Porsche Market Recap – Florida Week wrap-up

 

Over the past few years, what many once thought of simply as the Amelia Island auctions has evolved into something bigger. Thanks to RM Sotheby’s launching its ModaMiami sale the week prior, “Florida Car Week” has effectively become a two week run of major auctions, beginning in Miami and finishing on Amelia Island with Gooding Christie’s and Broad Arrow. For Porsche collectors, the numbers were impressive once again. In 2025, a total of 78 Porsches crossed the block with an 85% sell-through rate generating $35,886,680 in sales. 2026 saw slightly fewer cars offered at 72, but with the same 85% sell-through rate and an even stronger $37,218,700 in total dollar volume, proving that while the lineup may have shifted between venues, demand for top tier Porsches during Florida Car Week remains as strong as ever.

If 2025 was the year of the RUF, then 2026 may very well be remembered as the year of the Carrera GT. Earlier this year we saw a fairly standard 2,000 mile example finished in Seal Grey over Dark Grey top the $3 million mark, leaving many to wonder whether it was simply a one off result or the beginning of a new pricing tier for Porsche’s V10 hypercar. Florida gave us the answer. Three Carrera GTs crossed the block and the momentum clearly continued, with a pair of GT Silver Metallic examples both clearing $3 million. The standout, however, was a 2,800 mile Paint to Sample Gulf Blue example over Ascot Brown leather. Believed to be the first true factory PTS Carrera GT we have seen at auction in quite some time, it reset the market in emphatic fashion with a world record sale of $6,715,000.

RUF was not completely out of the picture, though, with six examples crossing the block across the Florida sales. The rarest of the bunch was a 1989 RUF 928R, the only W09 VIN RUF 928 ever built. Showing less than 1,600 miles and equipped with a RUF tuned V8, carbon ceramic brakes, and the brand’s iconic five spoke wheels, it was certainly one of the more unusual cars of the week. Unfortunately, it failed to sell on the block at $260,000, but later found a home post sale for $335,000 against a presale estimate of $400,000 to $500,000. Topping the RUF results, however, was a 2016 RUF Turbo Florio that brought $692,500. A strong number by most standards, though still about $17,000 short of the price the same car achieved when it last crossed the auction block back in 2022.

The biggest story to come out of Florida may have been the transaxle cars. Two exceedingly rare 968 variants crossed the block in the form of a 1993 968 Turbo S and a 1993 968 Turbo RS, with both bidding to an eye opening $775,000. Incredible money for a transaxle Porsche. In the end it was the RS that hammered sold while the S went unsold. Elsewhere in the segment we saw a strong result for a 968 Club Sport at $89,600 and an even more surprising $61,600 paid for a 12,580 mile 968 Cabriolet finished in the striking combination of Coral Red Metallic over Light Grey and Classic Grey leather. My pick of the transaxle litter, however, was the 924 Turbo rally car that competed in the 1979 Rallye Monte Carlo. It sold for $75,600, which feels like a bit of a deal.

356s also had a strong showing in Florida with 18 cars crossing the block and an impressive 89% sell-through rate. Leading the way was a 1956 356A 1600 Speedster restored in its original White over Red color combination. Originally delivered through Hoffman Motors, the car carried considerable history dating back to the late 1970s documenting long term preservation into the late 2010s, followed by an extensive restoration within the last decade. It ultimately sold for $357,000. Even the lowest 356 result of the week was still a strong showing for the model. A 1962 356B Notchback finished in Champagne Yellow over Black Leatherette, one of approximately 699 Porsche 356 B T6 Karmann Notchback Coupes built, had been extensively refurbished between 2019 and 2020 and retained its matching numbers engine per its Kardex. It sold for $81,200.

There were few other noteworthy results to come out of Florida as well. Leading the pack was a staggering $5,505,000 paid for a 959 Sport, one of the original eight examples sent to the United States before being turned away when the DOT and EPA deemed them ineligible for import. On the modern side, we saw a strong $767,000 result for a 2016 911 R. Another 959, this time an SC reimagined by Canepa, was bid to $2,900,000, which was right in line with recent comps, but ultimately failed to sell. Meanwhile, one of the more historically interesting cars of the week, a 1969 911 GT-S, one of just ten built and used by Porsche as a testing and development car, brought $357,000 against a presale estimate of $500,000 to $750,000.

Florida was one for the books, and certainly one for the record books as well. Looking ahead, the auction calendar does not slow down much. Broad Arrow returns with its Air | Water all Porsche sale in April, followed by Bonhams Miami and Greenwich auctions in May. After that, the market begins its steady march toward Pebble Beach, with plenty of online auction action in between. If Florida Car Week was any indication, it should be an interesting few months ahead for the Porsche market.