Porsche Carrera RS - on the trail of the legend

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Porsche Carrera RS - on the trail of the legend

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Created on May 30, 2018

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

34

Porsche AG - Historisches Archiv

19

Archiv Porsche AG

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Archiv

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the duck tail, the widened rear fenders and, of course, the wider wheels were the distinguishing features of the most powerful 911 version of the time

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Blood orange only adorned 126 RS models

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the front oil cooler was only installed later

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - compact and beautifully shaped

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - equipped with plastic bumpers

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - one of the icons of the seventies

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - crouched ready for the start

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - one mirror is enough

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the RS was wider at the rear than the normal 911 S

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the roll cage was retrofitted in the USA

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - almost as fast as the later Turbo

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - cheeky, that duck tail

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - rounds bends with low side inclination

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the spoiler package increased the top speed by over 4 km/h

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - around 240 km/h fast

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - when top sports cars were still compact and clearly laid out

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the Porsche sign on the front is glued on

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - most road users saw it from this perspective

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Touring equipment with retrofitted steering wheel and sports seats from König

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Rev counter in the center

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Speedometer up to 250 km/h

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the air-cooled six-cylinder engine produced 210 hp

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - compared to the 911 S, maximum power was even achieved at more civilian engine speeds

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - fuel-injected boxer engine

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - everything clearly marked

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the duck tail as a unique distinguishing feature

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the manufacturer does not remain in the dark

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - lettering on the duck tail

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the famous lettering on the duck tail

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the lettering soon also adorned ordinary 911 models

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - engine capacity on the rear air intake

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the famous Fuchs rims

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - this is what dreams are made of

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Jürgen Barth at the wheel

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Determining the cw value

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Premiere at the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 1972

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Coupé built in 1973, photographed in August 1972

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the plastic rear spoiler was obligatory and could not be ordered separately

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - sparse sports equipment in the lightweight version of the 1974 assembly year

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - year of assembly 1974, tires on Fuchs forged wheels for rear (left) and front

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - white was the standard color, the light models had very small wheels

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - the Carrera lettering was available in different colors

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - today probably the most valuable 911 of all

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - illustration in the sales brochure

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - photo from the sales brochure

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - the airplanes become extras, taken in November 1972

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Presentation at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Premiere at the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 1972

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Steering wheel and dashboard

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Driver and passenger seat

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - sports equipment, no clock in the dashboard

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - A look inside the lightweight sports car

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Opening windows for comfort-oriented buyers

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - year of assembly 1974, comfortable door lining on the Touring version

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - Trunk and spare wheel

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Advertising with performance data in 1972

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - Advertising message in 1972 - only 500 men will drive it

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) in advertising - Germany's fastest rarity

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Porsche Carrera RS (1972) - cornering dynamics demonstrated on the cover of the sales brochure

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Porsche Carrera RS (1973) - on the left a 2.7-liter, on the right the Porsche Carrera RSR with 2.8-liter engine

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Summary

Porsche presented the Carrera RS in 1972. Fearing that the targeted 500 units would not be sold, the minimalist lightweight sports car was sold almost exclusively with a touring or sports package. But the fear proved to be unfounded - 1580 RSs were built. Today, they are worth many times their original price and are among the most valuable 911s ever. This report attempts to answer the question "Does the Carrera RS really deserve this exceptional position?" and shows a model from 1973 in many pictures, supplemented by historical illustrations, price lists and a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

Germany's fastest rarity
Complex production
In a different league
Milestone
Experience it for yourself
Mystery
Comparison of four Porsche models
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Even the name sounds fast and attracts attention: Carrera RS. Yet the Porsche men didn't even have to invent too much for this at the beginning of the seventies. They had already built sports cars with the additional designation Carrera in the 1950s (356 Carrera) and for racing (Carrera GTS, Carrera 6) in the 1960s, and the abbreviation "RS" simply stood for racing, because that was what the Porsche Carrera RS was built for. Today, this vehicle type, which was only produced in 1972 and 1973, is one of the most sought-after classics from the entire Zuffenhausen arsenal. With prices well over half a million, it was the forerunner of the 911 euphoria, which also pulled more frequently built models upwards in its wake.

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