Porsches lead the way at Bonhams Goodwood sale

Ten Porsches will go under the hammer at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed sale, with two significant examples leading the pack.

A 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera Speedster GS/GT (estimate £900,000-1,000,000) is in a league of its own. Between 1955 and 1959, just 152 or so Carrera Speedsters were produced, and this example is one of only three right-hand drive examples.

Its 1500cc engine has dual ignition, four overhead camshafts and aluminium pistons, cylinders and cylinder heads. The crankshaft rotates in roller bearings, and the engine is capable of producing almost 110bhp -  double the power of the traditional 1500cc push-rod engine. When new, this allowed the car to reach 120mph and gave it a 0-60mph time of 11 seconds.

Finished in ruby red, the car was delivered new to Australia where it had three owners before being laid up in a barn for several years. In 1982, the next owner restored the car as a silver GT using the engine from the fourth GT speedster to ever leave the Porsche production line. In 2014, the car was subjected to a meticulous restoration to bring it to its current award-winning condition.

Also for sale is a 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS Lightweight (estimate £750,000-850,000). Only 111 were ever delivered to the UK in right-hand drive configuration, of which just 19 were Lightweights like the model offered here.

The Lightweights were generally bought by devoted sporting drivers for use on the road, or by fully-fledged racing drivers for track use. All superfluous items were removed, including rear seats, armrests and even the clock in a bid to shed weight. Porsche managed to lose 100kg from the car, improving the handling, acceleration and braking of an already impressive car.

Originally sold in Belfast, the car took part in several Irish rallies, including the Donegal Rally. Its sporting career continued after it moved to the UK in 1974, a year during which it took part in six rallies. A two-year restoration was carried out in the late 1990s, restoring it to its original specification, while an engine rebuild took place in 2000.

Other Porsches in the sale include a 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo X88 (£250,000-300,000), a 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster (£250,000-300,000), and a 1967 Porsche 911 S (£240,000-280,000).