Paul Newman’s Porsche 935 has come onto the market

The car Newman raced in 1979 is up for grabs, here's what you need to know

Paul Newman is up there with Steve McQueen when it comes to cool. Not only did he possess icon worthy sartorial skills, cultivate a killer career as a movie star and donate hundreds of millions of dollars to charity, but was also a professional racing driver. And now you can own a little bit of that history, if you’ve got the spare cash laying around.

The Porsche 935, a favourite of wealthy endurance racers during the late 1970s and early ‘80s, was, unsurprisingly, the chassis of choice for Newman’s debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979. The model, one of Porsche’s most storied, holds a dominating legacy, counting over 150 worldwide race wins through 1984.

The Porsche’s Hawaiian Tropic sponsorship brought the Hawaiian Tropic girls to Le Mans

Newman and his co-drivers, team boss Dick Barbour and Rolf Stommelen did the car justice in their outing in France. In front of a record crowd to date, drawn by the 54-year-old Newman, the trio piloted the turbocharged German to a second place finish.

Once Newman had finished with the vehicle, it continued to excel on the track. For the campaign for the following year, the car was sponsored by Apple Computers and remains the only racecar the tech company has ever supported – that’s despite holding cash reserves in excess of those in possession of the U.S government.

The Porsche being mobbed after its second place finish in Le Mans

In 1981 it went on to win at the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona with drivers Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman and Bob Garretson, as well as first overall at the 1983 12 Hours of Sebring with drivers Wayne Baker, Jim Mullen and Kees Nierop.

In 2006, the car was restored by Porsche specialist Paul Willison to its 1979 Le Mans “Hawaiian Tropic” livery. With its new-old look, it swept to Best in Class at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and is now in search of a new owner, marketed by Gooding & Co.

The Porsche after its 2006 refit

The classic car auctioneers don’t currently list an estimate, although it’s expected to rake in between $4.5 million – $5.5m at the Pebble Beach auction in August.

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