A 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 has gone under the hammer this weekend for $2,205,000 – more than the highest estimate of 2 million USD. The car took part in some of the most prestigious races of its era and received a full pre-sale restoration.
The car won gold in its very first race, the 24 Hours of the Daytona in 1966. It has then proceeded to become one of Porsche’s most successful racecar designs of all time, scoring dozens of motorsport victories throughout its life.
Envisioned as a successor to the Porsche 904, the 906 model had a new stainless-steel space-frame and a glass-fiber body tested in a wind tunnel for the lowest drag possible. It helped that the whole car weighed as little as 580 kilograms (1,280 pounds).
Powering the track exotic is a 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine similar to that of the 911 R. Equipped with a magnesium sump, titanium connecting rods and a forged-steel crankshaft, it happily revs up to 8,000 RPM and slams the wheels with 210 PS (207 hp / 154 kW). The top speed amounts to 280 km/h (174 mph).
Out of a handful of 906 Carrera 6 units produced, many have died in racetrack accidents. The model is particularly highly regarded by car collectors for its sheer rarity and past successes. The example that went on sale this weekend had participated in nearly 80 official races, winning a few dozen on them. It has since received a complete restoration including an all-new engine.
