One to Buy: ex-Pierre Lelong 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS Touring
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When it comes to the ultimate F body 911 road car, nothing beats the 2.7-litre Carrera RS produced between late 1972 and mid 1973.
The bean counters at Porsche originally thought it would be difficult to sell the 500 production examples required to go Group 4 racing, but this seminal long hood 911 ultimately proved so popular that over 1500 were eventually completed.
A happy by product of the car’s unexpected commercial success was that it also qualified for the 1000-car Group 3 class where vehicles had to compete in more-or-less standard trim bar a few safety modifications here and there.
Like the 2.8-litre 911 Carrera RSR in Group 4, in Group 3 the 2.7-litre Carrera RS swept all before it and remained a competitive mount for racing, rallying and hillclimbing throughout the 1970s.
One event that famously combined aspects of all three of these disciplines was the gruelling Tour de France which typically took place over an entire week with each timed event linked by regularity sections on public roads.
Currently on offer at the Thiesen Automobile showroom in Hamburg is a veteran of no less than 14 editions of the Tour de France between 1973 and 1986.
Supplied new to enthusiastic amateur Pierre Lelong in Touring-spec., Lelong drove the car to 15th overall and 8th in the Group 3 category during its maiden 1973 event and went on to do a further 13 editions.
Today, this most historic matching numbers Blood Orange RS is offered in superb condition throughout. It comes with a fully documented history back to day one and has covered a little over 58,000km from new.
