1995 Porsche 911 GT2 Evo Harlekin 993 (Harlequin)

Two things we like here at Spotted: rarity, and a splash of colour – and this month’s car has plenty of both. We found a glorious 2.8 RSR, number 12 of just 55 built in Sea blue (which is on the cusp of purple) over at Mechatronik.de. Job done, we thought, but then we scrolled down. Now, there aren’t many cars that can out-rare and out-colour a purple (with red decals) 2.8 RSR, but the 993 GT2 Evo Harlekin (Harlequin) is such a car. And then some.

Only 11 of these racers were built by Porsche and only one exists with a hand-painted Harlequin body. Yes, even the GT2’s famous bolt-on wheel arch extenders are all different colours, with every panel on this remarkable car coming in a riot of Porsche’s then-paint choices, in a hand-painted design that’s very much of its time, but still looks incredible today. A genuine one-of-one, then, of an already extremely limited build number, this is Spotted manna from heaven, which we’re delighted to feature on these pages. Even if it does mean we’re going to have to work damned hard to go one better next month.

Not only is it an incredible model and colour combination, this ticks even more collector car must-haves by being an official show car. It was built to introduce the 993 GT2 Evo and displayed at the 1995 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show. The car was bought from the show stand by an influential customer, where it stayed in their private collection, displayed – perhaps rightly – as a work of art. That means there’s only 500km on the odometer, which is another collector’s box ticked although, unlike so many zero-use cars, the first owner of the car maintained it over the 25-year ownership to be ready to run at all times. That wasn’t the case at Mechatronik: the company acquired the car and liked it so much that it was added to its own collection, where it’s been for three years. It’s now for sale, ready to run (please do, new owner). This time-warp car is a genuinely unique proposition for a deep-pocketed buyer. There’s no word on price, but it’ll be sizeable, and certainly justified. In case you’re not aware, the 993 GT2 Evo was effectively the company’s final racer off what’s recognisably a production model 993. The Evo elements do what any evolution of a racer typically does over the road car offering. There’s a 600hp development of the 993 GT2’s 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat six, a modified transmission to cope with that boosted power, and the sort of aero that doesn’t leave you guessing as to its purpose.

GT2 Evos would be raced successfully for a year or so, before Porsche focused its racing activities on the 911 GT1 in 1996. All the others will have been raced, which makes this car’s completely original, pristine condition even more appealing. That said, cool as it is with zero running, those big sticky Michelin racing slicks, brakes and that 3.6-litre twin-turbo engine must be crying out for a bit of use and heat with some track use. After all, while it’s undeniably a work of art, not running it is like hanging up a picture facing the wall…