Last-ever right-hand-drive Carrera RS found
The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from 1973 is regarded as the finest 911 model ever made by many marque enthusiasts.
Just 1590 RS road cars were made as homologation models for racing and they are all now prized collectibles.
An independent Porsche specialist from the UK, Autofarm, has tracked down the last righthand drive RS example ever made and intends to document its restoration.
The ‘‘Trinidad RS’’, as it is now known, has a colourful history. It’s survived a number of unusual modifications, the tragic murder of one of its owners and 40 years of intense Caribbean heat and sun.
The car is now in the process of being disassembled, ready to be meticulously rebuilt and restored by Autofarm for its new (anonymous at this stage) owner.
Mikey Wastie, managing director of Autofarm, says: ‘‘The Trinidad RS is an extremely rare car. It’s exciting for us, as passionate RS specialists, to have been able to acquire this car and have the opportunity to restore it to its former glory.
Mikey Wastie, managing director of Autofarm, says: ‘‘The Trinidad RS is an extremely rare car. It’s exciting for us, as passionate RS specialists, to have been able to acquire this car and have the opportunity to restore it to its former glory.
‘‘We are no strangers to working on unusual ’barn finds’. One of our biggest projects has been to rescue and restore an incredible 911 Carrera RS Lightweight that had managed to survive the Lebanese civil war in Beirut. The Trinidad RS looks set to be an equally exciting restoration for us and we can’t wait to get started.
‘‘Obviously being the last righthand drive Carrera RS to be produced, this car has generated quite a buzz and we’ve had a great deal of interest from potential buyers.
‘‘But it was important to us to ensure that we found the right person to work with on this project, someone who would appreciate the heritage of the car and who would have the right vision for how this car could continue its life in the future.
‘‘I’m happy to say that, having sat unused and unloved for such a long time, the Trinidad RS is about to start an exciting new chapter of its story. We are proud to have been able to unite this extraordinary Porsche with who we believe will be the perfect new owner and we will be working closely with them to rebuild and rejuvenate this car and prepare it for the next stage of its life.’’
Of the 1590 RSs that were built, only 16 Royal Purple models were ever made; of those, only seven were right-hand drive and only one car did not feature the ‘‘ducktail’’ rear spoiler.
That’s the car that has been discovered: chassis number 1576. It’s been confirmed as the last right hand drive RS 2.7 to ever be produced.
After being sold in the UK in 1973, the car was transported to Trinidad and when Autofarm learned of its discovery, it commissioned one of its RS experts, Josh Sadler, to visit the US and verify the lost car’s authenticity.
Tinted windows, a rear wing, a garish paint job and retrofit seats and steering wheel have all been added over the years to give the Porsche a distinctly 1980s makeover, but under this fac¸ ade is the genuine car, complete with all the homologation features that were unique to this series of RS models.
After acquiring the car, it was brought back to Autofarm’s workshop in Oxfordshire, UK.