First Of 25 Gunther Werks 400Rs Will Fetch Well Over $1M

Oct. 02, 2023 1:02 PM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Auctions / 5 Comments

For something as rare and special as this, the price looks about right.

The very first Gunther Werks 400R Sport Touring build has appeared for sale on Bring a Trailer, and with two days of bidding remaining at the time of writing, it's already a million-dollar car. Dubbed the Chelsea Grey Commission, this very car graced the lawns of Pebble Beach at the 2018 edition of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.

As one of just 25 coupes built to 400R specification, this is a very rare machine, and if the pictures are anything to go by, its condition is just as good. According to the listing, the car was returned to Gunther Werks in 2022, where the interior was refreshed, and the rear suspension, hydraulic lift system, and sound system were updated.

We can't imagine this must have taken too much effort, as the car has just 2,400 miles showing on the odometer.

If you're unfamiliar with the build, you'll be interested to know that the body panels are made of carbon fiber and enclose a 4.0-liter air-cooled flat-six engine built by Rothsport Racing. This 7,800-rpm screamer generates 435 horsepower and 312 lb-ft of torque, all of which is sent to the rear wheels via a Getrag G50 six-speed manual gearbox with custom gear ratios. A limited-slip differential with carbon clutches also features, while custom rear control arms, JRZ adjustable coilover suspension, and uprated anti-roll bars promise engaging handling.

Originally fitted with black wheels, the car now wears golden rims, and these add a nice contrast in much the same way that the rouge cabin does. The effect uplifts the entire car without making it gaudy.

Having spent some time at the Gunther Werks studio in California, we can happily say that whoever wins this auction will be buying one of the best Porsche 911 restomods on the planet. Now that the company is exploring turbocharged restomods, its engineering expertise will only improve, so it needs a new challenge.

Gunther Werks founder Peter Nam built the aftermarket BMW tuning company Vorsteiner before turning his attention to air-cooled rear-engine German sports cars, and soon he will be returning to his roots. Gunther Werks has announced that it is hard at work reimagining an E30 BMW M3, and we can't wait to see what the company comes up with.

In the meantime, we'll just stare at auctions of cars we can't afford. At last glance, the Chelsea Grey Commission was at $1.1 million and climbing.