Icon Engineering's stunning Porsche 917 replica is now available for sale.
The Porsche 917 is an iconic car that made Porsche famous in endurance racing decades ago. However, it's easy to see why this car is so popular and why it can fetch a seven-figure sum when it comes up for sale. Well, that and the fact that it was the star of a little old movie called "Le Mans."
Only less than 60 cars were built, so the chances of seeing a 917 on the road, much less getting behind the wheel, are slim.
Icon painting appeared.
This British company has spent the last few years developing an exact replica of the 917, starting with the original 917 body obtained by co-founder Dave Eaton. It proved so good that the organizers of the Goodwood Festival of Speed used one of its replicas for the 2018 center sculpture.
The first Icon Engineering 917 replica designed for road use was completed and registered in the UK on September 1, 2019. Amazingly, it was done in the same green and white livery used by Porsche when the 917 was introduced to the world at the 1969 Geneva International Motor Show.
Icon Engineering is now ready to start taking orders and plans to produce no more than five cars per year. This means that the wait for a single car could be a long time, especially if demand increases. Given the asking price, that's quite likely. Icon Engineering's 917 replica, powered by a 3.6-liter air-cooled flat-six engine originally developed for the 964-generation Porsche 911, will cost 200,000 British pounds (about $241,200).
More affluent buyers can opt for a water-cooled or turbocharged engine from later 911 models. The standard transmission is Porsche's five-speed gearbox. The company has also previously stated that the engine bay is large enough to accommodate the Flat 12 engine used on some original 917s, and could theoretically accommodate most engines. Icon Engineering is even exploring the possibility of installing a battery-powered propulsion system for the car's future potential.
Each car has a tubular steel structure and fiberglass body shell. If there is enough demand, Icon Engineering is ready to develop a carbon fiber body shell. Imagine it without paint. According to the company, the design is 95% the same as the original. The main changes are aimed at improving the drivability of the car, including the design of the front body and interior with all the necessary instruments and signal lights. In addition, the company used steel for the structure rather than aluminum as in the original, but buyers can install an aluminum unit if they wish.
As mentioned above, finding an original Porsche 917 for sale is a big deal, and if you do, it will likely cost millions. A replica from Icon Engineering is a particularly interesting and curious car, especially for those who crave nostalgia and have had enough of modern supercars. It would be an interesting and inexpensive option, especially for those who crave nostalgia or who are fed up with modern supercars."