The nature of racing is collaborative. Even in the most driver-focused motorsports series, teams of people work to give racers the best machines possible to earn them a mechanical advantage. So, naturally, the question of who would be the best on a theoretically even playing field often comes up, and that’s what the International Race of Champions (IROC) sought to find out in the ’70s.
For its first iteration, which took place over two weekends in 1973 and 1974, legendary drivers like Bobby Unser, Emerson Fittipaldi, A.J. Foyt, Mark Donohue, and George Follmer were given a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR racecar painted in a bright color, and told to go find out who was the fastest.
Although he didn’t win the overall title in the IROC championship, Follmer did win the second race at Riverside International Raceway in a bright blue 911 that is now being honored by the team at Retro Designs.
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The company has created a modernized, but still respectful tribute to the classic racecar for drivers who want to celebrate the legendary race series in a car of their own. Painted Bahama Blue with white accents, the car pays homage to Follmer, who raced at Le Mans, as well as in Champ Car, NASCAR, the Indy 500, Formula One, and Can-Am, among others.
Unlike the original, Retro Design’s car is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine that generates 300 hp (224 kW/304 PS), which is funneled to the rear wheels through a special 915 transmission.
The car rides on Bilstein Coilovers, which Retro Designs says makes the car smoother and more forgiving than the racecar that was piloted by the best drivers of its day. Meanwhile, tower struts, adjustable sway bars, a rear strut bar reinforcement brace, and more help create a stable ride for easier road trips.
It also features Fuchs-style ExtremeContact Sport wheels, high-performance Fikse tires, and Big Red Brake calipers that clamp down on 930 Turbo discs to provide drivers with excellent braking power. An RSR exhaust tip fabricated by RetroDesigns helps give the car a sharper, more motorsports-inspired engine note.
Finally, inside, the 911 RSR get 917 Lillipop seats and a Momo Prototipo steering wheel, for a retro look. It also gets a heated windshield, an electro cooler, and a roll bar for protection on track.
“The 1974 RSR IROC edition presented our team with an interesting set of challenges,” said Daniel Valjevac, the owner of Retro Designs. “We wanted to stay true to the vehicle’s grand racing lineage while also making it suitable for today’s driving conditions and comfortable enough for driver and passenger to take longer trips than just a few laps around the track.”
Price for the Retro Designs 1974 Porsche 911 RSR IROC start at $250,000.
