911 Carrera

Make
Porsche
Segment
Coupe

Porsche is famous for building world-class sports cars and has done so for the better part of half a century. In that time the German manufacturer has created some instant classics such as the legendary 356 and the much-loved 911, and it turns out that classic Porsches are some of the most collected cars in the world. Collectors are constantly on the hunt for more examples, and sometimes an abandoned garage or barn reveals some forgotten gems. We've covered a few of these finds in recent years, but this 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder tops them all. This German jewel was recently discovered in California after resting in obscurity for 35 years.

The discovery comes after the new owner, a Mr. Bobby Green was invited to inspect a motorcycle collection in Orange County. After sitting for nearly 35 years, Green was impressed at how well the Porsche had lasted. According to records, this street-spec 550 Spyder was purchased by Loretta Turnbull, a legendary speed boat racer in 1963. The car was restored in the 1980s before being packed away in a garage for the next three and a half decades. The fact that it is a 1955 model means that this was one of the last Porsche 550 Spyders to have left the assembly line in Stuttgart.

The sleek and sexy 550 Speedster enjoyed a successful racing career, achieving class wins in the 24 Hour of Le Mans, as well as the Carrera Panamericana. Powering this little beast is a mid-mounted, 1.5-liter flat-four engine that produced an eye-watering (in a sad way) 108 horsepower and 89 lb-ft of torque when it was new.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. These cars are exceptionally rare, and it's not uncommon to see restored versions selling for well over $3 million. It is unclear what Green plans to do with this amazing find, but we do hope it sees the track one day.