Ask those in the know and they’ll tell you that the first series of 500 cars are the most desirable today, not least because the body panels were crafted from thinner-gauge (and therefore lighter) steel. Two general specifications were sold: ‘Lightweight’, which channeled the hardcore spirit of the racer, and a more plush and comfortable ‘Touring’. The former is rarer, but the latter stayed truest to the 911’s Grand Touring roots.
To drive, the Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS is a unique experience. You can feel its inherent raciness over the standard 911 S from the moment the air-cooled flat-six catches with its signature chatter. As you’d expect from a Porsche, it feels tight and solid and safe, but the way it inspires you with confidence and urges you to push on is infectious.
Plus, once you’ve parked, climbed out, closed the door with that satisfyingly secure ‘clunk’ and walked away, there’s nothing quite looking back at a slinky, seductive, narrow-bodied 911. Especially one with a beautifully delicate ducktail on its bottom.
This Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS
The Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS we’re delighted to be offering is one of the very best we’ve encountered. One of approximately 100 right-hand-drive examples built, chassis number 0918 is perhaps most notable in that it was the sole RS delivered new to South Africa. The original Johannesburg-based owner, one Stanley Bauer, was a well-known collector who used his influence to persuade the local Porsche dealership to sell him a car which wasn’t officially designated for the region.
Clearly an enthusiast of distinguished taste, Bauer didn’t hold back when presented with the order form by the South African Porsche representative in 1972. Vibrant Light Yellow on the exterior was contrasted with understated black leatherette and hound’s tooth inside. The more supportive sports seats were specified for both the driver and the passenger, along with the optional head rests to increase comfort. Further refinement was added with the electric sliding sunroof, a particularly rare feature, and the power windows. The proverbial cherry on the cake was the deletion of the black ‘Carrera’ script on the side of the car.
Following its completion in March of 1973, the original owner travelled all the way to Zuffenhausen to inspect his new pride and joy and, of course, take a maiden test-drive. It was to be the first of many happy miles behind the wheel of this Porsche 911 Carrera. Between October of 1973, when the car was delivered to South Africa, and 1977, when Bauer emigrated to the United States leaving him no choice but to sell, he racked up over 30,000km.
Fast-forward 24 years to March 2002, by which point the 2.7 Carrera RS was eligible to be imported to the United States. Chassis 0918’s original owner, then based in California, decided he wanted to reunite with his old Porsche, such was the esteem he held for the car during his former ownership. Bauer managed to trace the car through his brother-in-law, who’d always kept it in his sights.
We can only imagine Bauer’s surprise to find the car still in South Africa and in excellent condition. Remaining in the exact specification in which it left the factory, the RS had clearly been cherished and enjoyed by its subsequent three owners, the Johannesburg climate no doubt playing its part in the beguiling preservation. Suffice to say, a deal was made and chassis 0918 travelled to the United States to be reunited with its original owner once again.
Since heading Stateside on the 28th March 2002, chassis 0918 has been lovingly used and maintained in the same vein as it always has been. The odometer reads 149,500km (that’s 92,900 miles) which is authenticated by the abundance of documentation kept by the car’s owners over the decades. And the car benefits from a fresh service, carried out by North American Racing Werks in July of 2021.
We’ve encountered many Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RSs but we’ve rarely seen one with such an appealing combination of rare specification and remarkable originality. The brightwork, lights, lenses and side/rear glass are all factory features, as are the seats (including the houndstooth inserts), carpets, dashboard and headlining. Naturally, beneath the Light Yellow exterior resides the original chassis, engine and gearbox.
Furthermore, chassis 0918 is accompanied by original tools, spare wheel and jack, ultra-rare tyre pump, owner’s manual and sales brochure. That’s all in addition to the wealth of documentation accrued by the car’s custodians over the years.
Not only does chassis 0918 present a rare chance to acquire a right-hand-drive example of Porsche’s greatest 911, which stands head and shoulders above its admittedly plentiful production counterparts. But it also represents an opportunity to continue writing a wonderful story that, until now, has been a testament to the love, care, attention and foresight of the brilliant people who’ve owned this 2.7 Carrera RS.
Price Upon Application
