In a remarkable intersection of automotive history and contemporary art, a life-sized wire sculpture of the iconic Porsche 934 race car has sold for £201,000 (around $250,000) at auction, surpassing the price of many actual high-performance vehicles, including the 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo.
The striking orange sculpture, crafted by London-based artist Benedict Radcliffe, is a meticulous 1:1 scale representation of the rare Porsche 934 racing car from the 1970s. Created using 32mm mild steel tubes and finished in a vibrant gloss Fluro Orange powder coating, the piece pays homage to the legendary Jägermeister-liveried chassis #0167 that made its mark in motorsport history.
What makes this sale particularly noteworthy is that the price tag exceeds that of a brand-new 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo, which starts at $199,195. The sculpture’s value is even more remarkable considering that functioning vintage Porsche 930 Turbos typically sell for roughly a third of what this artistic interpretation commanded.
The piece’s provenance includes an impressive exhibition history. Following its debut at Milan Design Week 2022, where it was showcased at the prestigious Larusmiani store, the sculpture caught the attention of Porsche itself. The German automaker was so impressed that it featured the piece in its China stores in Beijing and Shanghai, adding to its cultural significance.
The sale, conducted by auction house Collecting Cars, generated intense interest with 218 bids over a seven-day period. The winning bid came from a private Chinese collector, ensuring the sculpture’s return to a region where it had previously garnered significant attention.
Radcliffe’s attention to detail extends beyond the basic framework. The sculpture incorporates authentic BBS split-rim wheels fitted with Avon tires, grounding the ethereal wire construction in reality. Every curve and angle was measured, shaped, and welded by hand, creating a ghostly outline that captures the essence of the original race car.
The original Porsche 934, on which this artwork is based, was a highly limited production race car with only 31 examples ever manufactured. Built to compete in FIA Group 4 regulations, these vehicles now command prices exceeding $1 million when they rarely appear on the market.
This sale represents a growing trend where automotive-inspired art pieces command prices comparable to, or exceeding, the vehicles they represent. It demonstrates how the intersection of automotive heritage and contemporary art continues to create new value propositions in both the art and automotive collector markets.
Note – As per the Porsche website the MSRP of the Porsche 911 GT3 is $196,000.