In 1973, Porsche wanted another car to race and bred the Porsche RS. The RS stands for Rennsport in German and translates to “racing sport,” highlighting the car’s track-focused nature. The new RS was fitted with a larger 2.7 liter boxer-6 engine that put out 207 hp (154 kW). It was overall lighter, faster, and more athletic than the regular 911 model. Porsche made a total of 1,580 examples, allowing them to qualify for the FIA Group 4 class. Of those 1,580 models, 55 were swooped away from the assembly line to become option M491 which, on a 1973 RS, made it a Carrera RSR 2.8.
The RSR 2.8 took the RS 2.7 and turned it up several notches. It trimmed another 176 lbs (80 kg) from the RS and made several engine upgrades including bigger valves, twin-plug ignition, and a raised compression ratio. The interior was also as empty as it could possibly be, with a bare metal floor and a lightened roll cage. The exterior was also treated to some race upgrades including deep-dish Fuchs wheels, widebody wheel arches, and a low-level front air dam with an integral oil cooler. All of these individual parts contributed to the RSR 2.8’s increase in power over the RS 2.7 from 207 hp (154 kW) to around 296 hp (221 kW). These rare examples were mostly sold to private racing teams and can bring $1.5-2.5 million in today’s market.
This particular example, Chassis No. 9112301108, started life as a 1972 Porsche 911S. In 2008, it was restored and converted by the experts at PS Automobile into a near-exact replica of a 1973 Porsche Carrera RSR 2.8. PS Automobile was created by veteran racer Dirk Sadlowski and they have been restoring and modifying Porsches for over 15 years. In 1973, prior to its restoration and modification by PS Automobile, the vehicle was homologated by the FIA as a Group 3 race car until 1980. Its current owner purchased it directly from the PS Automobile booth at the ESSEN Motor Show in Germany before shipping it to South America for a full checkup and installation of longer gears by Michel Kempf. Since then, it sat in his collection for years and was driven sparingly. It is equipped with an FIA homologated OMP fire extinguisher, 5-speed manual transmission, Schroth Racing roll cage, Momo Racing wheel, OMP Grip K/C bucket seats, and Steel body flares. This one is rated at 306 hp (228 kW) and a weight of 1984 lbs (900 kg) making it a very quick and nimble racer once the engine is properly warmed up.
If you are looking for the fun and excitement of a Carrera RSR 2.8 but don’t have $2 million to spare, this is a very cost-effective alternative to it. It is a cosmetically excellent example that drives as well as it looks with only minor hallmarks of use/aging. For all intents and purposes, this is a race car inside and out. We have performed a comprehensive service prior to offering it up for sale and can vouch that the car is ready to navigate twisty backroads or perform on-track at Vintage Racing events. Upon purchase, the new owner will receive a number of photos from when the build was complete, a period article with the car from Porsche’s Christophorus magazine as well as several documents certifying the car’s build.
