The GT3 of its time There are many iterations of Porsche’s foundational 356, though few are as rare or as exciting to drive as the B 2000 GS Carrera 2. Conceived to homologate engineer Ernst Fuhrmann’s soul-stirring two-litre four-cam Carrera engine for racing, the 356 B 2000 GS was the fastest and most powerful production Porsche road car, boasting 130HP and a top speed in excess of 120mph – considerably higher figures than its 1500cc two-cam counterparts. Despite the hefty price tag of 7,600 US dollars, customers lapped up the new ‘hot’ 356 and Porsche’s order books soon filled up – especially with customers from across the pond in the United States of America. Despite only needing to build 100 examples to satisfy the homologation requirements, Porsche sold a staggering 278 B 2000 GS Carrera 2s. In so many respects, the Carrera 2 is the GT3 of its time. Chassis no. 119534 A beautifully restored yet highly authentic example of the Porsche 356 B 2000 GS Carrera 2, chassis number 119534 was first briefly employed as a factory test vehicle. It left the factory in April of 1962, destined for Paris. It was originally finished in Oslo Blue over a red leatherette and beige corduroy interior. Crucially, it was specified with the ultra-rare factory electronic sunroof and disc brakes on all four corners. The car remained in France for three years before it was returned to the factory and subsequently sold to the United States. It was listed in the Porsche 4-Cam Registry by its California-based owner Terry Massa in 1983. Records show Massa retained chassis number 119534 until 2000, when it passed into the hands of the German 356 authority Dieter Ambrosy and was subsequently returned to its homeland. Ambrosy undertook a two-year ground-up restoration of the car in 2006. The primary goal for the project was preserving originality. Refinished in metallic silver over a black interior, chassis number 119534 was issued with its German registration in August of 2008. In 2014, this Carrera 2 was acquired by a German enthusiast building a remarkable collection of world-class Porsches spanning the marque’s entire history. As the accompanying documentation attests, this 356 has since been fastidiously maintained regardless of cost, carefully stored in the aforementioned collection and enjoyed on several occasions, including on the Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classic Rally in 2017. Telling of its extraordinary condition and quality, chassis number 119534 was also awarded the ‘Best Porsche’ award at the 2018 Masterpieces Concours d’Elegance at Schloss Dyck in Germany. “Chassis number 119534 was awarded the ‘Best Porsche’ award at the 2018 Masterpieces Concours d’Elegance at Schloss Dyck in Germany.” In recent years, the maintenance of this 356 has been entrusted to a respected German marque specialist, most recently in June of 2023, when the overall mileage (since the restoration in 2006) was noted as 3,849km. The odometer currently reads 4,543km. One of the highest-quality 356 B Carrera 2s we have encountered, chassis number 119534 is currently European taxes paid, registered in Germany and located in Monaco.