Η Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 πλέον αποτελεί το επόμενο κλασσικό αυτοκίνητο μιας και κάθε φορά που κάθε μια βγαίνει στο σφυρί, η τιμή της εκτοξεύεται. Δεν θεωρείται αδίκως το Άγιο Δισκοπότηρο για τους συλλέκτες όλου του κόσμου, ειδικά όταν μόλις 1.580 βγήκαν στη παραγωγή, με τις 200 από αυτές να είναι η ειδική έκδοση Sports Lightweight M471.
Μια τέτοια λοιπόν θα βγει στη δημοπρασία Villa Erba από τον οίκο RM Sotheby’s στις 23 Μαΐου στη λίμνη Κόμο της Ιταλίας, η οποία ζυγίζει κοντά στα 100 κιλά λιγότερα από την “απλή” 911 Carrera RS 2.7. Αποδίδει 210 άλογα με τον οίκο να εκτιμά πως θα πουληθεί μεταξύ 950.000 και 1,35 εκατ.ευρώ.
Στις σχετικές ειδήσεις ο Tim Marlow, επικεφαλής της Magnitude Finance, μιας βρετανικής εταιρίας που ειδικεύεται στη παροχή χρηματοδοτικών πακέτων για την αγορά πολυτελών αυτοκινήτων, πιστεύει πως η τιμή της McLaren P1 δεν πρόκειται ποτέ να πέσει κάτω από την εργοστασιακή τιμή. Μόλις 375 P1 κατασκεύασε η McLaren και ήδη αρκετοί προσφέρουν έως και 560.000 ευρώ (£400.000) περισσότερα από την εργοστασιακή τιμή, στους ιδιοκτήτες των κατόχων για να την αποκτήσουν, αλλά αυτοί δεν τις πουλούν, μιας και θεωρούν πως όσο περνάνε τα χρόνια, τόσο η τιμή τους θα αυξάνεται.
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1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Sport Lightweight
To be auctioned on Saturday, May 23, 2015
€950.000 – €1.350.000
210 bhp, 2,687 cc SOHC air-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, five-speed manual transmission, independent front and rear suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,268 mm
- One of just 200 M471 lightweight “Sport” version
- A matching-numbers example; four documented owners from new
- Freshly and thoroughly restored by Porsche specialists, with no expense spared
- The “must-have” for any serious Porsche collector
In the early 1970s, Porsche wanted to build on the success of its world-beating Type 917 endurance prototypes, but it faced a dilemma: the muscular five-litre 917 had been regulated out of existence by the FIA, which set a new displacement maximum of three litres for the World Championship of Makes. In response, Porsche’s competition department decided to create a small series of purpose-built race cars based on the production 911 for the FIA’s Group 5 Special Grand Touring class. They would be called the Carrera 3.0 RSR. To meet the FIA’s Group 5 regulations, a minimum of 500 street-legal Group 4 cars would have to be constructed and sold within one year. To emphasise the car’s racing heritage, they were dubbed the Carrera RS and two versions would be offered, the M472 Touring, which had a great deal of standard 911 S equipment, and the stripped-down M471 Sport, which was more commonly known as the Lightweight.
To Porsche’s amazement, the first run of 500 cars quickly sold out on word-of-mouth, even before the Carrera RS made its public debut at the 1972 Paris Auto Show. A second run of 500 units was approved, comprised mostly of Touring versions. The company, realising that the first cars had been under-priced, boosted the retail price by another 1,000 Deutschmarks, but these, too, quickly sold, and a third run was completed at an even higher price. Eventually, a total of 1,590 Carrera RSs (including prototypes and homologation units) left the factory.
The Carrera RS Touring and its competition-oriented sister made extensive use of lightweight materials. Fiberglass was used for the engine cover and front and rear bumpers (Series 2 Touring models had steel rear bumpers). The rear quarter panels were artfully widened to accept wider seven-inch wheels and tyres (the front wheels remained six inches wide). What was to become the RS’s trademark feature, the “ducktail” rear spoiler, was added to the engine cover after wind-tunnel testing had demonstrated that it was very effective at increasing high-speed stability by reducing rear-end lift.
