1974 Porsche

For Porschephiles, Carrera is a name that will be associated with the 911, as it has adorned the rump of every standard model for several years. However, this hasn’t always been the case, as it was once strongly associated with rare and special models. Porsche coined the phrase “Carrera” from their success in the famous Mexican road race, the Carrera Panamericana. “Carrera” in Spanish is “race,” and was initially a term used for their 4-cam racing engines, which had been so successful in this gruelling road race.

The Carrera name then went on to be placed on the back of the spiciest road-going Porsches: the 356 Carrera from the late 50s, and then the 911 Carrera from the ’70s. If you saw a 911 in the ’70s with Carrera on the back and bold script down the side, you knew it was a very special car, as it was in fact their top-performing model, held in high regard by drivers who knew their onions and motoring journalists alike.

When sales of the 911 were struggling in the mid-80s (hard to believe now), Porsche recognised the value of the Carrera badge, so when a revised 911 was launched in 1984, they called it the 911 Carrera, and the script remains on every standard 911 to this day.

If a 911 2.7 Carrera from the ’70s was still in production today, its equivalent would probably be the GT3 Touring. That reflects the regard the Carrera held in its day and attests to its special engine and lightweight components. Further testimony, still, is that it wasactually quicker on the road than a new standard 3.2 Carrera when launched a decade later. So, for the uninitiated, make no mistake: the 74 Carrera is a very special car and should not be confused with later lesser models.

Lean Green Machine

We are delighted to be able to offer another of these special 2.7 Carreras for sale, this time finished in its original vibrant hue of Lichtgrün or Light Green (Porsche Paint Code 253), a rare colour option in 1974 and long before PTS was a thing.

Although a ’74 model, it is one of the first to be produced, actually in 1973, so it features the shell strengthening of the outgoing ’73 RS model, which was installed for homologation purposes. Once these few special shells were used up, remaining models were built up from regular production bodyshells. A matching-numbers example, it was originally supplied to the US market, then found its way to Japan before arriving in the UK in 2019. The current owner purchased the car in 2023 and sent it to renowned Porsche experts Mittelmotor in Germany for a comprehensive restoration, mechanical rebuild and upgrade to European MFI specification. The list of works is meticulously recorded on file, and the total expenditure has surpassed the asking price today.

On the road, you are reminded how good a well-sorted 2.7 Carrera actually is. The fully rebuilt motor is now producing approximately 225 BHP, whilst the gearbox has received similar attention, so it is a joy to use. With new 7″ and 8″ Fuchs wheels, a new limited-slip differential and circa 1000kg kerb weight, it’s a joy to thread down a typical UK road. The restored, immaculate bodywork and interior, with genuine period Recaro sport seats, are the icing on the cake.

Our thoughts

A new standard 911 with a few added options will soon be cruising toward 150k these days, and a GT3 considerably more. A 2.7 Carrera is a special 911 in Porsche’s history, eminently usable and still surprisingly brisk even today. And finally… No matter which PTS shade you choose for your new Porsche, no modern 911 will ever look this cool.