In the realm of rare Porsche 911s, some sit in a league entirely of their own. Of all the production 911s created over the decades, the 964 Carrera 4 Lightweight – or Leichtbau – must rank among the rarest. Just 22 examples were ever produced, all born of the vision of Le Mans winner and legendary Porsche engineer Jürgen Barth. This car, chassis 964 001, is the very first: a museum-grade prototype with unique, one-off details that set it apart even among this rarified group.
Barth, then head of Porsche Customer Racing, discovered a cache of spare four-wheel-drive systems from the 953 Paris-Dakar rally cars sitting in the motorsport department. These systems were advanced for their time, allowing for active adjustment of front-to-rear torque distribution and on-the-fly manipulation of the rear limited-slip differential’s lock-up. Barth saw an opportunity to create a lightweight, all-wheel-drive 911 for customer motorsport use.
Porsche selected standard 964-series body shells, removed from the main production line, and subjected them to seam welding for increased rigidity. Standard panels were replaced with lightened alternatives. The drivetrain from the 953 Dakar car was installed, mated to a short-ratio five-speed gearbox and paired with a naturally aspirated 3.6-litre flat-six producing 265bhp – the same engine that would go on to power the Carrera RS. The resulting car weighed just 1070kg and delivered extraordinary performance, with understated styling that concealed its motorsport potential.
Chassis 001 is the most significant of the 22. As the factory prototype, it includes a wealth of unique, one-off features. These include early prototype gauges and labelling, a bespoke Matter roll cage, and special 934-style ‘lollipop’ seats – which would go on to influence designs used by RUF – trimmed in period-correct new old stock material. Many of the engine and auxiliary system fixtures differ from the production cars, offering a unique insight into Porsche’s development process.
Even the four-wheel-drive control labels appear handmade, with embossed tape straight from a 1980s stationery drawer. From its unusual fittings to its understated character, 964 001 exemplifies the experimental creativity of Porsche’s motorsport division at its best.
This car has known ownership from new and an impeccable provenance. It was initially sold to Kerry Morse, a close friend and collaborator of Barth himself. It later passed through the hands of notable American collectors including Frank Gallogly of Englewood, New Jersey; Dr. William Jackson of Denver, Colorado; the Ingram Collection; and Matthew F. Ammirati of Bridgehampton, New York.
Acquired by the current owner in 2017 and imported into the UK in 2022, the car has covered just over 1,000 miles from new. Its odometer remains in kilometres. The drivetrain is entirely original and matching, the paint remains factory-applied and in excellent condition, and the interior architecture is complete and correct. Though the original seats were retrimmed, they use the exact correct material and patterns.
In 2024, the car underwent a full service at Richard Tuthill, including new Bridgestone tyres.
As part of the sale, the car comes with a bespoke report by Jürgen Barth himself, compiled after a personal visit to see chassis 001 again in the UK. Reunited with the machine he helped create, Barth recounted the story of its development and its journey. Those recollections are now captured in a document that adds even more weight to this car’s already historic status.
In short, chassis 001 is not just the first and finest of the Carrera 4 Leichtbau cars. It is a reference example – pure, original and storied. A cornerstone in any Porsche collection, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. It is currently being offered for sale with Kilko Spaces in the UK.
