A 1939 Porsche Type 64 Coupe Is Heading to Auction

Whether you’re talking prototypes, celebrity owned cars, rarities or cool cars from the ’80s, there’s no denying the fact that Porsche has produced quite a few iconic, classic and rare automobiles since they got their start almost a century ago. But there is perhaps no rarer example of Porsche history than the 1939 Porsche Type 64 Coupe you see here. Originally built for the 1939 1,500 km Berlin to Rome road race that would never happen, the Type 64 was based on the Type 1 Volkswagen (we know it as the Beetle) powertrain and covered with a whole new style chassis and riveted alloy body that utilized WWII aircraft technology. This is the third example of the Type 64 that was built, and the only one known to have survived the war. As Sotheby’s puts it, “This is perhaps the most significant surviving piece of Porsche engineering and design history.” We’re inclined to agree. This 1939 Porsche Type 64 Coupe rolls across the block during the RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction from August 15 – 17 in Monterey, California.