FIA Sports Prototypes – 2006 Market & Price Guide

The FIA (Federation International Automobile) sports prototypes were some of the most exciting purpose-built racing cars ever designed. They competed under the regulations set fourth by the FIA in the International Championship of Makes from 1964–1971, and the World Championship of Makes from 1972–1981. The regulations changed somewhat as the years passed, 5.0-liter engines, then 3.0-liter engines, etc., but the concept remained the same—to allow manufacturers to design the most fascinating, technically advanced sports racing cars the world had seen. These cars were built to compete in a world championship, which included racing in the great endurance races such as the Le Mans 24 Hour, Nürburgring, Spa and Monza 1000 km and the Targa Florio. Alfa Romeo, Alpine Renault, Ferrari, Ford, Lola, Matra, and Porsche, all designed very lightweight, successful, sports prototypes to compete in the world championship. From this came the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/12, Ferrari 512M, Ford GT40, Matra 670, and Porsche 917. These fantastic cars were driven by the world’s best drivers at a time when Formula One drivers still enjoyed driving in sports car races. Today FIA sports prototypes qualify to race in many great historic events such as the Le Mans 24 Hour Classic and Monterey Historics. Due to their technology, great designs, eligibility, and low production number, FIA sports prototypes have steadily been increasing in value.

1969 Porsche 908 Long Tail Coupe

In 1968, Porsche in Stuttgart, Germany, was determined to win the World Manufacturers Championship. Having always competed with small displacement engines, Porsche built the 908 sports prototype. It had a lightweight tubular chassis and was powered by a new fuel-injected, 3-liter, 8-cylinder engine producing 350 bhp mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Their cars were extremely light and nimble. These cars came as short tail coupes, long tail coupes, and as open spyders. They were raced through the 1970s. The most famous of the 908s was the aerodynamic long tail coupe designed specifically for endurance races at the high-speed circuits such as the Le Mans 24 Hour, Spa and Monza 1000 kms. The 1969 Le Mans 24 Hour ended up as the most competitive and closely contested of all the 24 Hour classics, with the Herman Larrouse 908 LT Coupe swapping the lead multiple times with the Ickx-Oliver Gulf GT40 in the last hour, resulting in a 2nd place overall finish by only some 100 yards behind the GT40. If not for a brake problem, the faster 908 would have won Le Mans. Porsche did win the World Manufacturers Championship that year and a 908 LT Coupe finished 3rd overall at Le Mans as late as 1972 proving this car’s durability.

1970 Porsche 908.02 Long Tail Spyder

Porsche, having won the 1969 World Manufacturers Championship had a goal of winning the Le Mans 24 Hour race and so took a multicar approach. The 4.9-liter, 12-cylinder 917K was now setting the pace but surprisingly the 3-liter, 8-cylinder 908 Long Tail Spyder which was lighter and more fuel efficient—and quite streamlined—was also reaching lap times close to those of its more powerful teammate. In the hands of Helmut Marko and Rudi Lins, the Martini-sponsored 908.02 LT Spyder moved up the leader board and finished in 3rd place overall at the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hour. It also took 1st place in the Sports Prototype class, 1st in the Index of Performance, 1st in the 3-liter class, and 3rd in the Index of Efficiency. Quite an accomplishment for Porsche’s 908 Spyder. The short chassis version .03 Spyder went on to win the Targa Florio and Nürburgring 1000 km’s that year making the 3-liter 908 one of the most successful racing Porsche’s. Today, these great cars are exciting to see and a reminder of the Porsche design and engineering excellence of that era.

Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:

• Degree of Originality
• Overall Condition, Restoration
• Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
• Production Numbers/Rarity
• Competition History
• Ownership History, Documentation
• Modern Event Eligibility

Regional Variances

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.