Lot 135: 1974 Porsche 911 3.0 Litre Carrera RS

To contest the Group 4 class of the World Manufacturers Championship, the FIA demanded at least 500 identical road cars be built, from which a competition version could be derived. Until 1972, Porsche had always considered production 911's the best way to homologate a racer. However, with sales of stock 911's well up in the thousands every year, it was entirely conceivable for the German marque to produce and sell a batch of 500 specially prepared cars that would provide a more extreme basis to begin from. In the end, so great was demand for the resultant 2.7 Carrera RS that the firm eventually sold more than 1500 within six months. Once this initial homologation had been granted, manufacturers were then permitted to build batches of 50 evolution cars from which even more highly modified racers could be derived. This is where the 3-litre RS came in. Produced for just a few months over the winter of 1973/74, it would be the basis for Porsche's 1974 customer race programme, a homologation special to pave the way for an even hotter successor to the dominant 2.8 RSR. Based on G-series underpinnings, the 3.0 RS got reinforced rear trailing arms, thicker torsion bars, fully adjustable anti-roll bars, eight and nine-inch Fuchs five bolt wheels and cross-drilled and ventilated brake discs from the 917. The engine was a de-tuned version of the unit found in the 3.0 RSR, compression having been reduced from 10.3:1 to 9.8:1 while mechanical fuel injection was from the 2.7 RS. Designated Typ 911/77, 230bhp was on tap at 6200rpm, 20bhp up on the 2.7 RS that it effectively replaced. But although performance figures between the two models were eminently comparable, the 3.0 RS hitting 155mph and 0-60 in 5.3 seconds, the new car boasted bucketloads more torque. Much improved flexibility made it a formidable performer by any standards and even today, few cars can outperform a well driven '74 RS. 9114609085 is probably the best know and recognised 3.0 litre RS cars in Europe with its striking yellow livery, as it was the campaigned in many European rallies and was the outright winner of the German Rally Championship in 1975 and 1976.The car also competed in the Tour de Europe in '75 and '76 and was the overall winner both times.The current owner, a Porsche specialist, has recently commissioned a major restoration of the car, and has stated that the original bodyshell has been carefully restored with all the original panels. In addition the bumpers have been returned to the original factory fibreglass units as the car was rallied with a metal bumper in the front, the metal bumper will also be supplied with the car.Fitted with the correct original type 917 brakes and short steel trailing arms the car in is in excellent order throughout and is ready to race.Accompanying the car is a substantial history file with many articles, photos, and newspaper cuttings of the car's racing past. The original title documents are also supplied, showing this 3.0 litre RS to have had just 2 owners from new. The thirst for racing 911's such as this has been dramatic in recent years with the price of the race cars pulling up the road cars as many of them get converted to race, here then is the opportunity to purchase a genuine factory 3.0 RS, a championship winning car, fresh and race ready, with FIA papers, for the multitude of historic race and rally events that it is eligible for.