The Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS

For many, the Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS represents the ultimate, perfected peak of the original Porsche sports coupé concept and was destined to be an all-time classic. The model’s eminence at the forefront of the collector car world over the decades is such that it has become something of a litmus test for the state of the market.

Satisfying the Group IV homologation requirement was the first and only reason for the RS’s conception, much to the dismay of the Stuttgart marque’s skeptical top brass. That Porsche wound up building 1,580 of its lighter, more hardcore (and more expensive) 911 racer-for-the-road, over 1,000 more than the minimum number required for said homologation, is indicative of how great a car it was.

Ask those in the know and they’ll tell you that the first series of 500 cars are the most desirable today, not least because the body panels were crafted from thinner-gauge (and therefore lighter) steel. Two general specifications were sold: ‘Lightweight’, which channeled the hardcore spirit of the racer, and a more plush and comfortable ‘Touring’. The former is rarer, but the latter stayed truest to the 911’s Grand Touring roots.

To drive, the Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS is a unique experience. You can feel its inherent raciness over the standard 911 S from the moment the air-cooled flat-six catches with its signature chatter. As you’d expect from a Porsche, it feels tight and solid and safe, but the way it inspires you with confidence and urges you to push on is infectious.

Plus, once you’ve parked, climbed out, closed the door with that satisfyingly secure ‘clunk’ and walked away, there’s nothing quite looking back at a slinky, seductive, narrow-bodied 911. Especially one with a beautifully delicate ducktail on its bottom.

This Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS

A mere 126 Carrera RSs left the factory painted in the shade of Tangerine (code 2323), of which this fantastic example is one. A Touring-specification car, chassis number 0308 rolled off the production line on 1 January 1973, as per its Porsche Certificate of Authenticity.

In addition to its Tangerine bodywork and Black Leatherette interior, boxes ticked on the options list for this Carrera RS included the heated rear window, headrests for both the driver and the passenger and, in the interest of safety, three-point safety belts. The proverbial cherry on the cake was the deletion of the Carrera script on the side, making this already understated configuration even more discreet.

Chassis 0308 was sold new to Germany via Porsche Hahn Fellbach in Stuttgart, though its original owner chose to collect the RS from the factory, clearly relishing the experience of buying a new Porsche. In 1983, this Porsche was registered in France and, two years later, wound up in the possession of MLE Kavin, a well-known doctor in Montigny-Les-Metz.

A comprehensive restoration was commissioned in 1992. Invoices on record show the mechanical work to the chassis and powertrain was carried out by Richard Alacaraz Automobiles in Vandoeuvre, while the bodywork entrusted to Briot. Further Porsche Service Nancy invoices indicate a plethora of different maintenance works between 2005 and 2007, before this Carrera RS was sold to a renowned Belgian collector in Heule, West Flanders.

In 2019, this Porsche was acquired and imported to Italy by its previous owner, who chose to bestow some TLC on the car. The original leatherette interior was reupholstered by Medici Interior Classic in Reggio Emilia, while the air-cooled engine was given a further overhaul by marque specialists also in Italy’s so-called ‘Motor Valley’. Finally, in March of 2021, this RS was freshly serviced by Porsche Torino.

Today, this duck-tailed Tangerine dream is a wonderful and authentic example of the beloved 911 2.7 Carrera RS formula that transcended the Porsche world and came to embody the entire collector car world. Presented in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition and, crucially, retaining its original engine and gearbox, it’s now waiting to be shown off and enjoyed, either on a spirited Sunday drive, an international road rally or the concours lawn.

Price: £495,000 (GBP)