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Auctions

This Guards Red Porsche Carrera GT Is the Unicorn Collectors Have Been Waiting For

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Some supercars fade into history as newer, faster machines take their place. Others transcend their era, becoming rolling pieces of automotive mythology. The Porsche Carrera GT belongs firmly in the latter category, and one particularly striking example proves just how far its legend has grown.

Finished in the exceptionally rare shade of Guards Red, this 2005 Carrera GT is heading to auction in Europe with an estimated value of €2.2 million to €2.7 million—a reminder that analog performance has never been more desirable.

Long before the hybrid-powered 918 Spyder rewrote Porsche’s performance playbook, the Carrera GT represented the company’s ultimate expression of speed and engineering purity. Built in a production run of just 1,270 cars, it paired a motorsport-derived 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V10 with something that feels almost unimaginable in today’s hypercar market: a six-speed manual transmission.

The result wasn’t merely Porsche’s answer to the Ferrari Enzo—it was a machine that demanded commitment from its driver, rewarding skill with one of the most intoxicating driving experiences ever created.

Its rarity only adds to the appeal. While silver became the signature color for the Carrera GT, only around 80 examples left the factory wearing Guards Red, giving this car an unmistakable presence before the V10 even fires into life.

The example offered by RM Sotheby’s has led a remarkably restrained existence. It has covered just 20,408 kilometers since new and has passed through the hands of only four owners over the past two decades. According to marque specialist Jochen Bader, who inspected the car before the sale, its condition is “excellent,” with only a handful of minor stone chips betraying that it has actually been driven.

Importantly, the car has also received Porsche’s updated suspension components introduced during the 2024 recall campaign, ensuring that one of the brand’s most celebrated supercars benefits from the latest factory-developed improvements. An extensive collection of service records further reinforces the impression of meticulous ownership.

Inside, the Carrera GT remains refreshingly understated. Black leather covers the seats, dashboard, door panels, and steering wheel, allowing the iconic wooden shift knob to command attention at the center of the cabin. It’s a small detail that perfectly captures the car’s philosophy—an analog masterpiece designed for drivers rather than lap-time algorithms.

In an era dominated by electrification, dual-clutch gearboxes, and software-controlled performance, the Carrera GT has evolved from an intimidating supercar into one of the automotive world’s most coveted collector pieces. Its naturally aspirated V10, manual transmission, and uncompromising character represent a formula unlikely to ever be repeated.

For the lucky bidder willing to spend somewhere between €2.2 million and €2.7 million, this Guards Red Carrera GT isn’t simply another investment-grade Porsche. It’s an opportunity to own one of the last truly analog hypercars—a machine that continues to define an entire generation of performance cars and remains every bit as captivating today as it was when it first rolled out of Stuttgart.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Auctions

1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS “Evo 3.6” is for sale

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For decades, the Dino lived in Ferrari’s shadow.

Created at the insistence of Enzo Ferrari himself and named in honor of his late son Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, the sub-brand was never intended to be a bargain-bin alternative to Maranello’s finest. Yet history has a way of rewriting narratives. While the Dino 206 GT and later 246 GT and GTS rolled out of Ferrari’s factory and shared much of the company’s engineering DNA, the absence of the famous prancing horse on the nose left many collectors treating them as second-tier Ferraris for years.

Not anymore.

A heavily reimagined 1972 Dino 246 GTS currently crossing the auction block in the United States is attracting the kind of money typically reserved for the marque’s most celebrated classics. With bidding already sailing past $800,000 and the auction still open, this once-overlooked sports car is proving that the Dino name has finally earned its place among Ferrari royalty.

Then again, this isn’t your average Dino.

The car underwent a comprehensive restoration and transformation by British specialists Moto Technique between 2017 and 2018. While the original 246 GTS relied on a charismatic 2.4-liter V-6 mounted behind the driver, Moto Technique decided nostalgia wasn’t enough. In its place sits a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter Tipo 105C V-8 equipped with individual throttle bodies, revised cylinder heads, and a bespoke MoTec engine-management system.

The result is approximately 400 horsepower—nearly double the output of the original car.

Power is routed to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission, preserving the mechanical interaction that makes classic Italian sports cars so addictive. Supporting upgrades include a larger aluminum radiator, coil-over suspension, and anti-roll bars front and rear, all intended to ensure the chassis can keep pace with its vastly increased performance.

The visual changes are just as dramatic, although they’re handled with enough restraint to avoid upsetting purists entirely.

