Tag: Porsche North Houston

  • Todd Blue LAPIS Collection Cars Set to Make Blue Splash at RM Miami

    Todd Blue LAPIS Collection Cars Set to Make Blue Splash at RM Miami

    Noted Texas-based car dealer and prolific classic car collector of the blue variety, Todd Blue will be parting ways with some seriously unique German automobiles from his LAPIS Collection. Perhaps not surprisingly, they are each in the same color as his name, and they’re a fixture in the upcoming RM Sotheby’s Miami Sale held during the Moda Miami weekend February 27-28.

    While the name of Todd Blue’s company LAPIS is an acronym, it’s notable that the lapis is also a deep blue rock. That’s fitting given his name, and his obvious propensity for very special cars painted in blue. While his car’s aren’t religiously blue, it’s clear he has a knack for finding, buying and speccing some of the most incredible blue cars one might imagine in the Porsche and Mercedes space.

    We’ve been covering the most special amongst Todd’s cars one-by-one all week, with those stories found HERE. However, we wanted to call out all of those cars in one story, including the ones that may not be tailored in the strictest sense, but are still well worth considering.

    Before we dig into the car’s Blue will be selling via RM in Miami, it’s probably worth taking a closer look at his collection. The Petersen Museum visited him back in 2022 and filmed that visit. We’ve embedded it here, and it’s worth a watch. You’ll see several of these cars in there.

    Now, on to the cars that will be sold. We’ll cover them here by lot number, providing estimates as suggested by RM Sotheby’s along with links to both our coverage and also the RM Sotheby’s lot description.

    Lot #230: 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8

    Estimate: $750,000 to $950,000

    Paint Color: (rivierablau; non-metallic Uni; S8 / L39E; Porsche)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #231: 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Weissach

    Estimate: $800,000 to $1,200,000

    Paint Color: (albertblau; non-metallic Uni; 1818 / 325 / 387; Porsche)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #232: 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster

    Estimate: $350,000 to $400,000

    Paint Color: (dunkelblau; non-metallic Uni; 347 / 55 / 3C7 / Y33; Porsche)

    Links: RMSothebys.com

    Lot #233: 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Flachbau

    Estimate: $400,000 to $600,000

    Paint Color: (diamantblaumetallic; metallic Uni; 355; Mercedes-Benz)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #234: 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic

    Estimate: $500,000 to $650,000

    Paint Color: (manuasblau; non-metallic Uni; W50; Porsche)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #235: 1994 Porsche 968 Turbo S

    Estimate: $550,000 to $750,000

    Paint Color: (nachtblauperlcolor; metallic Uni; 37W / 39C / E9; Porsche)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #236: 1992 Porsche 968 Cabriolet

    Estimate: $100,000 to $150,000

    Paint Color: (kobaltblaumetallic; metallic Uni; 37U / 56 / 3C8 / F6 / LM5N / L37U; Porsche)

    Links: TailoredDriver.com / RMSothebys.com

    Lot #238: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL

    Estimate: $65,000 to $850,000

    Paint Color: (midnightblau; metallic Uni; 904; Mercedes-Benz)

    Links: RMSothebys.com

    Lot #239: 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet

    Estimate: $350,000 to $450,000

    Paint Color: (mittelblaumetallic; metallic Uni; 387; Mercedes-Benz)

    Links: RMSothebys.com

    Want to know more about Todd Blue? We found this background provided on one of the LAPIS press releases surrounding his purchase of Mercedes-Benz Northern Arizona.

    From 2010-2020, as Founder and CEO, Mr. Blue lead his former auto group on an unparalleled growth trajectory for ten years before selling the balance of his company in late 2020. During his tenure, Mr. Blue was Dealer Principal for multiple Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, McLaren franchises and single points stores for Aston Martin, Bentley, Volkswagen, BMW as well as four Porsche dealerships. Mr. Blue led with a focus built on and around a love for customers. Mr. Blue was the only dealer selected by Porsche AG to serve on the design committee which conceived the Destination Porsche facility Generation Five facility design. Mr. Blue also became the first in the world to build a Destination Porsche facility in California. Mr. Blue was selected as one of 50 nominees for the Time Magazine National Automobile Dealer Association’s Dealer of the Year in 2019. During his time as CEO, his dealerships were multi-year award winners of the J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Award, Automotive News Best Dealership to Work For, Audi Magna Society, Porsche Premier Dealer, Pride of Jaguar, Lamborghini Vision, and the Provenance Dealer of the Year award for Rolls Royce. Mr. Blue served on the Board of Regents for Porsche Cars North America, The Aston Martin of the Americas Dealer Advisor Panel, the BMW Western Region Dealer Board, and the Bentley USA Presidential Cabinet.”