Whilst the Touring version was intended for road use, the M471 Lightweights were aimed at club-level racers. This very exclusive series, of which only 200 were produced, scaled only 975 kilograms, about 100 kilograms less than the Touring model, which was accomplished through the utilisation of thinner-gauge steel for their wings, roof panel, and doors and thinner and lighter (and very expensive) clear glass from the Belgian firm Glaverbel. This special glass was fitted to most Series 1 Lightweights but only a few from the second series where available with this option. There was no sound insulation, and only very thin carpeting and simple rubber mats covered the floor, whilst the rear folding seatbacks, sun visors, dashboard clock, radio, and glovebox door were deleted. The standard armrests and latch handles were replaced by simple plastic pull handles and pull-cord door releases. As the story goes, Tony Lapine’s styling department conceived the now-famous “negative” Carrera side striping after Lapine happened to glance at the negative of a photograph taken of the car wearing its originally planned “positive” lettering.
The heart of the Carrera RS was a new six-cylinder engine of 2.7 litres. The 2.4-litre 911 S’s 70.4-millimetre pistons and cylinders were replaced with 90-millimetre aluminium barrels which were coated with Nikasil (Nickel-silicon carbide) for improved lubrication and wear characteristics. With this increased displacement, 8.5:1 compression, and Bosch mechanical fuel injection, the new Type 911/83 engine developed a reliable 210 brake horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 202 foot-pounds of torque at 5,100 rpm. Also new was the stronger Type 915 five-speed manual transmission, which replaced the old Type 901 with its “dog-leg” first gear.
This beautiful Series 2 Carrera RS Sport was the 649th RS built and amongst 160 finished in Light Ivory (code 131). It was trimmed with red Carrera graphics and the spokes of the anodised Fuchs forged alloy wheels were painted to match. The interior was a black leatherette, and as a Lightweight, this RS was fitted with a pair of Nylon-upholstered Recaro competition seats with adjustable headrests. There is a mix of Glaverbel and Sekurit glass, and the backlight is heated. The car was delivered with several items that are included on the Touring version, such as a glovebox door and a standard Porsche badge on its bonnet instead of a decal. The lightweight rear lid has a pair of rubber hold-downs as well. Only a few options were specified, including a 40-percent limited-slip differential. Per usual, both the clock and radio were deleted.
Chassis 600649 left the factory on 1 February 1973 and was shipped through Porsche’s Italian distributor to a dealer in Torino. It enjoyed long-term ownership by two local enthusiasts before coming into possession of ITALCLASSIC, a company owned by the former president of the ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italia), Vittorio Zanon (ASI President 1987–1997), and managed by Maurizio Tresoldi on his behalf. In 1995, it was acquired by the present Italian owner. He more recently embarked on a complete restoration of the Carrera RS, entrusting it to Porsche specialists at Tirelli Motorsport in Turin. This time-consuming work was recently completed at a cost of some €225,000 and included a complete disassembly and stripping of the tub to bare metal, a fresh re-spray in the car’s original and correct colour, the installation of a new interior, and a complete mechanical overhaul. The restoration was fully photo-documented. The odometer reads just over 67,000 kilometres, which are believed to be original and correct.
Here is an extremely rare opportunity to acquire what is certainly amongst the finest Carrera RS M471 Lightweights extant, one that has been newly restored to its original mechanical and cosmetic specification and has a small number of owner-added improvements, including a handsome four-spoke leather steering wheel, a front strut brace, and twin outside mirrors. The car, including the undercarriage, is presented in immaculate condition inside and out. Not only would it be a perfect addition to any collection of fine high-performance sports cars, but it would also be a worthy candidate for both concours d’elegance and vintage rallies anywhere in the world.
The sound of a fuel-injected Carrera RS at full song is amongst the most glorious aural experiences imaginable, and 600649 is ready to provide its next owner with that wondrous symphony whilst showing its heels to any number of more modern sports cars.
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