During the restoration, the body was stripped to bare metal before being refinished in deep black paint. New plexiglass headlamp covers sharpen the Dino’s already gorgeous front-end design, while larger 17-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires bring modern grip levels to a shape penned more than half a century ago. Behind those wheels sit brakes sourced from a Ferrari 360 Modena—a clear sign that Moto Technique expected this Dino to do more than simply pose for photographs.

Inside, the transformation continues.

Daytona-style seats trimmed in red and black leather create a cabin that’s equal parts classic Ferrari and bespoke grand tourer. Matching red carpeting brightens the interior, while a gated shifter preserves the tactile charm enthusiasts expect from an Italian exotic. There’s even a modern audio system with iPod connectivity, a subtle reminder that this Dino was built to be driven rather than preserved as a museum piece.

Since the restoration’s completion, the car has covered just 13,679 kilometers, suggesting it has been enjoyed enough to stay healthy while remaining remarkably fresh.

The irony is impossible to ignore. A model once dismissed as “not a real Ferrari” is now commanding supercar money thanks to a build that boldly abandons originality in favor of performance. Yet perhaps that’s exactly why bidders are lining up. The Dino was always celebrated for its beauty and balance. This example simply asks the question: what if Ferrari had kept developing it?

Judging by the auction results so far, plenty of collectors are willing to pay handsomely for the answer.

Source: Bring a Trailer

Auctions

This Rare AMG Wide-Body Coupe Just Sold for $251,000—and It Proves Not Every AMG Legend Needed a V8

When enthusiasts talk about pre-merger AMG, the conversation usually begins—and ends—with the Hammer. The wide-fendered super sedan became an icon by stuffing a massive V8 into an unsuspecting Mercedes and embarrassing exotic cars in the process. But every now and then, a lesser-known creation emerges to remind us that Affalterbach’s magic wasn’t measured solely in cylinder count.

Case in point: this 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE-24 AMG 3.4, one of just 25 examples converted by AMG when new. Recently crossing the auction block for an impressive $251,000, it stands as a rolling reminder of a time when AMG was still a renegade tuner building bespoke machines for customers who wanted something far more exclusive than anything available from a Mercedes showroom.

The recipe started with the elegant C124-generation 300 CE-24 coupe, already one of the most handsome Mercedes designs of its era. From there, AMG worked its usual black magic. The naturally aspirated M104 inline-six was enlarged from 3.0 to 3.4 liters, while a set of AMG camshafts helped increase output to a claimed 272 horsepower. That may not sound outrageous today, but in the early 1990s it represented a substantial jump over the standard car’s roughly 220 horsepower and transformed the coupe into a genuinely quick grand tourer.

Visually, the upgrades are impossible to miss. Finished in Blue-Black Metallic, the coupe wears the full AMG treatment: dramatically widened fenders, deeper side skirts, front and rear spoilers, and a set of classic three-piece AMG wheels that perfectly capture the era. The result is equal parts luxury coupe and street-fighting bruiser—a machine that looks like it belongs in a late-night Tokyo crime thriller. Fittingly, this particular example spent much of its life in Japan after receiving its AMG conversion.

Open the door and the period-correct atmosphere continues. Heated Recaro Classic sport seats, AMG instrumentation, rich wood trim, and a Technics cassette player transport occupants straight back to the golden age of German tuner cars. In an era when many classic performance cars are modernized beyond recognition, this AMG remains refreshingly authentic.

Its condition is no accident. Prior to the sale, the previous owner reportedly invested heavily in mechanical refurbishment. The engine was removed and serviced, seals and gaskets were renewed, numerous wear items were replaced, and the transmission received its own refresh. A set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires completes the package, ensuring the upgraded straight-six can deliver its power with confidence.

Of course, perspective matters. As special as this AMG coupe is, it occupies a different tier from the mythical Hammer models powered by AMG’s thunderous 6.0-liter V8. Those cars remain the crown jewels of the pre-merger AMG world, and their values reflect that reality. One example changed hands for an astonishing $885,000 in 2023.

Yet that comparison almost misses the point. The appeal of this 300 CE-24 AMG 3.4 isn’t that it’s a bargain Hammer. It’s that it represents a different side of AMG’s history—one built on engineering finesse rather than brute force. Before AMG became a global performance brand, it was a small company creating highly personalized machines for a select group of enthusiasts. Cars like this are increasingly rare survivors from that era.

And at a quarter-million dollars, collectors are clearly starting to notice.

Source: Bring a Trailer