  • Market Find: 2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS in PTS Meissen Blue

    Market Find: 2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS in PTS Meissen Blue

    What: 2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
    Color: Meissen Blue (meißenblau; non-metallic uni; Z54 / 5703; Porsche)
    Chassis #: WP0AF2A96RS272338
    Mileage: 4,133 miles
    Price: $459,992
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Porsche North Houston, Houston, TX
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    There are so many reasons we love this Certified Pre-Owned 911 GT3 RS in the used car inventory over at Porsche North Houston. For starters, it had us at Weissach Package 911 GT3 RS. We also seriously appreciate that the first owner didn’t just buy it to flip it, loging over 4,000 miles on the odometer before trading it in on whatever is next.

    Still, we didn’t even get to the Paint to Sample decisions made on this specification. First, it’s Meissen Blue, a pastel or powder blue hue that dates back to Porsche 356s of the 1950s. In this case, the original owner also chose dark blue graphics on the bodywork and color-matched alloy wheels – both of these decisions being choices we can seriously get behind.

    Want to see more? Check it out over at Porsche North Houston via the link above.

  • Market Find: 2022 Porsche Paint to Sample Club Blue Taycan 4S

    Market Find: 2022 Porsche Paint to Sample Club Blue Taycan 4S

    What: 2022 Porsche Taycan 4S
    Color: Club Blue (clubblau; W60; Porsche)
    VIN: WP0AB2Y17NSA44034
    Mileage: 10,515
    Price at Time of this Writing: $93,991
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Houston, TX
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    We’d be lying if we didn’t admit that the Taycan 4S is a fairly interesting proposition. Decent range and (we think) great looks and astonishing speed are certainly the highlights, but this Tailored Driver package is rounded out nicely by Porsche’s Paint to Sample Club Blue. Most famously used to commemorate 60 years of the Porsche Club of America, Club Blue lands somewhere between Shark Blue and Nogaro Blue on the Rennbow, but the differences between the three are quite subtle.

  • Market Find: 2024 Porsche Paint to Sample Nogaro Blue Cayenne Turbo GT

    Market Find: 2024 Porsche Paint to Sample Nogaro Blue Cayenne Turbo GT

    What: 2024 Porsche Blue Cayenne Turbo GT
    Color: Porsche Paint to Sample Nogaro Blue (nogaroblau; pearl effect UNI; Z5M; Audi)
    VIN: WP1BK2AY2RDA72826
    Mileage: 9,956
    Price at Time of this Writing: $199,991
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Houston, TX
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    We’re suckers for Nogaro Blue, but this Tailored Driver in some ways brings it back to its roots. But rather than be an Audi massaged by Porsche like the RS 2 where Nogaro debuted, this is a Porsche with Audi’s 4.0TFSI slightly massaged by Stuttgart. Beyond the Nogaro Blue hue, this Cayenne Turbo GT tastefully restrained and incredibly well equipped. We struggle to think of a better, more capable runabout.

  • Market Find: Audi exclusive Java Green RS Q8 at Porsche North Houston

    Market Find: Audi exclusive Java Green RS Q8 at Porsche North Houston

    Some people say the RS Q8 is the budget Urus. Audi’s most aggressive RS take on its Q8 product line shares engine (at a lower horsepower tune) and a lot of hardware with the Lamborghini, not to mention platform, so the comparison makes sense. And though the Urus is definitely more aggressively tuned in most every way, the RS Q8 checks most of those boxes while being a bargain in comparison. It’s even more of a bargain when it’s got Audi exclusive special paint and someone else has taken the depreciation hit for the first few years. Enter this 2021 (VIN: WU1ARBF13MD023666) that’s turned up at Porsche North Houston.

    The color is Java Green, a popular go-to for Audi exclusive buyers… or maybe a popular go-to for dealers putting Audi exclusive builds into inventory. Whatever the case, we see Java Green on Audi exclusive builds with some regularity. It’s a handsome medium light metallic green that pairs well with the RS Q8, offering just enough Skittle factor without looking like it’s trying too hard.

    Inside, the car has red stitching. While red is Audi’s motorsport color and always looks handsome, pairing it with green can be a challenge unless you’re really into Christmas or you’re Italian. For this author, it’s an acquired taste, but the amount of cars I’ve seen pairing red and green together make me think maybe there are fewer of us that find it objectionable than there are who seek it out.

