This Ultra-Rare 1966 Porsche 906 Is What Racing Dreams Are Made Of

While everyone’s losing their minds over the latest 911 GT3 or hunting down the perfect air-cooled 964, there’s a far rarer beast that just hit the market through RM Sotheby’s – a genuine 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6. And not just any 906, but a remarkably original example with actual racing wins under its belt and a story worth telling over drinks.

If you’re wondering why car nuts get all hot and bothered about mid-60s Porsche race cars, the 906 is basically the answer. It represents that magical moment before racing got too serious – when privateers could still buy a factory race car, drive it to events, beat some big teams, and celebrate with a cold one afterward. It’s the Goldilocks zone of vintage racing machines: fast enough to thrill, analog enough to feel connected, and (relatively) simple enough that you won’t need a team of engineers on standby.

Featherweight Champion

What made the 906 special back in 1966 still makes it special today – it’s stupidly light. Porsche’s engineers took a different approach than with the earlier 904, wrapping a tubular frame in super-thin fiberglass panels instead of using a heavier bonded construction. The result? A car about 200 pounds lighter than its predecessor, which is like removing a passenger from today’s sports cars.

That light weight, combined with the sleek body with its signature gullwing doors, created a car that didn’t need massive horsepower to embarrass more powerful competitors. Only 65 of these beauties were ever built, with this particular car (chassis 906-115) being among the 52 customer cars equipped with the carbureted 2.0-liter flat-six engine rather than the fuel-injected race versions.

From Italian Hillclimbs to Auction Block

What gives a vintage racer soul isn’t just how it looks in museum lighting – it’s the stories of who flogged it around race tracks back in the day. This particular 906 first landed in the hands of Italian racer Ermanno Spazzapan in March 1966. Spazzapan (who raced under the nickname “Mann”) had been campaigning various 356 models before this, so the 906 represented a serious upgrade in his racing arsenal.

Within weeks of delivery, “Mann” was already putting his new toy to work, grabbing second in class at an Italian hillclimb in April 1966. Over the next few months, he raced it at ten different events, even scoring an outright win at the Antignano-Monte Burrone hillclimb.

After just a year, the car changed hands to another Italian enthusiast, who handed driving duties primarily to Antonio “Khandaru” Zadra and Giuseppe Dalla Torre. These guys weren’t playing around – they took the car to the grueling Circuito del Mugello in 1967 (think Targa Florio levels of insanity) and finished 10th overall and 3rd in class against factory teams from Porsche, Ferrari, and Alfa Romeo.

Even more impressive was their run at the 1968 Imola 500 kilometers, where they scored 4th overall and 1st in class. The only cars that beat them were factory-backed Alfa Romeo T33/2s. That’s like showing up to a modern endurance race in your privateer GT car and finishing just off the podium behind the hypercars.

Surprisingly Original

What makes this particular 906 a cut above is how much of its original stuff is still there. While many vintage racers have been crashed, rebuilt, and had parts swapped over decades, this one still has its original gearbox (number 906-110) and those thin fiberglass body panels that left the factory in 1966.

The car spent an incredible 24 years with German Porsche collector Bernd Becker before making its way through several appreciative owners. Recently, it received over $60,000 in mechanical freshening by Porsche specialists Road Scholars, ensuring it’s ready to hit the track (or road) at a moment’s notice.

Need proof this isn’t just a trailer queen? In 2020, the car completed a 300-mile road trip between Vail and Aspen alongside three other 906s. Can you imagine that convoy coming up in your rearview mirror?

The Ultimate Vintage Racing Ticket

What makes the 906 particularly appealing is that it’s a genuine race car you can actually use without a support team from the factory. Its 210-horsepower six-cylinder engine might sound modest by today’s standards, but in a car weighing around 1,300 pounds, it delivers plenty of thrills without trying to kill you.

This is basically your golden ticket to any vintage racing event worth attending – Le Mans Classic, Tour Auto, Goodwood Revival, Monterey Historics – they’ll all roll out the red carpet for a genuine 906 with race history. Better yet, you won’t need professional driver credentials to enjoy it, unlike some of the more exotic prototypes that followed.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

This exceptional piece of Porsche racing history is currently available through RM Sotheby’s Private Sales division with a “price upon request” tag – which is auction-speak for “seriously expensive, but worth it.” Similar cars have traded hands for seven-figure sums in recent years. The car comes with its original Kardex (Porsche’s factory record card), documentation from marque expert Jürgen Barth, and is currently located in Nara City, Japan.

Recap

Auction Block: 1966 Porsche 906

One of just 65 examples ever built, this remarkably original 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 combines genuine period race success with the versatility to still be enjoyed on road or track today – making it the ultimate vintage racing trophy for the serious Porsche collector.

Learn More: RM Sotheby’s