Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS: ultimate guide
Take a look back through automotive history and there are only a handful of cars that have achieved truly legendary status. The 911 you see here – the 2.7 RS – is one of them.
With 1,590 models produced and prices exceeding the £500,000 mark, its position as an iconic 911 has been well and truly cemented in the minds of every enthusiast. So where to start?
Well, its difficult gestation has been documented many times – the doubts of Porsche’s marketing department, the determination of then CEO Ernst Fuhrmann to drive the project through, the immediate sales success – so we won’t dwell on that any further here.
Suffice to say, its reception at the 1972 Paris Salon and the subsequent clamour to snap up the first 500 cars fully vindicated Fuhrmann’s belief.
It was based on the 2.4S, and came in two distinct forms: the Sport, and the Touring (RST), designated M471 and M472 respectively. The former quickly became known as the ‘Lightweight’ (RSL).
The number built has always been a matter of some debate, but 1,590 examples is generally accepted, comprising 1,390 of the better-equipped Touring and 200 Lightweights, although inevitably there have been conversions from one to the other over the years.
But let’s not get bogged down with such arguments, because what really fascinates admirers of this special 911 are the changes that Porsche made, and they begin with one of the strictest diets yet seen in motordom.
Firstly, the non-load bearing panels such as the roof, front and rear wings, and the front luggage compartment lid were formed from metal just 0.7mm thick when 1.0 to 1.25mm was the norm.
To read our ultimate guide to the Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS in full, order your copy of Total 911 issue 121 now. Alternatively, you can download it straight to your digital device here.
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