    Whatever your take on the green and red debate, it’s worth noting the mileage, age and price of this RS Q8. 2021 is the first year, and thus the furthest depreciated of the RS Q8 line. Even still, with just 19,754 miles on it, that’s just barely broken in and much lower than average for most cars. Pair that with the Audi exclusive paint and an internet asking price of $89,991 on their website listing HERE and we’d call that a great value.

  • Monterey Auction Preview: RM with Former White Collection 2023 911 Sport Classic

    Monterey Auction Preview: RM with Former White Collection 2023 911 Sport Classic

    One tailored build headed for auction during Monterey Car Week 2024 is this very unique 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic (VIN: WP0AG2A90PS252368) being sold without reserve by RM Sotheby’s. Sold via Porsche North Houston, you may not be all that surprised looking at the spec that this 992 was built for the White Collection.

    We’ve been unable to confirm the specific white, but the associated documents provided by RM do confirm the white that covers it is a Paint to Sample shade. It’s also worth noting that this car had plenty of Sonderwunsch factory commissioned modifications. These include many components color-matched white, and a striking red interior.

    Below the gallery is a the full description provided by RM Sotheby’s. Find more photos and information on the car HERE.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: We were unable to confirm this paint color during the writing of this story. If you know the color, please confirm it below in the comments or by direct messaging the author.

    • The most powerful Porsche Type 992 911 with a manual transmission
    • One of 1,250 examples produced
    • Delivered new to the White Collection 
    • Extensively personalized with over $150,000 of Sonderwunsch Factory Commissioning, for a total new price of $448,535
    • Presented in virtually as-new condition with fewer than 77 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloguing 

    With so many iconic cars and significant achievements throughout the past 75 years, Porsche rightfully celebrates the company’s heritage by offering its most dedicated followers limited-production models inspired by their most beloved and sought-after historical creations. Cars like the 911 R, the several generations of Speedsters, and the original Type 997 Sport Classic have all offered modern performance with a dash of vintage panache.

    The latest iteration of the Sport Classic, now based on the Type 992 platform, presents a “greatest hits” collection of the most established Porsche design features wrapped around one of the most potent and engaging drivetrains ever fitted to a 911. This limited-edition model is easily identified by the 2.7 RS-inspired duck tail spoiler and Fuchs-style wheels on all four corners. Keener observers will note the double-bubble carbon fiber roof, gold-color badging, and a Porsche shield featuring the early-style bright red element of the Württemberg crest. Twin stripes streak across the hood, roof, and tail, further alluding to the firm’s immense racing history. The interior is covered with plenty of leather, distinctive houndstooth cloth on the doors and seat inserts, and green-accented instrumentation for a 1960s atmosphere. Lastly, a badge on the dashboard notes the serial number of each Sport Classic.

    Utilizing the Turbo widebody and engine platform, the Sport Classic is the most powerful rear-wheel drive 911 of this generation so far. The twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter flat-six engine produces a whopping 542 horsepower, and while mildly detuned from its four-wheel drive brethren, this reduction has allowed for the option of a manual transmission (much to the delight of enthusiasts). The chassis is additionally fitted with carbon ceramic brakes, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, rear steering, Porsche Active Suspension Management, and a specially tuned exhaust as standard.

    On offer is serial number 0923 of the 1,250 Sport Classics offered worldwide. An immensely special machine already, this example stands above its siblings courtesy of over $150,000 worth of Sonderwunsch Factory Commissioning. As shown on the CXX option sheet on file, the exterior is finished almost entirely in White, from the front-end air intakes to the wheels and around to the lower rear valance. Only matte white stripes and black wheel center locks provide contrast to this snowy exterior treatment. Alternatively, the sanguine interior features leather across most visible surfaces in a display of supreme luxury and customization. The air vents, center tunnel, knee pads, front trunk, rear side panels, lower dashboard, inner door sill guards, and even the owner’s manual wallet are all finished in Can Can Red hides. Houndstooth joins the mix on the door cards, seat inserts, and trunk pouch. The summation of this custom tailoring has resulted in a truly exquisite example of such a special Porsche.

    Delivered new to the legendary White Collection, the 911 subsequently traded hands and today presents with fewer than 77 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloging. Thanks to this limited use, the car presents in virtually as-new condition and will undoubtedly be a highlight of any serious collection for decades to come.