Collecting is a state of constant acquisition. If you’ve amassed an impressive fleet of, say, Porsche automobiles — the next collecting step is often memorabilia such as posters, literature, signage, and the like. If your garage space is now tastefully festooned with memorabilia, where do you go from there? For the collector who has it all, including an estate, perhaps today’s Good Find Friday vehicle, a Porsche-Diesel Tractor, could be your next purchase.

Porsche’s work on tractors began in the late 1930s, when Ferdinand Porsche envisioned a “Volks-Schlepper,” or people’s tractor, that would be durable, simple to use, and affordable for small farms. Early prototypes were tested in partnership with the Hohenheim Agricultural School and included a variety of layouts, from two-stroke twins to four-stroke engines.

By 1939, a working 12-horsepower air-cooled V-twin prototype was ready, but the outbreak of World War II halted progress. After the war, restrictions prevented Porsche from producing tractors directly, so the designs were licensed to Allgaier in Germany and Hofherr Schrantz in Austria. These early machines stood out for their innovative hydraulic coupling, which allowed smooth gear changes without using a clutch.

Full production began in 1956 when Mannesmann purchased the rights and moved manufacturing into a converted Zeppelin factory. From there, Porsche-Diesel Motorenbau GmbH launched a full range of tractors: the Junior, Standard, Super, and Master. Each model was distinguished by its horsepower, from the 14-hp single-cylinder Junior to the 50-hp four-cylinder Master.

A defining feature across the lineup was Porsche’s modular diesel engine system. Cylinder blocks could be swapped or interchanged, making repairs easier and keeping operating costs down. As the range expanded, tractors gained more power, sturdier drivetrains, and options such as hydraulic lifts and improved transmissions. Whether in the form of a small, hardworking Junior or a powerful Master, Porsche’s tractors carried the same focus on engineering and innovation that defined the brand’s sports cars.

Today’s Good Find Friday vehicle is a 1956 Porsche-Diesel Super tractor listed by the owner on Facebook Marketplace and located in Manassas, Virginia. The asking price is $26,000, reduced from $29,000.

Very little information is included in the listing, other than some basic condition reporting. Features on the exterior include an aerodynamic hood with badging, front pintle, rear hitch, headlights, tail lamps and red paint with cream-colored wheels.

The tractor’s available instrumentation isn’t clear from the photos, but it appears to include a temperature gauge, running hours meter and possibly an oil pressure indicator. The steering wheel on these is supposedly adjustable for comfort, as are the pedals.

A brief video provides a look at the tractor’s condition and an opportunity to hear it running. Being a Super, this model should have a 3-cylinder diesel engine and based on the photos may have the clutchless transmission, but it’s hard to tell and the seller hasn’t noted it in his description.

Aside from some flaking paint, patina, and dust here and there this tractor’s condition appears to be very good overall. The rear wheels feature weights for traction and the tires appear to be in good condition.

There were 125,000 Porsche-Diesel tractors built over a seven year period that, coincidentally, pretty much coincided with production of the Porsche 356 sports car. In contrast, 79,000 Porsche 356 cars were built from 1948 to 1965. Very few of these tractors were sent to North America, meaning the availability of these interesting farm tools is much greater in Europe.

I’ve never seen a sales chart from Classic.com have as many no-sale red dots as the one for Porsche tractors. The vast majority of these no-sales are from the platform Catawiki, whose many repeat listings for the same item get picked up by auction trackers.

The highest sale for a Porsche tractor in the last 5 years was for a 1961 Porsche-Diesel 429 Master in September of 2023. It was sold by Bonhams at their Goodwood Revival sale for $78,841. This one was in exceptional condition, having undergone a ground-up restoration and featured a 4-cylinder engine putting out 55hp.

The lowest sale was for a tractor in obvious “project” condition. This one required complete restoration, if not useful only for parts. It was missing its engine and hood among other components and was sold by Bidders Highway for a paltry $312.

Today’s example, priced at $26,000 is a bit higher than average, so probably priced appropriately.

Aside from their historical significance and enthusiastic owner meetings, which can include tractor racing at major events like Rennsport Reunion, these vehicles were meant to work. Many owners use their tractors for cutting grass, pulling hay, dragging logs, and more. Porsche fans generally celebrate the act of driving the brand’s vehicles as intended — sportingly, in the case of their sports cars. I think we can extend that to owners of these amazing working machines.

Would I own one? If I still lived on a 16-acre farm, perhaps a Porsche Junior would have been fun. Based on sales, the Juniors seem to be more popular among collectors, perhaps because they’ll fit nicely into a display space.

Would you include a Porsche-Diesel Tractor in your collection? Let me know in the comments!

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!