Porsche Market Recap – Florida 2025 Edition

 

 

After last year’s scheduling conflict, which saw the newly formed Moda Miami event competing against Amelia Island during the same weekend, this year’s events were strategically split across two back-to-back weekends. RM Sotheby’s kicked things off during Moda Miami on February 27 & 28, followed by Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction on March 6 & 7, and Broad Arrow Auctions on March 7 & 8. This revised schedule gave each auction its own spotlight, resulting in 78 Porsches crossing the block with a sell-through rate of 85% and a total dollar volume of $35,886,680. With this new format proving successful, it’s safe to say that Florida Car Week has officially arrived.

The most surprising sale of the week wasn’t the RUF CTR, though it certainly grabbed headlines (more on that below). Instead, it was the 1964 Porsche 904 GTS that stole the show for me. If you’ve been following my column, you’ll know that $1M+ race cars from the ’50s and ’60s have been struggling for years, with a steady stream of no-sales and bids well below estimates. But this time was different. Estimated between $1.5M and $1.8M, the 904 GTS blew past its high estimate, selling for $2,205,000 including buyer’s premium. While one sale doesn’t make a market, it was refreshing to see a classic Porsche race car finally bring strong money.

 

RUF collectors had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at Florida Car Week, with a CTR3, CTR2, and an original CTR ‘Yellowbird’ all on offer. RM Sotheby’s sold a 2009 CTR3, one of just 31 built, for $1,116,000, while Gooding & Co. auctioned a rare Adriatic Blue CTR2, one of only 18 produced, for an impressive $2,645,000. But the star of the show was the original W09-VIN CTR ‘Yellowbird’, one of only 29 built and likely the lowest-mileage example in existence. Finished in RUF’s iconic Blossom Yellow, it carried an estimate of “in excess of $6M” and sold for $6,055,000 including buyer’s premium. With these results, RUF has firmly cemented itself as a seven-figure brand, right alongside Porsche’s most valuable models.

 

The 356 market also showed surprising strength, with an 89% sell-through rate across 19 cars—a sharp contrast to the recently lower sell-through rates for the model. While many sales landed just below their estimates, there were a few standout results. A 1952 356 1500 Super Coupe brought $235,200, well above recent comps, where similar examples have struggled to break $200,000. Carrera-engined cars also performed well, with a 1959 356A 1600 GS/GT Carrera Speedster selling for $973,000, reinforcing its position as one of the most sought-after 356 variants.

 

While 993s have been among the auction market’s strongest performers in recent years, Florida Car Week delivered underwhelming results for the model—with one notable exception.

 

Leading the pack was a 1997 911 Turbo S, which sold within its estimate range at $643,000—a solid, if unsurprising, result for one of the most coveted air-cooled Turbo models. Beyond that, however, the standard 993 Turbo results were all over the place. Of the three standard Turbos on offer, one failed to sell at $260,000, while another sold well below estimates at $268,800.

 

But then there was the outlier—an Arena Red 993 Turbo that crushed expectations, selling for $260,400 against a $200,000–$225,000 estimate. If there’s one lesson to be learned here, it’s that you should never bet against Arena Red when it comes to 993s. This signature color, made famous in Porsche’s original 993 Turbo “Kills bugs fast” ad campaign, continues to prove that the right spec can still defy estimates.

 

With a strong sell-through rate, standout RUF results, and a rare success story for vintage Porsche race cars, Florida Car Week made a strong debut as a new fixture on the Porsche auction calendar. With Paris Retromobile behind us and Monterey still months away, all eyes will be on how the market shapes up heading into spring. One thing’s for sure—if this year’s Florida auctions are any indication, 2025 is going to be an interesting one.

 

• David K. Whitlock is a writer for The Stuttgart Market Letter, a daily market update for Porschephiles, by Porschephiles, delivered free to your inbox. To sign up, visit: stuttgartmarketletter.com