Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
Porsche's 904 Carrera GTS represented a bold experiment in combining exotic materials with pure racing engineering for road-legal competition. The fiberglass body, designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, draped over a steel ladder chassis and showcased breathtaking aerodynamic efficiency. The four-cam flat-four engine delivered 180 horsepower in a car weighing just 650 kg, enabling genuine 160 mph performance. Successful in racing from Targa Florio to Sebring, the 904 proved Porsche could build race cars for the road while maintaining the company's engineering excellence.
Extremely rare and valuable, most examples have racing history. Verify chassis authenticity and engine originality. Fiberglass bodies can hide damage, inspect carefully. Many have been raced extensively, original condition commands premium. Values have appreciated dramatically in recent years.
Built to meet FIA GT homologation requiring 100 units. Porsche built 120 to ensure compliance. Bodies were constructed by Heinkel, the aircraft manufacturer. Some examples received flat-six or eight-cylinder racing engines for competition.