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55 of 132 lots
Lot 55
1997 Porsche 993 GT2
Estimate:
$600,000 - $800,000
Starting bid:
$300,000
Sold for
$460,000
Live Auction
Pebble Beach Auctions 2021
Description
Larry Schumacher, Cincinnati, Ohio (acquired new in 1997)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2013)
Chassis: 048 0026
Engine: 327

The 1997 GTS-2 and 1998 GT2 Champion with Schumacher Racing
Noted Drivers Include Larry Schumacher, Andy Pilgrim, and Dirk Müller
Top 10 Finishes at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona
Well-Documented History with Just Two Owners from New
Recent Service Carried out by Porsche Motorsport North America
Eligible for Numerous Historic Events Including Rennsport Reunion

3,600 CC Type M64/82 SOHC Flat 6-Cylinder Engine
TAGtronic 3.8 Engine Management
Twin KKK Turbochargers
Estimated 600 BHP at 7,000 RPM
6-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Ventilated Disc Brakes
Front Independent Suspension with Coil Springs
Rear Multi-Link Suspension with Coil Springs

The creation of new FIA GT racing categories in the early 1990s encouraged manufacturers to enter models evolved from production sports cars. Porsche responded with several variants based on its 964-generation 911, including the highly successful RSR. However, by the time that the 993 was launched in 1994, customers were demanding more power than the existing naturally aspirated flat-six engine could provide.

Named for the class for which it was built to contest, Porsche’s answer was the 993 GT2. Based on 993 turbo underpinnings, the GT2 featured bolt-on fender flares, a large rear wing, and aerodynamic panels with air intakes for additional brake cooling. Inside, the racer featured a spartan interior including only the necessities for competition. Fitted with mandated restrictor plates, the turbocharged 3.6-liter flat-six developed 450 hp and 400 lbs./ft. of torque. Power was managed by a six-speed manual transaxle that directed power to the rear wheels, as mandated by the regulations.

Launched at the 1994 Essen Motor Show, the 993 GT2 was constructed by Roland Kussmaul’s Motorsport Department at Porsche. A few years later, an even more powerful EVO model was introduced, and the 993 GT2 went on to achieve a dominant record at the highest levels of international endurance racing. Built in limited numbers, the GT2 proved so popular that many private teams were forced to purchase bare tubs from Porsche Motorsport and build up their own cars.

Of all the 993 GT2s that raced in period, few were as successful as the example presented here.

This car, chassis number 048 0026, was sold new by Porsche Motorsport as a bare tub. It was purchased by Larry Schumacher of Cincinnati, Ohio, a successful professional driver and owner of Schumacher Racing. John Wright, who ran Schumacher’s racing team, was given the task of building up this Porsche tub into a new 993 GT2 that would be campaigned in the IMSA Professional Sports Car Racing Series, specifically in the GTS-2 class.

Wright constructed this 993 along the lines of the factory examples per IMSA regulations and continued to improve and update the car to remain competitive, utilizing a combination of factory EVO parts as well as his own developments. Special attention was given to the GT2’s brakes and bodywork, and the car proved enormously successful.

Finished in Schumacher Racing’s distinctive white and purple livery, and wearing race no. 99, this Porsche made its debut at Sears Point in July 1997. Throughout that season, Schumacher and co-drivers John O’Steen and Price Cobb campaigned the GT2 to great effect, capturing class wins at Las Vegas and Sebring. Remarkably, Porsche won every race in the GTS-2 class and took the manufacturer’s title, while Schumacher’s performance earned him the 1997 IMSA Exxon Supreme GTS-2 Drivers Championship.

For the 1998 season, this car shared duties with an identically liveried, factory-built 993 GT2, and Schumacher once again took the IMSA GT2 Championship. In addition to the car’s impressive performances in IMSA competition, it also scored Top 10 finishes at the 1998 12 Hours of Sebring and at the 1999 24 Hours of Daytona, where it placed 2nd in Class.

Following its racing career, the GT2 remained in Larry Schumacher’s ownership until 2013, when it was sold to the current owner, a California-based collector with a stable of significant Porsches. Under his ownership, the car has been used sparingly and is presented today in its final configuration, as it last raced in 1999. In recent months, the GT2 has benefited from a recent service carried out by the experts at Porsche Motorsport North America and fine detailing by Ed Palmer of Kundensport in Oxnard, California.

Since its introduction in 1994, the 993 GT2 has earned a revered reputation with racers, collectors, and historians. As the last air-cooled 911-based Porsche race car, the GT2 achieved considerable success in period and is now eligible for the leading historic events, from Le Mans Classic to Rennsport Reunion. This outstanding car, which was integral in two IMSA championship campaigns and benefits from just two owners from new, represents a chance to acquire a pedigreed competition car from one of the most exciting eras in Porsche’s history.

*Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.