Fan buys a 911, Porsche delivers $1 million

Porsche enlisted the services of an icon to help bring relief to the millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Porsche Cars North America hatched a plan to auction a 911 sports car to raise funds for COVID-19 relief efforts.

But not just any 911.

In April, the automaker auctioned the final 991-generation car to be built at its Zuffenhausen factory.

The 911 Speedster, built in December, was one of only 1,948 made to celebrate Porsche's 70th anniversary. The car, painted in GT Silver Metallic, is powered by a 502-hp, 4.0-liter flat-six engine.

"As the [COVID-19] crisis was unfolding, we were looking for ways to support the community and be a good citizen," Porsche Cars North America CEO Klaus Zellmer told Automotive News. "We thought it would be great if we could auction off one of our treasures to raise money, but also to raise awareness for an important cause."

While brainstorming ideas, Zellmer and his team realized the last seventh-generation 911 produced was already sitting at a dealership in Long Beach, Calif.

"It was a very fast process — it all came together in about three weeks," Zellmer said.

The online auction, held by RM Sotheby's, drew 32 bids over seven days. The winning bid was $500,000.

Porsche matched the bid to raise $1 million for United Way Worldwide to help local health care services and food banks assist those affected by COVID-19.

"We've never done a financial contribution in this way before," Zellmer said.

"Auctions are quite rare, especially with the vehicle being such a significant part of our history, but we felt strongly that the time was right, and the cause was the right one."

The auction winner, whose name was not disclosed, got more than a piece of history for their $500,000.

The 911 came with a package of goodies, including the ultimate Porsche fan experience — a tour of the Weissach development center hosted by Porsche Motorsport chief Frank-Steffen Walliser and GT program lead Andreas Preuninger.

Also thrown in: a custom Porsche Design watch with the chassis number of the 911 Speedster etched onto its casing and a single-edition book documenting the vehicle's build process.