Update: The mystery is partially solved, though we're still awaiting an official debut. The curious 911 is something coming from Tuthill Porsche, as seen in this teaser recently posted to X.
We love building cars that end with ONE...
— Tuthill Porsche (@Tuthill_Porsche) August 12, 2024
16/08/2024 | 2pm BST, 6am PST.#tuthill #montereycarweek #michelinUSA #asitwasintended @MichelinUSA pic.twitter.com/GzkkLywVFX
We have boots on the ground in Monterey, so stick around for more details as they become available.
Monterey Car Week is nearly upon us, so it's not strange to see some very cool cars in Southern California right now. But this one really caught our attention. Spotted on a transport trailer at the Los Angeles International Airport, it sure looks like an extremely rare Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion. But it's not. Or at least, not one as we know it.
Frankly, we don't know exactly what we're looking at. So we pose the question to you, Motor1 readers. Peruse this image shared by lfn1993 on Reddit and tell us what you think.
LAX tarmac car ID
byu/lfn1993 inwhatisthiscar
A Porsche spokesperson was not able to confirm to Motor1 whether this thing is something from its collection when reached for comment.
The overall shape screams Strassenversion, from the flared rear haunches to the roof scoop and vented hood. But the devil is in the details. Instead of a big rear wing, there's a ducktail. The side vents on this car are larger and squared off. The headlights look squared off, too. And there are some seriously wide side sills. Could this be a modern take on the 1990s icon? It's a plausible theory.
Another theory is this being a Le Mans-inspired 911 built by RML Group. The UK-based company recently dropped two teaser images for a car that looks a lot like this. But, like the Strassenversion, it's not a complete match.
RML's project, codenamed P39, has a Le Mans-style wing versus the ducktail on the mystery car. The front fascia is different, the headlights are different, and this car has side mirrors. That might be an important clue, because RML Group is also working on a track-only version called the P40. There aren't teasers for that, but a track car doesn't always have mirrors. And it would likely have different aerodynamic characteristics versus a street car.
It's possible the teaser images may not depict the final P39 design. And there's nothing saying mirrors won't be installed later. Maybe there are some fake panels installed to hide other design characteristics. Or, this could be a ginormous body kit bolted to an old Pontiac Fiero. It could be anything.
In any case, the odds of this car arriving in LA just days before Monterey Car Week are too good to be a coincidence. We have multiple people heading to California for the festivities, so stay tuned. When we have answers, so will you.
