The hypercar ancestor originally cost $1.5 million, which would be over $3.3 million today
The second and final 1992 Schuppan 962CR is going up for auction, and in the realm of quirky, motorsport-inspired supercars, few are as intriguing as this one.
For those unfamiliar, the 962CR was created by Australian race car driver Vern Schuppan to commemorate his 1983 Le Mans 24 Hours win. True to its name, the supercar is a road-going variation of the Porsche 962 race car and was developed with backing from the Japanese Art Sports Corporation.
The car features a carbon fiber chassis (back in 1992!) and is powered by a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged, air-cooled flat-six engine designed by the renowned Hans Mezger and built by the American race team Andial. This engine produced over 600 hp, propelling the 962CR to an exhilarating top speed of over 230 mph (370 km/h), surpassing the Bugatti EB 110.
The company aimed to produce 50 units to meet homologation requirements for racing at Le Mans. However, with the collapse of the Japanese economy in 1992, Schuppan lost financial support from investors. Production halted, resulting in two track-only LM prototypes, one production LM, two prototype CRs, and two production CRs, of which this is one.
Schuppan sold the car to his neighbor, who maintained it for nearly 30 years. It has been upgraded with a Motec engine management system, a collapsible steering wheel, polycarbonate side windows, and new tires. Mecum is offering it with the original British registration documents, a letter of authenticity from the Porsche Club of Great Britain, the sales brochure, and a certification of authenticity.
The car retains its original black-on-black color scheme and comes with several spare parts, including an extra driver’s seat. While no pre-auction estimate has been provided for the 962CR, it originally cost $1.5 million, which would be over $3.3 million today.
