1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight

The Carrera 2.7 RS of 1973 was conceived as a pure homologation special, as Porsche needed to build 500 road-going examples to qualify its new RSR for Group 4 GT racing. The RS was a substantially modified variant of the already potent 2.4-liter 911 S. By increasing displacement, introducing various weight-saving measures, stiffening the suspension, and fitting aerodynamic aids, Porsche created an unrivaled sports car. In total, only 1,580 examples of the 2.7 RS were built, of which just 200 were finished in race-oriented M 471 Sport or Lightweight specifications.

Designed primarily as a racing car that still retained its everyday utility, these rare RS Lightweights were initially constructed using a thin-gauge body shell with Glaverbel glass, fiberglass bumpers, and an aluminum-framed fiberglass engine lid molded into the famous ducktail spoiler. In an effort to save weight wherever possible, many of the 911’s standard features were discarded entirely or simply replaced with lighter, simpler items.

Whereas the M 472 Touring models were often fully trimmed and highly optioned, the M 471 Lightweights featured a business-like cockpit, spartanly furnished with cloth-covered Recaro bucket seats, simplified door panels, and thin felt carpeting. In the most extreme instances, these cars were even delivered without a glove box door, clock, or sun visors. A definitive dual-purpose sports car, striking an ideal balance between the thoroughbred 2.8 RSR and the well-appointed M 472 Touring models, Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweights were generally sold to gentlemen drivers who used them to great effect in circuit racing, rallies, and hill climbs.

This particular M 471 Lightweight, chassis 9113601034, was built in spring 1973 and, as recorded in factory records, originally finished in Viper Green (code 3838) with a standard black interior. According to Dr. Georg Konradsheim and Dr. Thomas Gruber’s definitive book Carrera RS, only 79 examples of the Carrera RS were delivered new in Viper Green, one of the most appealing Porsche colors offered in 1973.

Delivered new to Luigi Verga in Torino, Italy, the Carrera RS remained in the hands of its original owner until 1975, when it was sold to Claudio Tabacco of Genoa. During his ownership, Tabacco entered the Porsche in several local hill climbs and then sold the car to Giorgio Prestini, owner of Brescia-based wheel manufacturer Eta Beta S.p.A. in 1978. An amateur rally driver, Prestini campaigned the RS in Italian events through 1980 or 1981, when he acquired a Group 4 Lancia Stratos. Automobile Club d’Italia registration records document the Porsche’s chain of ownership throughout the 1980s, and, as noted on an FIA Historic Vehicle Identity Form included in the car’s file, the RS was initially restored in 1990, while owned by Claudio Aupt.

In 1995, well-known Italian collector Corrado Cupellini purchased the RS and drove it in several European rallies, including the 2002 Rallye de Paris. In 2004, Cupellini sold the Carrera to Claudio Roddaro of Monte Carlo, an avid Porsche enthusiast who has owned several significant competition cars, including a 550 A Spyder, 2.8 RSR, and 3.0 RSR. It is believed the RS was completely restored in Italy during Mr. Roddaro’s ownership, returning the car to its original Viper Green livery.

In more recent years, this beautifully prepared RS Lightweight has been included in an important private collection, where it has benefitted from minimal road use. As a result, the car continues to present very well in all respects and appears to be a superb example of this iconic 911 model. Though the original engine is no longer with the car, the engine currently fitted is a correct 911/83 unit, numbered 6630087. According to the book Carrera RS, this engine number corresponds to chassis 911360071, a first-series M 471 Lightweight built in November 1972 and retained by Porsche as a press car.

For the collector in search of a fine example of the exceptionally rare M 471 Lightweight, this Viper Green RS, with its fascinating Italian provenance and superb presentation, is a particularly appealing candidate.