One of the most impactful Porsches of all time and arguably among the most consequential sports cars ever made, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 blurred the lines between road car and racecar, establishing a revered legacy that persists to this day.

The Carrera RS 2.7 is a homologation special born of Porsche’s efforts in the early 1970s to create a 911 for the FIA’s newly launched production-car racing series. Based on the 911 S, it featured a larger flat, six-cylinder engine displacing 2.7 liters, with low-friction, Nikasil-lined cylinders and fed by novel Bosch mechanical fuel injection. The landmark engine would set a precedent for the wonderfully high-revving naturally aspirated flat-sixes that have come to enthrall enthusiasts in successive generations of the 911 RS.

“The engine has a nice, metallic harmony at lower revs…and its obvious desire to rev soon persuaded me to push harder,” wrote Senior European Correspondent Mike Duff in his road test of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 for Car and Driver. “Doing so made it clear that the best is reserved for the very top of the rev range, where acceleration turns keen even by modern-century standards as the central tach's needle closes in on the 7200-rpm redline.”

Claimed output was 210 brake horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque. A stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and larger wheels improved chassis dynamics while the exterior featured thinner sheet metal, wider fenders, lightweight bumpers, and a distinctive “ducktail,” the first factory spoiler ever attached to the sloping rear of a 911. The RS 2.7 was also the first 911 to feature the “Carrera” and “RS” monikers—honoring Porsche’s success at the Carrera Panamericana rally of the 1950s and signifying “rennsport,” or “racing sport” in German, respectively.

Porsche developed two homologated versions of the Carrera RS 2.7. The Sport or “Lightweight” model, option M471, was intended for competition use and was largely stripped of its interior. The Touring version, option M472, offered some of the Lightweight’s features but was more civilized for spirited yet comfortable road use. Of the 1,580 total Carrera RS 2.7 examples produced, 1,308 were built to the popular M472 Touring specification, including the superb example offered here.

AN ITALIAN-DELIVERY RS 2.7 TOURING

This Carrera RS 2.7 was sold new in Italy and finished, as today, in a subtle and attractive combination of Light Ivory over a Black Leatherette interior (the graphic lower body “Carrera” script so closely associated with this model, however, was added later in the car’s life). It was imported to the United States in 1986 by a resident of Westport, Connecticut. A copy of a document on file indicates that it was titled in Texas at this time.

The very next year, Prescott Kelley, noted RS expert and Porsche Club of America historian, acquired the RS 2.7. Following his ownership, the car would then pass through several collectors before being acquired in 2000 by Roger Hoffmann, a noted collector and frequent Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance entrant. At some point prior to his acquisition the wheels were painted Viper Green and matching graphics were added to the exterior. Intent on restoring the car to its original glory, Hoffman would commission a two-year, comprehensive cosmetic and mechanical refurbishment sparing no expense, many invoices and photos for which are on file. Hoffman would retain the RS 2.7 for some years and then pass it on to other conscientious caretakers.

Upon entering the Dare to Dream Collection in February of 2014, the car would be serviced to bring it into top operating condition. It remains beautifully presented in factory-correct Light Ivory with period-correct black graphics over Black Leatherette with cord inserts. Notably, the car retains its numbers-matching engine, as confirmed by a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity on file, and it is said to be one of few examples equipped with virtually every factory option, including air conditioning, an electric sunroof, electric windows, a limited slip differential, sport seats, head restraints, retractable seat belts, and an AM/FM radio with automatic antenna. In addition to Porsche documentation and an extensive history file, it is accompanied by a tool roll.

Beautifully restored, incredibly maintained, and perennially lusted-after as the 911 Carrera RS that spawned succeeding generations, this is a stellar and well-documented example that serious marque enthusiasts and collectors will surely clamor over.