1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring
Porsche built the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 to satisfy a single requirement (the 500-unit minimum needed to qualify for Group 3 racing). What followed was one of the most successful homologation exercises in automotive history, and the first such special that Porsche actively marketed to road car buyers.
The Touring version (designated M472) offered a slightly more appointed alternative to the stripped-down Sport (Lightweight) variant. Both shared the same signature visual cues (flared rear wheel arches and the now-iconic “ducktail” rear spoiler), which set the RS apart from every other 911 of its day.
Thinner-gauge steel body panels, a fiberglass engine cover and bumpers, and reduced interior trim kept the Sport version to just 2,116 pounds (960 kg). The Touring retained more sound deadening and comfort features, resulting in a higher curb weight.
Powering both variants was a 2.7-liter flat-six (bored up from the 2.4-liter unit in the preceding 911 S), rated at 210 hp and delivering roughly 20 percent more torque than its predecessor. Customer demand blew past Porsche’s original 500-unit target, and production ultimately reached 1,580 cars across all variants, with 1,308 of those being Touring examples.
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