Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS Touring (1972)

The ultimate 911. There is no more iconic silhouette than that of the early 911 and of all the variations and differences in these cars, the shape of the 2.7 RS with its Aerodynamic ducktail is the most instantly recognisable. It captured the imagination like the Jaguar E type had a decade before, and the initial run of 500 sold out almost immediately. Porsche had to reinstate production to build more - another 1,090, in fact - in order to meet demand.

RS stands for Rennsport in German, meaning "racing sport". The Carrera name was reintroduced from the 356 Carrera which had itself been named after Porsche's victories in the Carrera Panamericana races in Mexico in the 1950s. These sensational cars also achieved great success on the race track, RS both in touring and in lightweight spec were raced in almost every sports car race, the lightly modified RSR examples scored victories in the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring all in their first year. Weighing in at only 975kg, 2.7 RS's have an impressive top speed of 150mph and performance figures of 0-65mph in just 5.8 seconds.

In Porsche circles, when one is looking for the ultimate Touring RS it is almost essential to search out a first series car. Quite simply this is one of the first 500 cars produced in the original limited run. Demand at the time was so popular that an additional thousand cars were built to serve the long list of buyers. These first series cars are known to be built to a lighter specification and as such, are more desirable.

This RHD example is unrestored, but absolutely correct and extremely well preserved, having always been well maintained. Finished in Light Yellow with a black leatherette interior, the car is fitted with optional equipment, including a heated rear window, an outside mirror on the driver's side and electric windows exactly as the car was supplied. Being such an early car production was completed on 01/12/1972 and it was originally registered in January 1973, with the first owner completing 7,000 miles in a year. It was sold to Synters (Nottingham) at the end of 1973 and then purchased by a private owner in February 1975. Whilst in their ownership, the car was serviced by AFN Isleworth and was never damaged or painted. In 1984, the car was sold to another private owner, the well known John Coombes, based in Surrey, who kept it until 1992. The car was sold in September 1992 and remained with this custodian until January of 2014, when the 5th owner purchased the vehicle.

In 1992 there were 19,000 miles on the clock and the original British service book was present, which is quite a rarity, along with the original delivery stamp and service at 6,000 miles. The car was serviced over the years by Porsche Byfleet, Bob Watson and Leighs Garage - always at no expense spared. A few minor running repairs to the paintwork were carried out to keep it fresh, but the car has never been totally painted, restored or stripped. In November 2013, the engine was dropped out and fully serviced by Porsche Byfleet. The wiring loom was inspected and cleaned, the heater pipes were renewed, the engine bay detailed, oil changed, new fuel pipes fitted and heater exchange cleaned out.

The current owner has used the car on two tours in Europe and covered approximately 1,500 miles further, all without fault. It has recently had extensive work undertaken by the well-renowned Porsche specialist Jaz. This included replacing the pre heat pipes (it is critical they are in good condition for an injection car, as these turn the choke off), a new fan belt, a major service and removing the cam covers to adjust the valve clearances. During the service a Porsche bodywork specialist took the time to thoroughly inspect the car and was so impressed by the detailed correctness that it has been photographed in great detail for further restorations. Importantly, the car is accompanied by its Certificate of Authenticity from Porsche and is currently available for viewing at our showroom just outside London and can be enjoyed immediately by the new owner.

This extremely early "first 500" RHD RS Touring is without doubt one of the finest in existence and represents a real opportunity to purchase what can only be described as a true "reference" car.