One to Buy: 1 of 15 built 1981 Porsche 946 Prototype
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Few Porsche prototypes survive the rigours of development and, of these, hardly any make their way out of captivity into private hands. However, currently residing at the Gallery Aaldering showroom in Brummen, Holland, is a remnant of Porsche’s effort to develop an improved 924.
One of 15 type 946 mules built with a combination of parts from the in-development 944, these cars served as an interesting link between the original 924, the soon-to-be-launched 944 and the subsequent 924 S. To reflect their prototype status, each of the 15 units was assigned a chassis number reserved for Porsche’s R&D department.
Cosmetically, this particular 946 resembles a cross between the 944 and 924 Carrera GT. Under the hood is Porsche’s 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine that went on to see use in the 944 and which offered some useful extra grunt over a base 924. The suspension, braking system and other mechanical components were all suitably fine-tuned to match the car’s extra capability.
Significantly, this unusual machine, which dates from 1981, is accompanied by its original German Fahrzeugbrief which lists Porsche AG in Weissach as the first owner. Additionally, an official letter from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart confirms its prototype status.
According to Gallery Aaldering: “The condition of this Porsche perfectly reflects its extraordinary background. The exterior remains clean and well-preserved, with paint and trim that retain their authentic appearance. Inside, the car is museum quality: the upholstery, carpeting, dashboard, and even the original gear shifter are all in outstanding condition.”
Configured in Guards Red with Brown upholstery and packaged in an extremely desirable non-sunroof bodyshell, this unusual 946 shows a little over 63,500km and would make a particularly interesting addition to practically any Porsche collection.
