For over 50 years, the Porsche 911 has enjoyed an enviable record as one of the finest sports cars on the planet. It is the benchmark to which all other sports cars compare themselves, and that all others are compared to. It remains, to this day, the most revered model in Porsche’s vaunted history. While all 911s are truly brilliant cars, the best of them are born and bred in the crucible of motorsport. Built to homologate the 3.8-liter RSR for competition in BPR GT3 and GT4 racing, the roadgoing Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 is essentially a racing car built for the road.

At its heart is the 3.8-liter normally aspirated Type M64/20 engine producing a factory-rated 296 horsepower at 6,500 rpm along with 262 foot-pounds of torque at 5,400 rpm. The innovative Variocam variable-length intake system from Porsche and newly designed forged pistons of a reduced height (thanks to a relocated wrist pin), help to keep piston weight below that of the standard 3.8-liter engine. This distinctive powerplant also sports dual-oil coolers and lightened rocker arms, among a host of additional upgrades that heightened the car’s performance—all befitting its role as a homologation special. Power is managed through a Type G50/31 six-speed manual transmission; the gearing was optimized for acceleration, rather than top speed.

Suspension upgrades implemented on the RS 3.8 included a front strut brace, ball-joint front damper mounts, and adjustable anti-roll bars with five positions for the 24-milimeter front bar and three positions for the 21-milimeter rear piece. Porsche also fitted a limited-slip differential, as well as anti-lock brakes sourced from the 993 Turbo and ADB traction control. Immense 265/35ZR-18R tires on the rear and 225/40ZR-18 on the front are mounted on specially made 18-inch “Speedline for Porsche” three-piece, light-alloy wheels with magnesium centers, which are nine inches wide in the front and 11 inches wide in the back.

Furthermore, the engineers at Stuttgart went to fanatical lengths to make the Carrera RS as light as possible. Its base weight was brought down to a svelte 1,280 kilograms, or 2,822 pounds, as Porsche deleted virtually everything that was unnecessary—including central locking, radio speakers, power-adjustable seats, electric windows and mirrors, sound insulation, air bags, the rear defroster, and even the headliner. However, Porsche did not stop there: the Carrera RS features thinner window glass, an aluminum front boot lid and doors, Recaro seats, and lightweight interior door panels with traditional fabric pulls.

The car offered for sale here is one of just 1,104 examples produced of the 993-generation Carrera RS. Presented in the classic exterior color befitting of a stripped down racer, Speed Yellow, the interior complements with two-tone Black-Grey leather seats featuring perforated center sections.

Completed by the factory in July 1995, the Porsche was originally delivered to Japan as new. Notably, the Certificate of Authenticity on file confirms the selection of air conditioning, power windows, dual airbags, and a Clubsport rear wing (which separately accompanies the vehicle today). The odometer reads just 15,532 kilometers (~9,652 miles) at the time of cataloguing, and the car shows in wonderful condition as a result, notably retaining its matching-numbers engine; paint meter readings also indicate that its Speed Yellow paint is the original factory finish. Further documentation on file details the importation process and purchase by the current owner in 2012.

As one of the most desirable, and certainly one of the most driver-focused, variations of the 993-generation model, the Carrera RS 3.8 represents a special place in Porsche as the ultimate development of the naturally aspirated air-cooled 911. A must-have for any true Porsche enthusiast, this example is sure to be enjoyed by its next lucky owner.