WhatsApp co-founder sending 10 rare Porsches to auction

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 17.01.2019

Billionaire Co-Founder Jan Koum is parting ways with just a part of his stunning collection

WhatsApp co-founder sending 10 rare Porsches to auction

Gooding and Company has announced that their Amelia Island Auction in March will feature ten very special Porsches from the esteemed collection of WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum.

This is merely a part of the tech-pioneer’s collection, but comprises of a number of highly sought-after and collectible Porsches from the past 25 years.

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Arguably the cream of the crop for collectors are a matching set of three 1990s air-cooled 911 RS’; a 964 Carrera RS Lightweight, a 964 Carrera RS 3.8 (one of 55) and a 993 Carrera RS 3.8 – all in stunning yellow duco, and in outstanding and original condition.

Other notable lots from Koum’s collection include: a 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0 – reportedly the only North American car with carbon-ceramic brakes, a paint-to-sample Cayman GT4, and a 918 Spyder with optional Weissach package.

All of these cars have covered less than 500 miles from new.

A host of other motorsport-derived Stuttgart specials will be on offer, including: a 2016 Porsche 911R, a 2011 997 GT2 RS, a 2010 Porsche 997 GT3 RS, a 2008 Porsche 997 GT3.

All cars will be on offer for No Reserve at Gooding and Company’s Amelia Island sale on March 8.

You may not have heard of Koum, but he was formerly the Chief Executive of WhatsApp – a direct messaging mobile application – that was sold to Facebook for USD$19 Billion back in 2014.

Koum is an avid Porsche collector, and credits the Stuttgart brand for his incredible motivation in the early days of WhatsApp.

Having grown up in Kiev, and emigrating to the US with his mother at the age of 16, "a Porsche always represented the epitome of success" to the young Ukrainian native.

"The desire to have a car like that was a key incentive to learn more and to work even harder".

He left Facebook and his seat on WhatsApp’s board in 2018, stating: "I’m taking some time off to do things I enjoy outside of technology, such as collecting rare air-cooled Porsches, working on my cars and playing ultimate Frisbee".

We can only hope our retirement looks like something similar…

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