Formula-swapped Porsche 911 nearly hits $2M

A unique F1-engined restomod from Lanzante, known as the TAG Turbo, went up on sale at the Monterey Car Week on August 16, and brought its seller U.S. $1,930,000.

The UK-based McLaren specialist built 11 such vehicles in total, basing each one on a U.S.-spec 1988 Porsche 930 Turbo. The example sold by RM Sotheby’s last week had an exceptional engine, however, as well as a record-low mileage of 501 km (311 miles).

Most TAG Turbo examples shipped with a 3.3-liter, air-cooled flat-six engine. This one received a 1.5-liter V6 TAG Turbo TTE PO1 mill equipped with a pair of racing-grade turbochargers. It was designed by the legendary engineer Hans Mezger specifically for the McLaren MP4/2 and MP4/3, both Formula race cars.

Driving one of these in 1984, Niki Lauda earned his first champion’s title. Alain Prost did the same two years later. Rumor has it that Porsche presented McLaren with a modified 911 model as a token of gratitude once their partnership ended. It had one of these Formula-spec V6 engines at the rear end, a pair of intercoolers tucked in under the rear window, and two large radiators.

Alain Prost’s race car also featured a TTE PO1 051 engine when it hit the Grand Prix season of 1986. Prost drove the same car in Hungary and Japan races the same year, scoring bronze at the former. As for the car seen here, it was converted into a street-legal ride by Cosworth. The engineering firm replaced the turbos, the cooling, the valves and their springs, the pistons and the connecting rods, and many other components in order to make it suitable for the road. In the end, it hit the dyno with 517 PS (510 hp / 380 kW) and could attain a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph).