1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight
The 911 Carrera 2.7 RS was the ultimate iteration of the 911 in 1973, and remains today one of the most sought-after and important air-cooled 911s ever produced. The 2.7 RS was the first 911 to adopt the “Carrera” moniker, honouring Porsche’s success at the Carrera Panamericana in the 1950s, as well as the first of a now long line of stripped-out Porsche road cars to bear the RS denomination, which stands for “Rennsport” – or “motor-racing” – in German.
The Carrera 2.7 RS was created as a homologation special for Porsche’s efforts in the early 1970s to build a car to Group 4 FIA rally specification. 500 units minimum had to be produced, but demand pushed Porsche to build 1580 cars in 1973. As such, the Carrera RS 2.7 blurred the lines between road car and race car, establishing a revered legacy for the 911 that endures to this day. The Carrera RS’s engine was, of course, upgraded, with the displacement of the 911S engine being bored out from 2.4L to 2.7L and fitted with Bosch fuel injection increasing power to a claimed 210hp and 188 ft-lb of torque.
Chassis 911 360 1144 was one of 200 cars to come out of the Porsche factory with the M471 ‘Lightweight’ package. This factory option reduced the car’s weight drastically, using thinner steel for the body panels, thinner glass for the windows, lighter fiberglass bumpers, racing seats, reduced sound insulation and jettisoning certain interior fittings. Chassis 1144 was, however, ordered to her first Austrian owner with a few creature comforts such as seat headrests and radio added back in the car, as well as the optional limited-slip differential. Sold on to her second owner, Mr Ernst Vogel, on 14th November 1973, the car started being used extensively and on a regular basis as a fast road car, as evidenced by the original Porsche Vienna service stamps, which remain in the car’s file, showing the car covered more than 50,000km in her first year on the road.
By 1976, 1144 had covered more than 110,000 Kms, which mandated an engine change. Conducted by Porsche Vienna and documented in one of the car’s period care cards, a new engine (number 6630550) was fitted on 26th May 1976. 4 years later, with the car having covered another 100,000 kms, the engine was once again changed by Porsche Vienna (to engine number 6630807), and accompanied with a new gearbox (number 7830550). Chassis 1144 then changed hands in 1993, being displayed in her new owner’s automobile museum. In 2006, the car was sold to Germany to Mr Jürgen Rudolph, who, in 2016, had Porsche specialists RUF embark on a full body-off restoration.
Accompanied with its original Pflegepass “Service Booklet” featuring 26 stamps, Porsche care cards, original owner’s manual and original factory build and inspection sheets, this Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight represents a great opportunity to acquire one of Porsche’s most revered 911 models as well as a true driver’s car.
