PORSCHE

1973 Paul Walker 911 Carrera RS 2.7 goes up for auction

This impressive 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7, which was owned by famous actor Paul Walker, is one of 1,580 units produced and will soon join the Mecum Auctions auction list in Monterey next August.

Unlike many Hollywood actors who have little idea of ​​how to properly drive a fast car, Paul Walker was well known for his skill behind the wheel and performed many of his own stunts in the movies.

Over time, the actor and car enthusiast has amassed a large collection of vehicles. Tragically, Walker met untimely death as a passenger in his Porsche Carrera GT at the age of 40.

Although he owned many collector cars, it seems there was a place in his heart for Germany's finest machines, among which was this 911 Carrera RS 2.7-Chassis No. 9113600901.

In fact, Walker told the story of buying the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 to Jay Leno during a broadcast of 'The Tonight Show' in 2011.

The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was the brainchild of Ernst Fuhrmann. After taking over as Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche in 1972, Fuhrmann was inspired at that time by the then recent racing success of the legendary Porsche 917, which had claimed the overall victories of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971.

Special editions were built of these models that were street-legal but close cousins ​​to those that were successful on the racetrack.

Since the 1950s, the surname RS, short for Rennsport, has always been reserved for the most special vehicles. The 911 RS 2.7 has been homologated for use in the FIA ​​Group 3 Grand Touring series, while 60 units of the 911 RS 2.7 have been developed specifically for FIA Group 4 competition.

The man at the heart of the development of the 911 RS 2.7 was Porsche engineer Norbert Singer. Not only was Singer the main man responsible for developing the almighty 917, his name lives on today in the form of Singer Vehicle Design, where old Porsches are restored, reinvented and reborn under the watchful eye of former car designer Rob Dickinson. 

The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 proved to be a winning proposition, both on the racetrack and in dealerships. Initially, Porsche planned to build just 500 homologated examples of the car, but demand immediately skyrocketed and the Stuttgart people responded by producing 1,580 units, more than triple the originally planned production.

Over time, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 became a true collector's gem, and today, the exclusive model from 1973 is one of the most demanded high-performance models in Porsche's portfolio.

With 93,774 kilometers, this light yellow example of the Carrera RS was manufactured in March 1973 with the Touring package. It is powered by a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine with 210 hp with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

The black interior, restored by Autobahn Interiors of San Diego, is highlighted by sport seats with striking white and black Pepita Houndstooth inserts. Everything looks right from the cockpit view, as the VDO gauges, including an 8,000 rpm tachometer and 300 km/h speedometer, are right in the line of sight. The rest of the interior is spartan but useful.

Efforts to reduce weight appear throughout the vehicle, which features thinner steel body panels than the standard 911, as well as lighter, thinner glass. The weight savings continue with a fiberglass rear platform and a lightweight ducktail airfoil branded with a distinctive Carrera RS logo. A limited slip differential, flared wheel arches, Fuchs wheels and Avon tires complete the model.

Autonews