Porsche Celebrates 50th Birthday Of The 911 Carrera RS 2.7

The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is one of the most exciting and valuable vehicles that Porsche has ever produced, and it’s turning 50 years old.

The word Carrera means “race” in Spanish, while the RS on the rear of the vehicle stood for “Rennsport”, which means “race sport” in German, therefore Porsche literally named this 911 the “Race Race Sport 2.7.”

In order to keep the 2.7 RS pointed in the right direction at all times, traction would need to be improved from the tail-happy (and downright pendulum-pretending) narrow body of previous models. To do this, the rear section was widened, and larger 7-inch wide wheels were fitted in the rear. The cherry on top is the so-called “ducktail” spoiler, which improved the aerodynamics and pushed the rear of the vehicle down onto the tarmac.

The interior of the sports car was stripped as much as possible, losing such niceties as the rear seats, carpets, clock, coat hooks, and armrests. The seats were also replaced with lightweight units, and even the hood crest was a sticker instead of a painted enamel badge.

Along with thinner gauge sheet metal body panels, windows, and plastic, the car weighed in at a scant 960 kg (2116 lbs), a full 115 kilograms (253 lbs) less than a standard 911. The crux of the vehicle is the 210 hp 2.7-liter flat-six engine, which featured fuel injection and a magnesium block to lower the weight. This combination of lightweight and powerful meant that the RS was the fastest German production car of its day with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of only 5.8 seconds in Sport guise and a top speed in excess of 245 km/h (152 mph).

The speed wasn’t just fun on the street either, as the special 911 was designed and homologated to be a racing car that could be also driven to the office. Porsche raced the RS in both Group 3 and Group 4 classes, where it racked up an immense number of wins around the world.

A special exhibit dedicated to 50 years of the Carrera 2.7 RS will be put on at the brand’s museum in Stuttgart and will run from September 20, 2022.