pierre Pagani at the 1969 Tour de France, where the car retired. Touroul appeared at the Coupes de Vitesse at Montlhéry in May of 1971, finishing 4th overall. By the late 1990s, the car had been purchased by enthusiast and collector Alain Salat and in 2000 it was entrusted to a marque specialist, who repainted the car Silver Metallic and installed a new black interior that gives it a whole new lease of life.

First Class Restoration

The original four-cam engine was found to have been damaged and was replaced by a period-correct, magnesium-cased, twin plug, Type 906 two-litre, six-cylinder engine and in 2007 it was bought by the current owner. He decided to restore the original engine to its former glory, yet did not fit it to the car in an effort to preserve it for future use. This engine is now out of the car, has been dyno tested, and is offered complete with flywheel, cooling turbine, carburettors, and ignition system. Following the restoration, the car appeared at the 2010 Le Mans Classic.

This spectacular lot from RM Sotheby’s comes with a FIA Historic Technical Passport which was issued in 2008. This is a significant history file, and a second set of wheels. Currently showing just 24,000 km, believed to be original, and benefitting from a clear ownership history, this 904 is one of the most breathtaking examples RM Sotheby’s has had the pleasure of offering. It is ready for vintage touring and rallying, with its amazing Type 906 six-cylinder engine, or, should its fortunate next owner desire, it could be restored to factory original specification with its original four-cylinder engine, offering truly the best of both worlds.