"Ducktail", "RS", "2.7er”—these nicknames show how iconic and dearly loved the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 truly is. It’s been 50 years since it first captured the world’s attention, and the Porsche Museum is celebrating it with a special exhibition.
The “Spirit of Carrera RS” opened on September 20 at the museum at Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen. New and long-time Porsche superfans alike can view and enjoy everything RS–from the celebrated car’s beginnings and technical highlights to its influence and cult following.
An Iconic Streetcar With Racing DNA
It was on October 5, 1972 when the RS 2.7 stole many hearts at the Paris Motor. As the world’s first series-production car with front and rear spoilers, it was a true showstopper, and the first 911 to be given the “Carrera” badge.
Two words defined its design–fast and light. Porsche’s dream engineer Hans Mezger and racing turbo specialist, Valentin Schäffer created the legendary 2.7-liter six-cylinder boxer engine with fuel injection. This unique design fulfilled Porsche’s goal of conveying the precise aerodynamics of its race car to a road-legal car. Motorsport fans raved about how lightweight this new car was and how fast it can go. In fact, the Sport variant–the 210-PS, 960-kilogram Coupé–went from 0 to 100 km/h in only 5.8 seconds, displaying a top speed of almost 245 km/h. Today’s 911 RS and GT vehicles even carry the same DNA as the 1972 RS.
50 Years of RS 2.7 Success
Visitors can now trace the rich history of the RS and its racing cousin, the RSR, through the collection of cars on display at the Porsche Museum.
A bright yellow 911 Carrera RS 2.7 in Touring spec is the centerpiece—welcoming guests into the exhibition. A rare metallic green prototype is another must-see.
The exhibit also shines a spotlight on other extraordinary cars of the RS lineage including the 964 and 993 generations, the air-cooled sports cars of the 911 RS. The 996, 997, and 991 generations of the 911 GT3 RS make up the water-cooled era. A 911 Sport Classic collector’s edition with a fixed rear spoiler is also on display. It’s the second of four collector’s items from the Heritage Design Series from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.
Through a visual trail of films, photos, and racing posters, the story of the beloved Carrera RS 2.7 and the team behind its development is brought to life. Interactive features give driving enthusiasts the opportunity to make their own custom RS. This special part of the exhibit is a call back to the Porsche tradition of customization and personalization. Buyers of the Carrera RS 2.7 could choose from a wide array of colors and equipment options. With heavy customization at their fingertips, orders flooded the sportscar manufacturer and the demand for the supercar more than doubled. A total of 1,580 2.7 RS cars were built–a huge leap from the 500 cars initially planned.
Fifty years of Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is nothing less than a story of greatness; a perfect amalgamation of power, aerodynamics, and driving design in a road-legal streetcar. Germany’s fastest sports car continues its legacy through a robust RS lineage, and fans will surely continue to love the 911 Carrera and its successors for decades to come.
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