In the 1960s, Honda offered a tiny motorcycle called the Z-Series that fit neatly in the trunk of the S600 sports car. Porsche never jumped on this niche bandwagon, but it had a similar idea a decade later. The German automaker teamed up with skibob manufacturer Arova to build a two-person sled that was small enough to fit in the trunk of the original Porsche 911. Not many of these were built, but there’s one currently listed for sale on eBay.
First, what’s a skibob? Good question. The name is a portmanteau of “bobsled” and “ski.” It looks like a bicycle with skis instead of wheels, sorta kinda that Honda mini snowbike. It’s not the most common way to move around over snowy terrain, but you don’t need to go far in the Alps to spot someone on a skibob in the winter. Many find skibobbing easier than skiing, so it’s a good way to hit the slopes if you’re not comfortable on a pair of skis.
Introduced in 1970, the 212 was developed by Porsche and built by Swiss-based Arova, according to a February 1970 issue of Christophorus magazine. When fully assembled, it features a body with “Arova-Porsche 212” decals, a seat big enough for two people, and two independent skis. One is linked to fairly basic-looking handlebars, the other is bolted to the body, and both feature a strut for a more comfortable ride. There are no brakes, but the 212 was delivered with two small skis that riders could strap to their feet and use to slow down.
Stuffing the 212 in the trunk of your 911 wasn’t as simple as, say, folding a 1980s Honda Motocompo (or the new Motocompacto). The first step is removing the front ski, the handlebars, and both struts, which required a handful of tools. They could then fold the rear ski forward until it sat flush with the body. We’re guessing this took a couple of minutes. It sounds simple, but it was highly ingenious: The original 911’s trunk was pretty small, too.
Demand for the 212 wasn’t high, and production reportedly ended after a few hundred units were built. The example that’s listed on eBay is finished in blue (orange was offered as well), and the seller claims that it has been in his family since it was new. Better yet, he states that it has never been used, and it certainly looks the part: We’re not seeing much in the way of wear and tear beyond a handful of scratches that the skibob could have picked up while in storage. All of the decals are accounted for, the shoes are in good shape, and the seat isn’t ripped.
The 212 is difficult to put a value on. RM Sotheby’s sold one for $8,400 in July 2020, while one with a little more wear and tear sold for $2,850 earlier this year on the auction site PCarMarket. Located in Dayton, Ohio, the one listed on eBay has a buy-it-now price of precisely $4,999.98, though the seller is open to lower offers. If you like snow or collect vintage Porsche-related memorabilia, you know where to go.
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