It might be hard to believe but this is in fact a Porsche 911, probably the most unique one out there. Over the 55 years of production, the iconic design of 911 hasn’t changed much, and even the most special custom 911s ever have hardly strayed away from the original design. However, nothing about this open-top suggests that it is the German carmaker’s most revered model, except for the 911 badge on the rear. This makes it one of the most special, and bizarre, Porsche 911 ever built. Here’s the very interesting history behind it: In 1965, California Porsche dealer named John von Neumann wanted an open-top Porsche 911; however, the 911 Targa, with its removable center roof section, was still a few years away. That’s when he decided to take things into his own hands.
Neumann was able to acquire a bare 911 chassis from Porsche and commissioned legendary car designer Nuccio Bertone to create bodywork for it. That’s how this car came into being, which looks distinctly Italian and closely resembles some other drop-top sports cars designed by Bertone, including the Fiat 850 Spider. The 911 by Bertone was showcased at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show to gauge the interest of potential buyers. Unfortunately, no one placed any orders and the project was ultimately scrapped with the single prototype retained by Neumann himself; it later changed hands several times and even upgraded with a 2.0-liter flat-six from a 911 S, and wheels from a 914-6. This one-off Porsche 911 is now about to be auctioned by Gooding & Company which estimates it will sell for between $700,000 and $1 million when it goes under the hammer at Pebble Beach later this month.
[Via:RoadAndTrack]
