Los Angeles, 02 November 2017
Bonhams is very pleased to announce the consignment of one of the world’s
most iconic sports-racing cars for its January auction in Scottsdale, Arizona
– the former 24 Hours of Le Mans and Nuerburgring 1000 Kilometer
podium-placing 1958 Porsche 550A Spyder.
An automotive legend of design and performance, the instantly recognizable
Porsche Spyder is in a class all its own. The first Spyder, the 550, is most
associated in popular culture with James Dean who, like other race car
drivers, admired it for its beauty, speed and nimbleness. The 550’s
successor, the 550A, sported the same tantalizing design but was
substantially improved underneath. Powered by the original glorious 1.5-liter,
four-cam, flat-four engine, it enjoyed a space-frame chassis instead of the
previous ladder-frame, and had trailing-arm suspension instead of swing
axles, among other improvements. The enhanced weight reduction and
superior stability allowed the 550A to punch far above its weight and
compete successfully against the much bigger Ferrari and Aston Martin
race cars, earning it the nickname “The Giant Killer.”
|