‘Flunder’-bodied, Le Mans class-winning Porsche 908 set to be auctioned

Air|Water in Costa Mesa, California is a new event from the founders of Luftgekühlt – the brainchild of double Le Mans class winner Patrick Long that organises mass gatherings to celebrate everything to do with air-cooled Porsches.

Due to be “the largest single brand auto experience” ever seen in California, Air|Water will certainly be a feast for the eyes of any Porsche fan – not least because Broad Arrow Auctions will stage a sale starring this spectacular 908/02 Langheck Flunder Spyder.

This is the class-winning car from the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours that, during its in-period career, was piloted by stars including Vic Elford, Richard Attwood, Helmut Marko, Gérard Larrousse and Rudi Lins.

It competed at Le Mans with Marko and Lins driving under the flag of Martini International Racing, for which it secured third overall having been beaten only by two of the mighty 5-litre 917Ks. (Of the 16 cars that finished the race, 12 were Porsches…)

The car also competed successfully in the Sebring 12 Hours and in the 1000Kms races at Spa and the Nürburgring.

And if that isn’t enough to justify its multi-million dollar estimate, 908/02-005 also featured in the cult Steve McQueen movie Le Mans alongside another 908 (022) that was entered for the race under the name of McQueen’s production company, Solar, to serve as a camera car for capturing live action.

Of the 28 908/02s built, this is one of a minority fitted with the ‘Flunder’ (flatfish) body style and, undoubtedly, the most storied of the lot.

Will it make it’s eye-watering estimate on the block? We think so.

1969 Porsche 908/02. On sale with Broad Arrow Auctions, Costa Mesa, California, April 27. Estimate: £3.7m-£4.5m