For those with deep pockets and a love for Porsche and its racing heritage, the opportunity to own a legendary racing engine fitted into an iconic 911 has emerged—courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.
To fully appreciate the significance of this incredible rarity, one must look into the history of the engine itself. Back in the 1980s, McLaren claimed no fewer than five Formula One World Drivers’ Championships, thanks to the talents of Niki Lauda and Alain Prost, as well as the adoption of the TAG-Porsche “TTE P01” engine that powered the MP4/2 chassis. The 1.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 was designed by Hans Mezger of Porsche, who also helped develop the original flat-six “Boxer” engine for the first 911 in 1963. In 1984 alone, the “TTE P01” propelled the MP4/2 to win 12 out of the 16 Grand Prix races.
At the end of the 1987 season, the partnership between McLaren and Porsche ended, and the TAG engine was not made available to any other teams. It is rumored, however, that Porsche gifted McLaren a modified Grand Prix White 911 fitted with the “TTE P01” engine.
The story of the “TTE P01” doesn’t end there. Decades after its retirement, Dean Lanzante set out to recreate that Formula One-engined Porsche 911. Eleven bespoke 930 “TAG Turbo” Porsches were built to order, each with a documented history of the specific powertrain, tracing back to particular F1 races. The donor 911s were completely disassembled and rebuilt using custom body panels crafted from contemporary F1-grade carbon fiber, reducing the weight by 120 pounds compared to the original 930.
The historic engines themselves were re-engineered with help from Cosworth. Each powertrain was rebuilt with new pistons, connecting rods, valves, valve springs, turbochargers, upgraded cooling systems, oil heat exchangers, and a titanium-tipped exhaust system.
The “TTE P01” engine in this particular example heading to auction is designated “TTE P01 051,” and it powered Alain Prost’s car in the 1986 German Grand Prix, as well as the 1987 Hungarian and Japanese Grand Prix. Nicknamed “AP87,” this build was based on a 1988 911 Turbo (930) donor car. To complete the project, Lanzante finished it in Mintgrün (Mint Green) over a black leather interior, featuring blue/green tartan cloth seat inserts and a set of gold RUF wheels.
With only 311 miles logged since its transformation, this one-of-eleven Formula One-engined rarity offers its next owner a TAG-Turbo experience with true historical significance—wrapped in an instantly recognizable and iconic package.
